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Canberra Today 11°/15° | Saturday, March 30, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Barr’s ‘threats’ should be investigated, says Wall

“THREATS” by Andrew Barr during a committee hearing in November should be examined by a privileges committee to determine whether the Chief Minister is in contempt of the Assembly for threatening other members of the Assembly, says Opposition whip Andrew Wall.

Liberal MLA Andrew Wall.

The Liberal MLA cites this exchange between Barr and the chairman of the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Tourism, Jeremy Hanson, during the Chief Minister’s appearance before the committee on November 6: 

THE CHAIR: Chief Minister, if you can just stick to answering the questions rather than trying to make allegations.

Mr Barr: You do not get to tell me how I answer questions, Mr Hanson.

THE CHAIR: I get to run this committee and I am asking you—

Mr Barr: For the time being, yes.

THE CHAIR: Was that a threat?

Mr Barr: It is, yes.

THE CHAIR: You are making a threat to me, are you?

Mr Barr: I am, yes.

Citing standing order 277, Wall says: “The Chief Minister’s threats deserves the attention of a privileges committee. Andrew Barr is clearly a man under pressure. He hates scrutiny in the media and he hates scrutiny in parliament.

“Levelling threats against another sitting member for scrutinising the government is just another tactic employed by the Chief Minister to drown out dissent.

“The Greens need to decide whether they will continue run a protection racket in support of the Chief Minister’s… behaviour or whether they will uphold good parliamentary behaviour in honour of the community.”

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Thank you,

Ian Meikle, editor

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