Premier Colin Barnett has stood by his decision to force the resignation of Troy Buswell after the former treasurer today reversed his position, claiming he had not abused parliamentary entitlements during his affair with Greens MP Adele Carles.
Premier Colin Barnett has stood by his decision to force the resignation of Troy Buswell after the former treasurer today reversed his position, claiming he had not abused parliamentary entitlements during his affair with Greens MP Adele Carles.
Speaking this morning outside the Subiaco home of Energy Minister Peter Collier, Mr Buswell said he had received legal advice that a night's stay in Albany which was spent with Ms Carles was not a breach of parliamentary entitlements.
"The advice I've received is that the nights' accommodation in Albany was a perfectly legitimate use of my entitlement," Mr Buswell said.
"I'm happy for this to stand subject (sic) to any scrutiny, that I didn't misuse my taxpayer entitlements and anyone who portrays that as fact is wrong."
However Mr Barnett told reporters in Kalgoorlie this morning that he stood by his decision to force the resignation of Mr Buswell.
"Troy is obviously wanting to clear his name and reputation, and he's a friend of mine and I understand that," Mr Barnett said.
"But the decision for him to stand down was the correct decision and that will hold.
"It's not necessarily a matter simply of legality, it's a matter of propriety ... and I stand by the decision."
The premier said he has called on the public sector commissioner Mal Wauchope to investigate the expenses of both Mr Buswell and Ms Carles.
"He (Mr Wauchope) will report to me in due course," Mr Barnett said.
"Troy, unfortunately, had transgressed.
"If you take public office and hold high public office the standards have to be absolutely exemplary.
"I'm not passing judgement on Troy or Adele, I've simply acted as premier in terms of the standard of this government."
The new development in the love saga comes as Ms Carles today fronted media, days after she exposed the affair following pressure from her Greens colleagues.
Ms Carles today said she was "shocked" to hear Mr Buswell on Monday say that he had abused parliamentary entitlements during the affair, because it was "incorrect".
Ms Carles said her liaisons with Mr Buswell in Canberra and Sydney were fully funded by her and both had been entitled to accommodation in the WA town of Albany as MPs.
"I'm here to say there has been no misuse of parliamentary entitlements," Ms Carles told reporters in Perth, adding that she was not there to defend herself or Mr Buswell over the claims, rather it was to let the public know the truth.
Ms Carles said she had no knowledge of the use of ministerial cars by Mr Buswell and she had never driven in a chauffeur-driven ministerial car or seen the former treasurer arrive in one.
Ms Carles added she had tried to contact Mr Barnett on Monday night after hearing Mr Buswell's comments earlier that day, to explain that Mr Buswell had not breached any parliamentary entitlements.
Ms Carles said Mr Buswell had been poorly advised before making his statement on Monday.
"I rang him afterwards and said, `Who wrote that statement?'. He said, `My chief of staff'," she said.
"I think he got very poor advice."
Ms Carles fate within the Greens party will be decided at a meeting on Sunday.
Greens senior member Giz Watson said she has not asked for Ms Carles' resignation.
She added while the party was aware of the consequences of outing the affair between Ms Carles and Mr Buswell, it was in keeping with party policy.
Ms Watson said the affair had been the "worst kept secret in Perth".
