Staying with politics now, and WA Premier Roger Cook has ruled out taking disciplinary action against long-serving MP Chris Tallentire following his scathing attack on his own government’s report and Kerry Stokes’ Seven West Media over concerns about environmental protection efforts.
Tallentire made headlines last week after breaking ranks and using the cover of parliamentary privilege to lay bare concerns about the report underpinning the state’s Environmental Protection Amendment Bill, which he compared to a “wishlist” for industry littered with inconsistencies.
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The member for Gosnells also singled out Seven West Media, owner of The West Australian and The Nightly, accusing the media giants of joining a concerted effort to counter state and federal environmental protection laws.
On Thursday Cook acknowledged Tallentire, who announced he would not contest the 2025 state election, had his concerns but had indicated he would ultimately support the legislation.
Cook said he was also passionate about the environment, but was more cautious in his language, tempering that by highlighting the need to balance it against the interests of industry and the need to progress job-creating projects.
The premier insisted Tallentire was alone in those concerns, telling the press no one else within the party had raised concerns in relation to the commentary or the media company.
Seven West Media’s billionaire chairman Kerry Stokes has business interests spanning mining, property and construction.
