Barnett will sacrifice more if he doesn't sack Buswell

WESTERN Australia's Premier Colin Barnett will sacrifice the integrity of his government if he doesn't sack Troy Buswell or ask for his resignation today.

In addition to the many examples of bawdy and immoral behaviour Buswell has engaged in, it has now been revealed he misused his ministerial entitlements when conducting an affair with Greens MP Adele Carles.

If the WA Treasurer hasn't crossed the line that makes continuing in public life untenable, short of breaking the law, no one ever will.

When in opposition Buswell flicked the bra strap of a pregnant Labor staffer. He then sniffed the chair of one of his female staffers, writhing around on the ground in mock sexual pleasure. He also grabbed at the groin of one of his male colleagues in the parliamentary chamber while appearing to be intoxicated.

As Treasurer, Buswell has previously been caught out misusing parliamentary entitlements; twice claiming travel expenses when he shouldn't have. This time he used his ministerial car, several times, to pick Carles up for their dalliances, as well as using entitlements for a hotel stay in Albany the night before meetings so he could spend the evening with her.

The message sent if Buswell doesn't lose his job is that misusing entitlements not only isn't a problem so long as you don't get caught, it isn't a problem even if you do. Buswell said he will pay back the misused expenses. So what? He wouldn't if he had not been caught.

If Barnett doesn't sack Buswell, he is saying that standards among his ministers don't matter, or at the very least they aren't applied equally.

Barnett needs Buswell as Treasurer because he is far and away the best person for the job at a time when the state's budget is only weeks away and WA is in intense negotiations with the commonwealth over health reforms.

While it is true that the WA Coalition isn't spoilt for choice when it comes to options for replacing Buswell, that isn't a good enough reason to keep him on.

If, by the end of today, Barnett hasn't sacked his Treasurer, he will pay a high political price for the lack of judgment.