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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2020-02-18 Daily Xml
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Member for Waite

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE (14:40): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Human Services as the minister responsible for the status of women.

Leave granted.

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE: At 5.30pm tonight, the Parliamentary Friends United Against Domestic and Family Violence will gather in the Old Chamber to make or reaffirm their commitment to address domestic violence and family violence. This is an important opportunity for us all to stand united as parliamentarians for a common cause. On 31 July 2019, when asked whether a person who assaults women should be a member of parliament, the Premier said:

I would like to say unequivocally that we reject…bullying, harassment and attacks in any workplace—any workplace—whatsoever.

In this place, on 5 February of this year, I asked the same question of the Leader of the Government in this place. The response was:

…as a general statement I don't support bullying and harassment in any workplace.

Neither the Premier nor the Leader of the Government in this place has answered this question directly. My question to the minister is: does the minister believe that someone who assaults women should hold office as a member of parliament and what leadership role has the minister taken to ensure all of her parliamentary colleagues sign the pledge tonight in light of the behaviour of her colleague the member for Waite?

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (Minister for Human Services) (14:41): I thank the honourable member for her question. I look forward to attending that event this evening, along with a number of members who I am assuming will be there. Of course, the elephant in the room that we are referring to are the actions of the member for Waite. I stand by comments that I have made in the public domain that all women have the right to be safe in the workplace, and I stand by that. In terms of the event tonight, that wasn't actually organised by me. I am not going to go into personal discussions that I might have had in relation to the particular matter that the honourable member clearly would like to probe in greater detail. Because there are legal matters pending, I can't comment on that specific matter any further.

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