Wednesday, 22 February 2023

Questions without notice and ministers statements

Member conduct

John PESUTTO (Hawthorn – Leader of the Opposition) (14:02): My question is to the Assistant Treasurer. Was the Assistant Treasurer or his office ever present at or aware of discussions related to the Andrews government’s approval for Beach Energy to turn a testing well running under the Twelve Apostles into a production well?

Danny PEARSON (Essendon – Minister for Government Services, Assistant Treasurer, Minister for WorkSafe and the TAC, Minister for Consumer Affairs) (14:02): I certainly was not aware of that – I am not the responsible minister – and I am not aware that my office would have been either.

John PESUTTO (Hawthorn – Leader of the Opposition) (14:02): Beach Energy’s share price rose around 50 per cent as a consequence of the Andrews government’s approval of the new production well. How can the Assistant Treasurer claim that it is not a breach of the ministerial code of conduct for him to have profited from being privy to this inside information?

Mary-Anne Thomas: On a point of order, Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition has made a giant leap in his questioning. The Assistant Treasurer has been very precise in his answer, and I ask that you rule the question out of order on the basis that it has already been answered and indeed that the minister has been very clear that he has had no responsibility in relation to this matter.

Peter Walsh: On the point of order, Speaker, the point of order that has been taken is the minister needs to answer the question because this –

Members interjecting.

Peter Walsh: I am putting a counterargument to the manager of government business. This is a clear question to the Assistant Treasurer about a breach of the code of conduct and the fact that he has profited –

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order!

Peter Walsh: a clear breach of the code of conduct that the Assistant Treasurer has profited from by an increase in share price around a government decision that he sat around the table for and would have either been aware of or been part of.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! I will not rule the question out of order. The minister did refer to the response in his first answer, but I invite the minister to respond.

Danny PEARSON (Essendon – Minister for Government Services, Assistant Treasurer, Minister for WorkSafe and the TAC, Minister for Consumer Affairs) (14:04): I was not the responsible minister. I have always behaved appropriately at all times, and I have declared all my interests.