Mines and Petroleum Minister Bill Johnston has been accused of mansplaining in a fiery sparring match with federal Liberal senators Dean Smith and Linda Reynolds during a Perth Mint probe.
Mines and Petroleum Minister Bill Johnston has been accused of mansplaining in a fiery sparring match with federal Liberal senators Dean Smith and Linda Reynolds during a Perth Mint probe.
A parliamentary committee examining the inner workings of the Perth Mint prior to Austrac opening an investigation in 2021 was held in Perth on Friday, where auditor-general Caroline Spencer, Mint chairman Sam Walsh and Opposition leader Shane Love were among those to give evidence.
Mr Johnston fired his first salvo in his opening address, putting the question back on the federal committee to share any evidence they had of money laundering.
Mr Johnston repeatedly sought to separate media stories around money laundering allegations and the Austrac investigation into compliance issues, which he said had been conflated.
He said more than 700 Western Australian employees at the mint had been affected by media and parliamentary scrutiny.
“These Western Australians have enduring relentless criticism from some quarters over alleged money laundering without a shred of evidence and based on hearsay,” Mr Johnston said.
“If we had known the former government had allowed the [anti-money laundering] and [counter terrorism financing] rules to not be properly applied we would have acted much sooner.
“The problem is in the media everyone thinks there is an investigation into money laundering, but there has never been an investigation into money laundering.”
Senator Reynolds interjected within minutes of the start of the hearing after Mr Johnston criticised the former state government’s financial management.
She repeatedly accused Mr Johnston of failing to answer her questions, with the state minister retorting on multiple occasions he was trying to provide context.
After Senator Reynolds was accused of being “confused” about the issue at hand, proceedings broke down with committee chair Mr Smith pulling both members into line.
Moments later Senator Reynolds accused Mr Johnston of “almost mansplaining” and “tedious repetition”, at which time Mr Smith moved questioning on to Greens senator Dorinda Cox.
Mr Johnston and Mr Smith had earlier butted heads over the Liberal senator’s ties with former Gold Corporation boss Don McKay-Coghill.
Mr Johnston posed Mr McKay-Coghill was “known to” Mr Smith, who was working for then-premier Richard Court at the time. Mr Smith denied the allegation.
“I might be familiar with the name but it is not correct to say I have an association,” Mr Smith said.
Ms Cox asked Mr Johnston if he was being briefed on issues playing out in the media.
“Surely you were not walking around with your eyes closed and not listening to or being brief by your staff as the minister responsible for this portfolio to hear some of the allegations and some of the spin as, you put it, in the media,” she said.
Mr Johnston answered by telling the hearing Gold Corporation had a good reputation in the gold industry, which had given the minister positive feedback.
