Michael Ferguson,Leader of the House
Ms White in spreading gossip, rumour and innuendo has been caught out falsely making claims about JackJumpers CEO, Simon Brookhouse and his alleged attendance at Parliament House yesterday.
Mr Brookhouse has said he was not in Parliament House yesterday and Ms White has once again abused her use of parliamentary privilege to tell lies to try to trick the Premier in Question Time.
Any member of the public is welcome to attend Parliament House. But the failing Rebecca White tried to use this confected story to create more rumour and political intrigue to prop up her disastrous week in Parliament.
Ms White must front the media today to explain why she made up such lies about someone. Her media famine this week is telling.
This is a long-standing and repetitive pattern of lying for political point scoring from Ms White. We have said many times that it must cease.
Unfortunately, misleading and blatantly wrong statements are now a pattern of behaviour for Ms White. In the Parliament, it is expressly improper because the misleading can significantly distort genuine consideration of matters being debated, incorrectly informed decisions and responses can result.
This mischief creates massive problems for members of the public who have little chance to defend their reputation.
Parliamentary Privilege is necessary to allow elected representatives have factual, informed debates.
The privilege itself is based on a fundamental expectation that it will be used truthfully and ethically.
Lying in Parliament is wrong, Ms White. And it is not the role of the Government to have to clean up her lies and mess every time.
Ms White must apologise to Mr Brookhouse and correct the record immediately.
The Government will inform Mr Brookhouse of his right to raise this matter with the Privileges Committee.
