Premier Roger Cook has faced a grilling over a decision to block Labor’s candidate for Secret Harbour from speaking to the media on the day of the state government’s biggest by-election announcement.
Georgia Tree was prevented from taking any questions from reporters at the $156 million announcement to build a train station in Karnup, with the premier saying there was no time.
“Yesterday, we were time poor,” Mr Cook insisted, after a second swearing in ceremony for the remainder of his new cabinet at Government House.
“It’s a decision for the government, for the campaign team and we had a program yesterday, and we had to get there.”
The awkward moment on the by-election campaign was the second occasion reporters were denied the ability to ask the Secret Harbour candidate questions.
It resulted in her silence being the news angle rather than Labor’s latest promise to build the station in the electorate’s heartland.
Mr Cook was asked if the decision was his.
“These things are managed by a group of people in the context of an election campaign,” he said.
“There are a number of people involved in staging these events. Georgia Tree has been more available in this campaign than any other candidate combined. Why aren’t the other candidates more available?”
Mr Cook was supposed to be celebrating the official coming together of his new cabinet, which followed the reshuffle that came after Secret Harbour MP Paul Papalia retired from parliament.
“As premier, I become minister for defence industries, supported by Amber-Jade Sanderson as assistant minister for defence and the deputy premier in her capacity as minister for transport and major infrastructure,” the premier said.
“Together, we will pursue the biggest new job creating industry opportunity in front us. To become the largest naval maintenance and ship building hub in the southern hemisphere.”
Police minister Reece Whitby, who lost the coveted tourism portfolio to the premier, told reporters he understood the decision.
“Obviously, it’s a very sought-after portfolio in the cabinet but, look, it was a great opportunity. We did fantastic things.”
He denied threatening to quit if he had been removed from cabinet altogether.
“No, I didn’t,” he said.
“I think everyone in politics, the clock’s running for us all. It’s an amazing opportunity to serve the people of Western Australia. We’re all here for a certain amount of time and we all have to make the most of it while we’re here.”
