Wednesday, 4 March 2020

Casey planning

Mr M O’BRIEN (Malvern—Leader of the Opposition) (11:25): My question is to the Premier. The planning minister is reported as saying of John Woodman associate Megan Schutz to tell his staff to:

Keep that girl away from me.

By contrast, in the same IBAC hearing Megan Schutz revealed that the Premier ‘gave me a little kiss on the cheek’ and he said:

Say hi to John, Megan, say hi to John.

In the face of all the evidence to the contrary, why does the Premier continue to deny his close relationship with the Ferrari-driving, Labor-donating developer John Woodman?

Mr ANDREWS (Mulgrave—Premier) (11:25): The Leader of the Opposition makes a range of claims and draws conclusions. Apparently he is the IBAC now and it is up to him to determine these matters. It is of course not; it is a matter for IBAC. One could speculate as to why the Leader of the Opposition is not ready to wait for the final IBAC hearing—

A member interjected.

Mr ANDREWS: Well, it may make various comments on many, many people, but the appropriate thing to do is to wait for IBAC to do its important work—

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order!

Mr ANDREWS: and again reiterate that I conduct myself at all times and in all things—

The SPEAKER: Order! The Premier will resume his seat. On a point of order, the Leader of the Opposition.

Ms Allan interjected.

The SPEAKER: Order! Leader of the House!

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Just when we had the running of question time back on track.

Mr M O’Brien: On a point of order, Speaker, the question was about why the Premier continues to deny the closeness of his relationship with John Woodman. That is not a matter that is before IBAC. That is about the statements the Premier has made to the media and to the Victorian public, and we are holding him accountable on that. I ask you to bring him back to answering that question, which is irrelevant to IBAC. It is about statements this Premier has made about how close he is or is not to John Woodman.

The SPEAKER: Order! I understand the point of order, but the Premier is being relevant to the question that has been asked and has concluded his answer.

Mr M O’BRIEN (Malvern—Leader of the Opposition) (11:27): Isn’t the reason the Premier is refusing to fully explain his at least 18-year relationship with Labor-donor developer John Woodman that he is just terrified of self-incrimination?

Mr ANDREWS (Mulgrave—Premier) (11:27): The answer to that question is no.