‘So sensitive’: Premier Roger Cook lashes out at Liberal complaints over Basil Zempilas comments

The Opposition has been too “sensitive” over Parliamentary comments against Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas, Premier Roger Cook said, who claimed the Liberals often used “personal and disrespectful comments” against opponents. Asked in Parliament by former Liberal leader David Honey over whether he agreed with Cockburn MP David Scaife’s comments against Mr Zempilas, the Premier said he had “no comment to make” in relation to wars of words between political figures. Under parliamentary privilege on Thursday, Mr Scaife described Mr Zempilas as a “phony” and a “fraud” before adding that he was a “B-grade TV personality cosplaying as a politician”. In response, Mr Zempilas told a radio interview he had never heard of Mr Scaife. In a rowdy response in Question Time on Tuesday, Mr Cook refused to be drawn on the war of words, facing interjections from the Opposition. “I do note that those opposite have had very colourful things to say about the member for Perth and the Deputy Premier on various occasions as part of the cut and thrust of politics,” he said. “I find it extraordinary that those opposites should be so sensitive about these things when they themselves on occasions, have entered the fray with some rather personal and disrespectful comments. Pushed on whether he would ask Mr Scaife to apologise for the comments, Mr Cook accused the Liberals of hypocrisy over the debate. “They dish it out all the time — the name calling, the accusations, the personal attacks — and the moment they find themselves in the spotlight of any scrutiny or public debate, they fall apart,” Mr Cook said.