Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas defends confrontation with Labor MP Michelle Maynard over Bullsbrook power

Basil Zempilas has defended a confrontation with a female Labor MP — triggered by frequent power outages in Bullsbrook — after the Cook Government accused him of “intimidating” behaviour. Michelle Maynard said on Thursday Mr Zempilas had “made a beeline” for her and “stood over” her as he argued his point after Question Time on Wednesday, which she said made her “feel intimidated”. The Swan Hills MP had interjected as Mr Zempilas grilled the Energy Minister over 16 power outages in nine days in February. “It wasn’t nine days, that’s misinformation,” Ms Maynard yelled. Footage from Parliament’s cameras showed Mr Zempilas approached her after Question Time and stood alongside her for about 80 seconds, until other Labor MPs told him to sit down. He apologised on Wednesday night and on Thursday explained to reporters he was showing Ms Maynard the record of the outages on Western Power’s website. “I had the facts. I had the data,” Mr Zempilas said. “I went up to Michelle and said, Michelle, just to let you know, the data that I’ve used, that I’m quoting from, is from the Western Power website that was the conversation . . . it was a back and forth conversation.” He said he would behave differently next time, but rejected Labor’s claim it amounted to bullying. “I won’t seek out a member at the end of question time again,” he said. “I accept that Michelle wanted me to give an apology for what had taken place. I’ve done that. “I feel that was the right thing to do, and I think that that matter was handled in the chamber by the Speaker, and that’s where it should stay.” He hasn’t spoken to her directly. Ms Maynard claimed other Liberal MP’s had called her “to express their horror” over the incident. “I didn’t feel threatened. I felt intimidated. And I think that’s a distinction,” Ms Maynard said. “I don’t know what would have happened next. I was escorted from the chamber by the Deputy Premier because the Leader of the Opposition did not return to his seat. “He sat in the seat near me, near the exit, between myself and the exit. I’m just grateful that my Labor colleagues stood up for me and intervened and called it out.” Rita Saffioti compared it to a shirt-front after the siren of a football match. “It’s completely unacceptable what he did, it was the end of Question Time,” she said. “She felt intimidated and bullied.” Cabinet secretary Daniel Pastorelli intervened. “Look, he’s a tall guy, and that’s why I went and stood between them to get him to move away,” he said. “I had to ask him three times (to leave) . . . It was aggressive”. Shadow Treasurer Sandra Brewer said it was a “good” debate. “There’s absolutely a lot of verbal combat in Parliament. I’m certainly on the receiving end as well,” she said. “I do sit next to the member. They were having a good debate about power supply, actually, I was enjoying the conversation.” Speaker Stephen Price has declared the matter over. “It was dealt with in the chamber last night, and that was an appropriate way to deal with it,” he said. He said behaviour in Parliament had improved, a week after Education Minister Sabine Winton had to apologise for calling Nationals MP Lachlan Hunter an “arsehole” — over a “dim sum” jibe she said was racist. “Still some improvement to go,” Mr Price said. “I don’t think it reflects well on the institution, which is a real shame, because it’s such an important place.”