2015-09-02
Mr BARBER (Northern Metropolitan) — The motion by Ms Wooldridge invites us to take note of the report. Indeed we have taken note of the content of the report. We also note that, as a result of the findings of the report, the minister has been stood down by the Premier, so we can only conclude that it was the Premier's judgement that, given the findings of the report, it was inappropriate for Mr Somyurek to continue being a minister.
The report and the investigation that led up to it disclose that there is a dispute between the minister and his chief of staff as to whether or not he physically manhandled her, which appears to be the core of the issue that led the Premier to stand down the minister. Because there were apparently no other witnesses to this incident, the investigator formed a view based on the credibility of the testimony of the two people involved — the minister and his chief of staff.
We do not attempt to dispute or in any way argue against the finding; however, it was disturbing to me that other witness statements not included in the report, which tended to put a different picture of the political dynamic that was occurring in the minister's office, were the following day released to and publicised in the Herald Sun. It is concerning to me that other witness statements, which tended to put a different view to what the investigator concluded, were not included in the body of the report itself. That gave me pause to wonder whether this investigation had been as balanced as it might have been. Those witness statements made public in the Herald Sun a day or so later included some comments from Mr Somyurek's chief of staff that were directed at a member of this house — I will not say who it was, but it was clear to me who they were referring to — that I thought were quite disparaging. That was unfortunate.
However, as I said at the beginning of my remarks, the report has been tabled and the Premier appears to have accepted the content of the report and its findings prima facie and has decided, as far as we all know, that on the basis of that report the minister is to be stood down and that has in fact occurred. Since Ms Wooldridge, in moving this motion, has not called for any particular action to be taken — it is simply to note a report — I do not need to go any further into any aspect of the report, because the particular matter she raises and which is covered in the report for now at least appears to be concluded.