Koutsantonis must be sacked

Premier Weatherill must today show some backbone and sack his Infrastructure Minister, Tom Koutsantonis.
Mr Koutsantonis – the convenor of Parliamentary Labor’s Right faction – was a key plotter involved in what is now a divided, disunited and dysfunctional Government.
“The usually accessible Mr Koutsantonis has now clearly bunkered down and is refusing to answer serious questions about his involvement in the current crisis of division and disunity,” said Liberal spokesman Rob Lucas.
“Sacked Minister Michael O’Brien has made it clear since Friday that the Don Farrell deal had widespread support from “significant players in the [Labor] Right.”
“The State Liberals understand that refers to at least Mr Koutsantonis and Union Boss Peter Malinauskas.
“Mr Farrell has also revealed that there had been “discussions over quite some period of time” about the Napier deal.
“As Parliamentary Convenor of Labor Right, Mr Koutsantonis would have been aware and supportive of the Don Farrell deal.
“If Mr Weatherill doesn’t want plotters like Mr O’Brien in his now divided and dysfunctional Cabinet, then he must now immediately sack Mr Koutsantonis.
“However, Mr Weatherill is trying to sell the story that there were only two plotters – Michael O’Brien and faceless man, Don Farrell – and the first time he was aware of this deal was last week.
“Labor sources continue to background the State Liberals and others about division and disunity amongst Labor MPs and Ministers in the wake of this week’s major blow-up.
“Labor sources, including MPs, Ministers and staffers, continue to leak against and undermine the now seriously besieged Mr Weatherill.
“Worse still, Labor MPs and Ministers are telling the State Liberals and others that Mr Weatherill’s public claims this week about Don Farrell entering State Parliament are not correct.
“Mr Weatherill is desperate for people to believe that he didn’t endorse faceless man Don Farrell entering State Parliament; however, even Mr Farrell casts doubt over this version of events.”
The Sunday Mail yesterday reported comments made by Mr Farrell:
“No, I didn’t anticipate [Mr Weatherill’s opposition] … I am not going into private discussions, but that was certainly not the impression I got from that meeting.”
“In particular, the State Liberals have been advised that Mr Koutsantonis has been aware of and involved in these discussions for a long period of time,” said Mr Lucas.