Late last year, friend of the site Jarrad provided us with these offerings from WA’s Parliament House. Note not just the fact that you can obtain branded mints while at Parliament House, but also the name chosen for these refreshments.

For the record, the mints themselves are pretty much what you’d expect, taste-wise (despite, as the image shows, being past their best-by date). I’m not a mint connosieur, and cannot compare them with other, not-so-governmental treats, but to be honest the attraction is entirely in the branding. Thanks, Jarrad – and apologies for not getting this up sooner!

The subject of Parlia-mints has not been broached directly in either House, as far as I could find in a quick Hansard search, so here is a slightly relevant exchange from 2001:

Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich: [...] I asked for details of the Matrix contract time and again. It had been negotiated, and there is no way it was tabled here. That is one of a hundred contracts that was not tabled here. What a load of codswallop! You are a disgrace!

Hon PETER FOSS: I am sorry, Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich has missed the point again.

Hon Tom Stephens: No, she has got you absolutely skewered.

Hon PETER FOSS: No, she has not.

Hon Tom Stephens: You were telling a fib and she proved it.

The PRESIDENT: Order! The Minister for Housing will come to order.

Hon PETER FOSS: Hon Tom Stephens always seems to go off his brain after dinner. I know that he does not drink alcohol, so it is obviously not alcohol that does it to him. It must be red cordial.

Hon Tom Stephens: It was the ice-cream.

Hon PETER FOSS: Hon Tom Stephens should avoid anything with sugar in it.

Hon Tom Stephens: It is when you come on with after-dinner mints.

Hon PETER FOSS: The point I was making is that I tabled contracts in this House. I did not say that everybody tabled contracts in this House.

Hon Tom Stephens: That is not what you said at all. Don’t try to worm out of it like that.

The PRESIDENT: Order! If the minister listens, he will manage to hear what is being said, but if he yells, he will not.

Hon PETER FOSS: Hon Tom Stephens’ sugar content is obviously causing enormous problems.

Hon Tom Stephens: It is entirely your speeches that are the problem.

Subject: Address-in-Reply [Legislative Council - Amendment to Motion]

Date: 31 July 2001

Hansard reference: p. 1646 [online (pdf)]

Mr P.B. WATSON: [...] Through my own kids, I have seen their friends get anorexia because they do not know what to do. No-one tells them to go for a walk. They think that they will be okay if they do not eat. They want to look like Kylie Minogue. I want to look like Kylie Minogue too, but it will never happen!

Subject: Premier’s Statement [Legislative Assembly - Consideration]

Date: 12 March 2009

Hansard reference: p. 1802 [online (pdf)]

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: [...] I do not think the member is silly. In fact, I am surprised that the member’s name was not on that list that we saw at the weekend. I am very surprised that we did not see her name on that list. I know that the member should be on the list, because she is more credible than certainly the member for Mindarie, for instance, and she knows a lot more about law and order. So I am surprised. I think the member would be more acceptable as a possible future leader. I know that the member talked to the Leader of the Opposition and urged him to keep the member for Mindarie out of her affairs; but unfortunately he does not understand plain and simple English —

Mr M. McGowan: Answer the question! You’re being asked about a serious matter—drink and drug-driving.

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: It certainly is. The member for Rockingham did nothing about that when he was in government; nothing whatsoever. He was a useless minister, and that is why they called him “Sneakers”!

Mr M. McGowan: That is why they call you idiot!

Mr R.F. JOHNSON: Yeah! Okay!

Subject: Drug and Drink-Driving Reduction – Operation RAID [Legislative Assembly - Questions Without Notice]

Date: 23 November 2010

Hansard reference: p. 9314 [online (pdf)]

Unsurprisingly, there has been some reference to the nickname in Parliament over the last few years. Even more unsurprisingly, perhaps, the main culprit has been Troy Buswell. Most of the mentions are throwaway insults, sometimes followed by withdrawals, but occasionally they form part of slightly more interesting exchanges (or maybe it’s just that it reminds me of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead)…

Mr M. McGOWAN: I am shocked by the rudeness of the Leader of the House. I think that the member for Alfred Cove could demand government time and could indicate, for instance, that she will no longer support the gag being moved in this house, as it has been on two occasions in recent weeks, if the government does not provide her with time to bring on important legislation. It is up to her to do that. That is something, as an Independent, I think would be —

Mr R.F. Johnson: You are the last person she would seek advice from, my friend!

Mr M. McGOWAN: Fair game.

Mr C.C. Porter: Last week she was corrupt!

Mr M. McGOWAN: I am trying to make a reasoned contribution and give the member for Alfred Cove —

Dr K.D. Hames: See that signal—it means shut up!

Mr M. McGOWAN: I thought the Minister for Health looked better yesterday!

Dr K.D. Hames: At least you can see all of me, not just my sneakers!

Mr M. McGOWAN: If the minister wants me to start getting nasty, I will.

Mr B.J. Grylls: Fifteen-all!

Subject: Tobacco Products Control Amendment Bill 2008 [Legislative Assembly - Standing Orders Suspension -- Motion]

Date: 1 April 2009

Hansard reference: p. 2471 [online (pdf)]

Dr S.C. THOMAS: [...] One more NEPM issue that I have not mentioned is a product stewardship proposal that is under development. I am intrigued to see how that will come out because it might relate to things such as container deposit legislation.

Mr A.D. McRae: Are you in favour of that?

Dr S.C. THOMAS: I will debate that when it comes up.

Mr A.D. McRae: Are you generally in favour?

Dr S.C. THOMAS: I can speak for 10 minutes on the pros and cons and give the member for Riverton an answer, but I will not give him an answer on the pros and cons of the process in 10 minutes that I do not have.

Mr A.D. McRae: Generally, do you have some sympathy for it?

Ms J.A. Radisich: What is the vibe?

Dr S.C. THOMAS: I am not modern enough to have a vibe! Men of my generation have a gut feeling; we do not have vibes!

Subject: National Environment Protection Council (Western Australia) Amendment Bill 2007 [Legislative Assembly - Second Reading]

Date: 4 September 2007

Hansard reference: p. 4742 [online (pdf)]

Mr T.G. STEPHENS: The member is in a very fortuitous situation as housing minister because he has a very good friend who is the Treasurer. That puts him in a different position from many of his predecessors.

Mr T.R. Buswell: I am not sure that the department would agree with that.

Mr T.G. STEPHENS: Did the minister see The Mikado on the weekend?

Mr T.R. Buswell: I went to AC/DC.

Mr T.G. STEPHENS: I did not see it this time but there was a character in The Mikado that I thought the minister might understand —

Mr T.R. Buswell: Angus looked like a miniature version of you!

Mr T.G. STEPHENS: I was thinking of the Pooh-Bah character. He is able to have a conversation with himself in a variety of different roles. In the housing minister’s case, there is a chance that he will talk to the Treasurer, hopefully persuading him to give the flow of funds that are necessary to respond to the urgent situation with which we are faced.

Subject: Aboriginal Housing Legislation Amendment Bill 2009 [Legislative Assembly - Second Reading]

Date: 9 March 2010

Hansard reference: p. 494 [online (pdf)]

MR D.A. TEMPLEMAN (Mandurah) [1.26 pm]: The minister reminds me a little bit of the lawyer in The Castle and “the vibe”. Members will remember the lawyer in The Castle when he goes to the High Court and he is asked what is the basis of his case.

Mr M. McGowan: Dennis Denuto.

Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN: Dennis Denuto, who says, “Well, it’s Mabo; it’s the vibe; it’s the vibe.” What the minister is asking us to do today —

Mr M.P. Whitely: He’s killing the vibe.

Subject: Liquor Control Amendment Bill 2010 – Referral to Economics and Industry Standing Committee [Legislative Assembly - Consideration in Detail -- Motion]

Date: 20 October 2010

Hansard reference: p. 8037 [online (pdf)]

Mr J.R. QUIGLEY: [...] Twenty years ago, when cannabis seemed to be the major drug that was used by youths, it produced its own problems in terms of mental illness, but it did not cause youths to go on the streets and rage in anger as they do when they are full of amphetamines. When youths take these amphetamines to stay awake at what I call doof–doof clubs—I think everyone knows what I mean—with this repetitive —

Mr T.R. Buswell: I hope you’re not talking about the AC/DC concert!

Mr J.R. QUIGLEY: I did not go there, minister. I seek an extension, please, Mr Speaker.

The SPEAKER: Only on the grounds that you will return to the topic at hand.

Subject: Treasurer’s Advance Authorisation Bill 2010 [Legislative Assembly - Second Reading]

Date: 16 March 2010

Hansard reference: p. 718 [online (pdf)]

MR D.A. TEMPLEMAN (Mandurah) [11.15 am]: [...] You, Mr Acting Speaker, may be well aware that above your head is the press gallery bench—a very interesting bench to look at! If members and visitors ever get the chance to view that bench, they will see that some of our eminent journalists, both past and present, have etched comments into the Parliament’s furniture.

Mr P. Abetz: Interesting!

Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN: Interesting people, and some of them very famous. Liam Bartlett, for example, is one such eminent journalist whose graffiti—if we are going to talk about definitions—is etched on the bench. Some of the comments are quite derogatory—particularly those about members of Parliament observed over decades. I see one member of the press now. He has probably come to see whether there are any fresh comments up there! Quite frankly, if we look at the definition, that is an example of graffiti, because this is a public place. Obviously, many of those journalists—here they are! They are all arriving! They arrive in throngs as I speak. Goodness me! I must remember to do something like this more often to get the attention of our journalist friends! Mr Acting Speaker (Mr J.M. Francis), you will note that with a full house of media people, I now have an audience. I am so pleased about that! However, up there in the press gallery, and in the press gallery in the other place, some very interesting observations and comments about members, both past and present, are etched on public furniture.

Point of Order

Ms J.M. FREEMAN: Can the member table the bench?

The ACTING SPEAKER (Mr J.M. Francis): It is not a very practical point of order, but I ask the member for Mandurah to choose his words carefully. I am getting very nervous sitting below the press gallery!

Debate Resumed

Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN: So the Acting Speaker should be! We are losing a few journalists now. They have obviously lost interest in my wonderful speech.

Subject: Criminal Code Amendment (Graffiti) Bill 2009 [Legislative Assembly - Second Reading]

Date: 10 September 2009

Hansard reference: pp. 6784-6785 [online (pdf)]

MR A.J. SIMPSON (Serpentine-Jarrahdale) [11.42 am]: Mr Acting Speaker -

Point of Order

Mr E.S. RIPPER: I imagine that the member for Serpentine-Jarrahdale might not be the opposition’s lead speaker on this issue. He might want to clarify whether or not he is the lead speaker.

The ACTING SPEAKER (Mr P.B. Watson): Would the member for Serpentine-Jarrahdale like to pass this over?

Mr A.J. SIMPSON: I would like to pass this over to the member for Vasse; thank you, Mr Acting Speaker.

Debate Resumed

The ACTING SPEAKER: The late member for Vasse!

MR T. BUSWELL (Vasse – Deputy Leader of the Opposition) [11.43 am]: Thank you, Mr Acting Speaker.

Mr R.C. Kucera: What am I doing here?

Mr T. BUSWELL: I beg the member for Yokine’s pardon?

Mr R.C. Kucera: What am I supposed to be doing here?

Mr T. BUSWELL: I know what I am doing here; I am just trying to do it.

The ACTING SPEAKER: Just so that the member for Vasse is up to date, we are talking about Fiona Stanley Hospital Construction Account Bill 2007.

Mr T. BUSWELL: Yes, thank you very much, Mr Acting Speaker, and my apologies for delaying or deflecting the proceedings of the house while I made myself physically present and got my mind around the issues before the house.

The ACTING SPEAKER: We do appreciate your efforts.

Subject: Fiona Stanley Hospital Construction Account Bill 2007 [Legislative Assembly - Second Reading]

Date: 14 June 2007

Hansard reference: p. 3120 [online (pdf)]