Libs prevent move against Petrusma

THE State Government has blocked a bid by Labor to debate whether Human Services Minister Jacquie Petrusma should be referred to the Privileges Committee.

The referral was to be about Ms Petrusma’s statements to Parliament about children in the care of private out-of-home care provider Safe Pathways.

Leaked emails about the minister’s office’s dealings with her department about Safe Pathways included a note from the deputy secretary of the Health Department on November 16 saying he could not guarantee all 11 children under the organisation’s care were safe.

Ms Petrusma told Parlia- ment the same day that the 11 children with Safe Pathways were safe.

Ms Petrusma has since repeatedly denied she misled Parliament, saying her update to the House had been provided after she received “strong, clear verbal advice” from the department that the children were safe.

Opposition Leader Rebecca White said Ms Petrusma’s continued failure to explain the discrepancy between the emailed advice and what she told Parliament almost immediately after warranted referral to the committee.

“There could not be a more serious matter when the minister is willing to contradict the advice of her own department in order to give an answer to make it look like she is doing the right thing,” she said.

“The minister is not accountable to the Parliament, she is not accountable to her colleagues because they protect her.”

The Greens supported Labor’s motion.

“This is what happens when the Premier fails to show leadership in ministerial conduct,” Greens leader Cassy O’Connor said. “Why should we believe the minister when she cites verbal advice when she has an email which is clear?”

Leader of government business Michael Ferguson said Labor had failed to make an argument to have the motion debated.

He accused Labor of a stunt to avoid debating a Liberal motion about Labor being soft on crime because it opposed mandatory minimum jail for serious child-sex offences.

“Labor is now desperate to avoid scrutiny for their actions. Minister Petrusma has been very clear that she did not mislead Parliament and this has been backed up by the secretary of DHHS,” he said.