WA Labor MPs are calling on a Nationals member to publicly apologise for what they allege was a racist comment to one of their colleagues.
The WA parliament was hosting a Chinese New Year function on Monday evening when the Nationals member for Central Wheatbelt, Lachlan Hunter, used a procedural motion to call some government members back to the lower house.
As those members were leaving to return to the event, it is understood Mr Hunter said “enjoy your dim sum”.
Labor MPs say Mr Hunter was looking at their colleague Sook Yee Lai when he made the comment.
Sook Yee Lai is the Labor member for Bibra Lake. (Supplied: Parliament of Western Australia)
Ms Lai described herself as the “first Australian woman of Chinese heritage” to be elected to the WA parliament in her maiden speech.
“Ms Lai took offence, believing the comment to be racist,” the leader of the lower house, David Michael said in a statement.
David Michael says Ms Lai took offence at the comment. (ABC News: Courtney Withers)
A recording of the parliament sitting does not pick up the comment but does record Education Minister Sabine Winton responding by calling Mr Hunter an “arsehole”.
The ABC has been told by a Labor source Ms Lai, Mr Hunter and Speaker Stephen Price met on Wednesday where the Nationals MP apologised for his comment.
While parliament was sitting on Wednesday, Ms Winton apologised to the Legislative Assembly and withdrew what she described as an “unparliamentary phrase”.
Sabine Winton swore at Mr Hunter after his remark. (ABC News: Keane Bourke)
Mr Hunter then stood to acknowledge he made a comment “which offended some members”.
“I wish to withdraw that interjection,” he said, without apologising.
Ms Lai has been contacted for comment.
‘Enjoy the croissant’
In a statement, Mr Hunter said the remark had not been specifically addressed to Ms Lai.
“I said to about half a dozen MPs leaving the chamber: ‘enjoy the dim sum, I’ll be there soon,'” he said.
“I would say ‘enjoy the croissant’ if it were a French event, or even ‘enjoy the lamb chop’ if it were an Australia Day event.”
Lachlan Hunter outside Parliament House in Perth, where he became embroiled in controversy after a Chinese New year function. (ABC News: Keane Bourke)
Speaking again later on Wednesday, Mr Hunter said Labor’s outrage about his comment was a “massive deflection” away from Ms Winton calling him an arsehole.
“Somehow making this into a racially vilified comment, I find absolutely disgraceful.”
In a social media post on Wednesday evening, Mr Hunter said Ms Winton’s outburst was “gutter politics”.
“In any private business, a senior executive behaving like that in a professional workplace would be sacked,” he wrote.
“If this is the tone coming from the government’s front bench, it tells you a lot about the culture behind it.”
No ‘racial overtones’: Zempilas
Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas said Mr Hunter “doesn’t have anything to apologise for”.
“I was there when he said it, I know the tone with which he said it, it was not racially motivated in the slightest,” Mr Zempilas said outside parliament.
“There were no racial overtones whatsoever, he was commenting on the food that was being served and the music that we could hear in the chamber.”
Basil Zempilas says the comment carried no racist suggestions at all. (ABC News: Angela Ho)
Mr Zempilas said the “spirit of the exchange” was a “light-hearted reference” about Labor MPs being able to go back to the event to enjoy the food being served.
“[It was] almost apologetic that he had called the quorum to distract them from that event, they could now go back,” he said.
“[It’s] part of the theatre of politics.”
Roger Cook described the incident as “deeply disappointing.” (ABC News: Keane Bourke)
Premier Roger Cook said it was “deeply disappointing” the incident occurred as parliament held a cultural celebration for Chinese New Year for the first time.
“It’s up to everyone, including the leaders of all political parties in the chamber, to inform their teams about the expectations of the community on their behaviour.”Issue is ‘resolved’ says Love
National Leader Shane Love said he was not in parliament at the time of the exchange, but noted Mr Hunter was the one who had taken offence.
“As I understand it, the offence was to my member from a member of the Labor Party, a senior minister, who made some quite offensive remarks,” Mr Love said.
WA Nationals Leader Shane Love. (ABC News: Courtney Withers)
When asked about Mr Hunter’s comments directly, the Nationals Leader repeated a similar line several times.
“I think the member for Central Wheatbelt and the member for Bibra Lake have had a conversation and that issue is resolved,” he said.
He said it was his impression that the conversation, which included the Speaker, involved an apology from Mr Hunter.
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