Occasionally in journalism you have a buzzing kind of day in which significant events unfold and you simply have to process the information as it emerges against the backdrop of closing deadlines.
This was such a day as the Corruption and Crime Commission continued its interrogation of Goldfields Esperance Minister John Bowler, who is also one of our local MPs.
John (pictured) is a great bloke and I’ve been hoping he would emerge unscathed from the hearings. That wasn’t to be and I think the Premier acted appropriately in sacking him from Cabinet and the parliamentary Labor Party.
The transcripts are available on the CCC web site and they don’t make pretty reading. It is impossible to escape the conclusion that Bowler was compromised in his dealings with lobbyists Brian Burke and Julian Grill.
Bowler reflected at one stage that he has trouble saying “no” to people and that’s clearly evident.
I’m still not comfortable about the phone taps and home surveillance, and I don’t wish to say that the end justifies the means, but there is no doubt Alan Carpenter is right in his comments and actions.
You can’t blame the lobbyists for doing their job either and seeking to exert influence, but as Carpenter said: “Brian Burke and Julian Grill only have this influence if people allow them to have this influence. They should not be allowed to have this influence, it’s as simple as that.”
There will be some interesting days ahead as local people get their heads around losing not only a minister, but also a Government MP, as Bowler has said he will sit now as an Independent.
