Shellharbour MP Anna Watson has slammed Premier Mike Baird for providing a ‘‘smart-arsed’’ response to questions about the future of BlueScope Steel in the Illawarra.
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Ms Watson had tried to quell uncertainty about job losses that has lingered since BlueScope revealed it needed to save about $130million a year to keep Port Kembla steel operations viable, by asking Mr Baird a series of questions in State Parliament last month.
‘‘Has the Premier or any other minister in the government met with BlueScope Steel representatives to discuss the state of the steel industry, and in particular, the ongoing operation of the Port Kembla steel works?’’ Ms Watson asked on June 23.
Additional questioning covered when the meeting was held, who took part, what matters were discussed and specific requests made by BlueScope to the government, if any.
Mr Baird’s response, made public on Tuesday, said that ‘‘ministers are required to publish extracts from their diaries summarising details of meetings held with stakeholders, external organisations and individuals’’.
‘‘The summary discloses the organisation or individual with whom the meeting occurred, details of any registered lobbyists present, and the purpose of the meeting,’’ the response said.
The summaries are published quarterly on the Department of Premier and Cabinet website. However, the most recent disclosure period published is from January 1 to March 31.
Ms Watson said Mr Baird’s response was ‘‘a smart-arsed disgrace’’.
‘‘The Premier’s diary summary disclosures don’t even cover the period at issue. My question to him was placed in June,’’ she said.
‘‘This Premier has an enormous staff and the best he can do is point me to a website which contains no information whatsoever.
‘‘The reason I placed this question on notice was because I was not convinced he was taking the issue of the future of BlueScope Steel seriously. Now I have confirmation he doesn’t.
‘‘We don’t need smart-arsed bureaucratic responses from the Premier. There is a whole region very concerned about the future of the steel industry.’’
A spokesman for Mr Baird said the next round of diary disclosures would be published soon.