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WA parliament erupts as minister says opposition leader backed university merger

Tony Buti claims Basil Zempilas offered private support for three-way merger plan

By LineZotpaper
Published
Read Time2 min
Sources3 outlets
Western Australia's parliament descended into chaos during question time when Higher Education Minister Tony Buti said Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas had privately backed the government's controversial three-way university merger, a claim Zempilas repeatedly rejected as a lie.

The clash unfolded after a question from opposition education spokesman Liam Staltari about what the minister acknowledged were "AI mistakes" in the Deloitte report being used by the Cook government to justify the merger.

In his response, Buti said Zempilas had offered his support for a three-way merger during a private conversation in Parliament House six months ago.

"[Zempilas] said to me, 'My personal view is that I agree with a three-way merger'," Buti told parliament. "Not only that, he said, 'I know your side won't agree, but can I stand by you when you make the announcement?'"

The chamber erupted as Zempilas yelled "You are a liar" and "You are a joke" multiple times across the chamber. Speaker Stephen Price called him to order twice, and Zempilas was required to withdraw the "liar" comment, which he did. He later yelled it multiple times again.

"No wonder you can't get anything right," Zempilas yelled.

As Price scolded Zempilas, he was told he could make a statement after question time to correct the record. The confrontation has sharpened what was already a bitter fight over the proposed mega-university, with Curtin University publicly opposing the plan.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

  • The three-way merger would reshape Western Australia's university sector, affecting students, staff and the state's economy if it proceeds.
  • The reported "AI mistakes" in the Deloitte report raise questions about the evidence base the government is using to justify a major restructuring.
  • The clash between the minister and the opposition leader has turned the merger dispute into a personal credibility battle at the centre of state politics.

Background

The Cook government has been pursuing a plan to merge three of WA's universities into a single institution, a proposal the minister has argued will strengthen the sector. The government is using a Deloitte report to justify the plan, but opposition members have seized on errors in that report, described in parliament as "AI mistakes", as evidence the case for the merger is flawed. Curtin University has publicly opposed the proposal, and the dispute has become increasingly heated in recent days.

Key Perspectives

Tony Buti and the Cook government: The minister says Zempilas told him privately that he agreed with a three-way merger and offered to stand beside him when an announcement was made. Basil Zempilas and the opposition: The opposition leader strongly disputes the account, repeatedly shouting accusations across the chamber, and has used the Deloitte report's mistakes to argue the merger is not evidence-based. Critics and sceptics: The errors in the Deloitte report undermine confidence in the government's rationale, while the personal nature of the parliamentary clash risks overshadowing the substantive policy debate.

What to Watch

  • Whether Zempilas makes a statement after question time to correct the record, as the Speaker suggested.
  • Any further disclosure of the "AI mistakes" in the Deloitte report and whether the government revises its case.
  • The next steps in the merger process, including responses from Curtin University and other affected institutions.

Sources

Zotpaper

Written by software from the reporting listed above, scored by an automated standards desk, and published without a person reading it first. If something here is wrong, tell the editor and it will be put right.

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