First day of WA parliament gets off to a rocky start
Western Australian Education Minister Sabine Winton has been forced to apologize for calling Nationals MP Lachlan Hunter a “scum” on her first day back in parliament for 2026.
“You’re an asshole,” Winton can be heard saying on the parliament’s video feed at around 6.30pm on Tuesday in response to what Hunter believed was a racist taunt directed at Bibra Lake MP Sook Yee Lai.
Hunter told the chamber to “enjoy your dim sum”, which he claimed was directed at several Labor MPs heading to a Chinese New Year event in the parliamentary courtyard.
On Wednesday morning, Premier Roger Cook and parliamentary leader David Michael acknowledged Winton’s language was unparliamentary and he should have apologized, but defended his reaction, saying he was responding to Hunter’s comment he believed was directed at Yee Lai, who is of Chinese heritage.
Both men called on Hunter to apologize.
“A quorum was called for in the Legislative Assembly during the Chinese New Year event at Parliament House on Tuesday evening,” Michael said.
“I understand that following the split, Central Wheatbelt member Lachlan Hunter MLA said to Bibra Lake MLA Sook Yee Lai, who is of Chinese descent, ‘Go and enjoy your dim sum.’
“Ms Lai took offense, believing the comment to be racist, and Minister Winton responded to Mr Hunter in an unacceptable and unparliamentary manner.
“The Minister will apologize and withdraw as deemed appropriate during the session today. Mr Hunter should do the same.”
“All members of parliament are expected to behave with integrity and respect and I encourage them to meet high standards of behavior within the parliament.”
Central Wheatbelt MP Hunter denied the remarks were racist and criticized Winton for setting a bad example for WA’s school students. He said he has been talking to Yee Lai since then.
“I said to about half a dozen MPs leaving the room, ‘Enjoy the dim sum, I’ll be there soon,'” he said.
“If it was an event in France I would say ‘enjoy the croissant’, or even if it was an Australia Day event I would say ‘enjoy the lamb chops’.
“What an extraordinary aberration for a senior government minister responsible for education and students in WA to shout ‘scum’ at an opposition member from outside his seat.
“There were only a few MPs in the parliament. We called on them again to do their chosen job and they clearly opposed it.”
Winton apologized before taking the question on Tuesday.
Hunter did not apologize for his remarks but instead issued a “personal statement.”
He said he “made a remark that made some members uncomfortable” before withdrawing members.
When asked about MPs’ behavior on the first day of parliament this year, Cook said all leaders in the chamber should inform MPs about society’s expectations of their own behaviour.
“Now, I think the minister in question yesterday failed that test and he accepts that and will apologize to the chamber, but we will also expect the member of the Central Wheat Belt to apologize for the statements that led to this incident,” he said.
Hunter is no stranger to parliamentary controversy after being warned by acting speaker Yee Lai in November For calling Minister for the Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence Jess Stojkovski a “stupid minister”.
Hunter denied saying the term silly minister, insisting he had said he would “pick up my dinner guests.”
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Hamish Hastie is WAtoday’s state political correspondent and the winner of five WA Media Awards, including the 2023 Beck Award for best political journalism.Connect with: X or email.
