Debates of May 27, 2004 (day 14)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Let me just get back to the basics here. As I sit here, I can’t help but notice we are engaged in a very well-known dance, a dance that happens in families when you have a family member in trouble. Somebody does something wrong and they say I am sorry, I won’t do it again. I don’t think that should be enough. I think we have to, as a body responsible for public interest and public integrity and the high standard that we must uphold, the Premier has to have that X-factor, that information that tells him that goes beyond I am sorry, I won’t do it again. So I need to hear from the Premier; maybe he knows something that I don’t know. What gives him the evidence to say Mr. Zoe is seeking help or seeking assistance or anything? That is not what he has indicated. Thank you.

Mr. Handley.

Return To Question 164-15(3): Conduct Of Minister Zoe

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Zoe has said in his statement that he is taking steps to ensure this type of incident is not repeated. Okay, that one we know. Second is that he has told the Members in this House. He hasn’t told them in this House, but he has told them in another circumstance that he is taking action, that he is seeking help. I won’t get into that detail but, again, Mr. Speaker, that may be ruled out of order. He has told all of us that. So, Mr. Speaker, I have to take his word. If Ms. Lee is asking me, and I don’t want to project things into her question, if she is asking me did Mr. Zoe say to me that he is going to completely refrain from any use of alcohol in future, then no. I don’t think that Mr. Zoe has said that, if that’s what she is asking. I have not heard that from Mr. Zoe, but he has told me he is seeking help. Thank you.

Supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Supplementary To Question 164-15(3): Conduct Of Minister Zoe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. For the life of me, I don’t understand when every Member in this House knows as much as we do about what we are dealing with here, we just relieve ourselves of all our responsibilities as Premier. I don’t think we are doing anybody any favours here. We are not serving the public, we are not serving Mr. Zoe, we are not serving the Cabinet. It’s just kind of denying that there is that serious problem here and we could just deal with it by hoping that it won’t happen again. Mr. Speaker, could I ask the Premier’s commitment for him to speak to Mr. Zoe again? I don’t believe that statement says enough about taking actions to make sure that this doesn’t happen again, and I would like to ask the Premier if he would make the commitment to sit down with Mr. Zoe and ask him exactly what those steps mean. What does it mean? Does it include treatment? Does it include self-help? What does it really mean? We go back to the Members and I would also like to have a commitment from the Premier that he will seek advice from this side of the House to address this. Thank you.

Mr. Premier. I heard three questions, so basically all the supplementaries have been used up, plus one.

Further Return To Question 164-15(3): Conduct Of Minister Zoe

Mr. Speaker, first of all, will I speak further to Mr. Zoe? Yes, I will want to seek clarification on what it is he intends to do in terms of seeking help. When you ask is he taking treatment, I am not sure whether you are asking if he is taking treatment in the conventional sense of going to an alcohol treatment centre or whether he’s using an alternative, but those are things that are choices that Mr. Zoe has to make himself. I am sure there are many ways of getting help for the difficulties that Mr. Zoe has acknowledged. In terms of reporting back to the House and laying out Mr. Zoe’s personal intentions, that seems to me to be something that Mr. Zoe should make a decision on himself. I have confidence in talking with Members. I am open to sharing information, but in terms of laying out personal plans, treatment or help, that is not something that I feel is my responsibility to make public. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.