Name-calling and racism claims: First day of WA parliament gets off to a rocky start

Western Australian Education Minister Sabine Winton has been forced to apologise for calling Nationals MP Lachlan Hunter an “arsehole” on the first day back at parliament for 2026.

Winton can be heard in parliament video feed footage about 6.30pm on Tuesday saying, “You’re an arsehole” in response to what she believed was a racist taunt by Hunter towards Bibra Lake MP Sook Yee Lai.

In the chamber Hunter said, “Enjoy your dim sum”, which he claimed was directed at several Labor MPs heading to a Chinese New Year event in the parliament courtyard.

On Wednesday morning, Premier Roger Cook and leader of the house David Michael conceded Winton’s language was unparliamentary and accepted she needed to apologise, but defended her reaction – saying she was responding to Hunter’s comment that she believed was directed toward Yee Lai, who has Chinese heritage.

Both men called on Hunter to apologise.

“On Tuesday evening, during a Chinese New Year event at Parliament House, a quorum was called for the Legislative Assembly,” Michael said.

“Following the division, I understand the member for Central Wheatbelt, Lachlan Hunter MLA, told Bibra Lake MLA Sook Yee Lai, who is of Chinese heritage, ‘Go and enjoy your dim sum’.

“Ms Lai took offence, believing the comment to be racist, and Minister Winton responded to Mr Hunter in an unacceptable and unparliamentary way.

“The Minister will apologise and withdraw today during the sitting, as is appropriate. Mr Hunter should do the same.

“All members of Parliament are expected to conduct themselves with integrity and respect and I encourage them to meet a high standard for conduct inside the chamber.”

Hunter, the MP for Central Wheatbelt, denied the remark was racist and lashed Winton for setting a poor example for WA’s school students. He said he had since spoken to Yee Lai

“I said to about half a dozen MPs leaving the chamber, ‘Enjoy the dim sum, I’ll be there soon’,” he said.

“I would say ‘enjoy the croissant’ if it were a French event, or even ‘enjoy the lamb chop’ if it were an Australia Day event.

“What an extraordinary deflection from a senior minister of the government — someone responsible for education and students in WA — shouting ‘arsehole’ at a member of the opposition from outside her seat.

“There were only a couple of MPs in the chamber. We called them back in to do the job they were elected to do, and clearly they took issue with that.”

Winton offered her apology ahead of question time on Tuesday.

Hunter did not apologise for his remarks but instead offered a “personal explanation”.

He said he “made an interjection which offended some members” and before withdrawing them.

When asked about the behaviour of MPs on day one of parliament for the year, Cook said all leaders in the chamber needed to inform their MPs of the expectations from the community about their behaviour.

“Now, I think the minister in question yesterday failed that test, and she accepts that and will be making an apology to the chamber, but we will also be expecting the member for Central Wheatbelt to make an apology for the remarks that led into that incident,” he said.

Hunter is no stranger to controversy in parliament after being admonished by acting speaker Yee Lai in November for calling Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence Minister Jess Stojkovski a “stupid minister”.

Hunter denied he said the term stupid minister, insisting he said he was going to “pick up my dinner guests”.

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