Pyle, Ms Jillian

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (15:13): I have a supplementary question. Was an outside consultant hired and also paid to do Ms Pyle's work while she was on paid leave during this investigation, effectively costing the taxpayers twice as much?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills, Minister for Science and Information Economy, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Business Services and Consumers) (15:13): I thank the member for his supplementary question. I do not believe that to be so at all. I think the honourable member is simply coming into this place and making things up, as he often does. He often comes into this place and simply makes things up, hurls grenades and is irresponsible—completely irresponsible. This person under investigation is undergoing a proper process that involves proper justice and due process.

It is completely insulting and completely improper for the honourable member to come into this place and, through innuendo, continue to name this person and name the allegations when he knows that an investigation that has to undergo due process is under way.

It is a shockingly abusive thing that he is doing to this woman. He has been informed on a number of occasions that an investigation is underway, that due process is being done and that it is being done as fast as it possibly can. I have given him a commitment that an answer will be brought back as soon as that investigation is completed. He has that commitment and yet he continues to come into this place making things up—he plucks them from the air.

We know he makes things up all the time. We know how incredibly irresponsible he is. As I said, we are proud on this side of the house to consider people innocent until proven guilty. I hope that if something goes amiss with any of the honourable members opposite me—any mishap—they are afforded the same courtesy and that is that they are treated as innocent until they are proven guilty. They should think about that.