By Chris Thomson | posted on November 16, 2018
NOVEMBER 8 was eventful for Albany MLA Peter Watson who as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly turfed Opposition Leader Mike Nahan out and was later showered with praise by Premier Mark McGowan.
Mr Watson called Dr Nahan to order four times before finally turfing him from Parliament, after counselling him on asking long questions.
Later, Deputy Opposition Leader Liza Harvey asked Mr McGowan why, according to her, he planned to privatise the Albany wind farm, “thereby sidelining local Albany workers and businesses who were employed to maintain it”.
Mr McGowan theorised that Mrs Harvey had fallen into a trap.
“I think the Leader of the Opposition deliberately got himself thrown out and gave a false question to the member for Scarborough to make her look stupid,” he continued.
“It was a cunning plan on his behalf to set the member up in that way.
“I have no idea what the member is talking about —”
Interjecting, Mrs Harvey accused Mr McGowan of demeaning the position of Premier “with this nonsense”.
Mr McGowan said he had “no idea” what she was referring to.
“But I will say this: Albany is one of my favourite towns,” he segued.
“It has been well represented now for the last 17 years by one of the finest members for Albany I have ever seen!”
Several members interjected, and again Mr Watson stepped in.
“Members, I want to hear this!” he quipped.
Mr McGowan resumed, saying the Speaker had been “a terrific member for Albany”.
“He won the seat unexpectedly and has held it in every election since,” he recounted.
“It is now a city that I think is one of the pre-eminent places in regional Australia for people to live, have a great lifestyle with great community facilities, and good employment prospects.”
After Mr McGowan said most of that came down to Mr Watson’s hard work, Mrs Harvey launched a supplementary question.
“Given the Premier’s answer applauding the actions of the member for Albany, can the Premier advise whether the member for Albany has contacted him with respect to these businesses and workers who no longer have work at Albany wind farm; and, has the member for Albany approached the Premier’s office to get $6.6 million of funding for the GenesisCare cancer centre?,” she posed.
“You said he was a great member.
“[The Premier] didn’t answer anything about the wind farm.”
Mr Watson told Mrs Harvey that her question had been asked.
“Even though I am hurt by it, I want to hear [the answer],” he said.
Mr McGowan said that Minister for Energy Ben Wyatt was sitting to his right.
“If the member has any of these claims, he could have been asked,” the Premier chided.
“I have the Minister for Health sitting to my right if the member is asking about some health-related issue that I am unaware of.
“I am proud of all the work we have done in Albany, and I am proud of the work the Member for Albany has done.”
Image: Mr Watson does some housework back in Albany. Photo: Anthony Probert
