WA: Factbox of Troy Buswell's rise and fall

AAP General News (Australia)
04-27-2010
WA: Factbox of Troy Buswell's rise and fall

Timeline of events leading to the rise and fall of Troy Buswell as Western Australia's
treasurer in April, 2010.



November 8, 2005 - First-term MP Troy Buswell is elected to the Liberal Party deputy
leadership following Paul Omodei's resignation from the position.



January 13, 2008 - Allegations emerge that Mr Buswell snapped the bra of a Labor staffer
at WA's parliament house in mid-2007.



January 15, 2008 - Mr Buswell returns from Japan as speculation mounts he will challenge
Paul Omodei for the Liberal leadership. Mr Buswell apologises for his drunken antics in
parliament in 2007 when he snapped a Labor staffer's bra and cuddled up to a fellow MP.

He also apologises for making sexist remarks to Liberal MP Katie Hodson-Thomas.



January 17, 2008 - Mr Buswell elected Liberal Party leader after Mr Omodei declines
to renominate in a leadership spill.



February 2, 2008 - Liberal MP Sue Walker moves to the backbench and later quits the
party she had dubbed a "boy's club". Ms Walker said she did not trust Mr Buswell.



April 27, 2008 - Allegations emerge Mr Buswell sniffed the chair of a Liberal staffer
after she finished talking to a constituent in 2005.



April 28, 2008 - Mr Buswell denies the allegations.



April 29, 2008 - Mr Buswell breaks down at a press conference after admitting he had
sniffed the staffer's chair in front of others.



May 1, 2008 - Liberal MP Graham Jacobs pushes for a leadership spill against Mr Buswell.



May 5, 2008 - Mr Buswell re-endorsed as Liberal Party leader after the spill motion fails.



May 6, 2008 - The woman at the centre of the seat-sniffing scandal says he writhed
in mock sexual pleasure during the incident.



May 14, 2008 - Mr Buswell says there is "absolutely no substance" to reports he once
did something inappropriate to a quokka, a small marsupial found on a holiday island off
Perth.

- An internet blogger apologises the following day, saying he invented the story.



May 16, 2008 - Liberal backbencher Murray Cowper says an incident in which he was reportedly
"squirrel-gripped", or grabbed in the crotch, by Mr Buswell had been dealt with and was
no longer an issue.



June 17, 2008 - Mr Buswell survives another leadership spill, brought against him by
disaffected MP Anthony Fels.



June 19, 2008 - Former leader Paul Omodei resigns from the Liberal Party citing Mr
Buswell's handling of the leadership.



August 4 - Mr Buswell announces his resignation as leader at a press conference he
called following reports of dismal internal polling of his election prospects.



August 6, 2008 - Colin Barnett installed as Liberal leader.



August 7, 2008 - Former WA Premier Alan Carpenter calls snap-election for September,
much earlier than anticipated.



August 8, 2008 - Mr Barnett urges people to give Mr Buswell a go ahead of the polls
after appointing him as treasury spokesman.



September 2008 - The Liberals form government with the support of the Nationals after
the election results in a a hung parliament.



September 18, 2008 - Mr Buswell is announced in Mr Barnett's cabinet with responsibility
for treasury, housing and works and science and innovation portfolios.



October 21, 2009 - The WA opposition call on Mr Buswell to resign after he admits to
signing off on a false claim for a living away from home allowance, which he describes
as a clerical mistake and pays back.



November 30, 2009 - Mr Buswell is called on to resign as a second travel allowance
mistake is found.



April 25, 2010 - Fremantle Greens MP Adele Carles reveals to a Sunday paper she has
been having a four-month affair with Mr Buswell.



April 26, 2010 - Mr Buswell admits to the affair and apologises to his wife and family
but says he has not considered quitting. He reveals at the same time he has misused his
entitlements during the affair.



April 27, 2010 - Mr Barnett holds a press conference to announce he has accepted Mr
Buswell's resignation as treasurer and as a cabinet member after he realised his position
was untenable.



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