Cassy O’Connor’s very dramatic exit from today’s Estimates made me think: was Ms O’Connor ever asked a pre-prepared question by a Greens MP when she was a Minister?

It didn’t take much to discover that the oh-so-hypocritical Ms O’Connor was in fact showered in gratuitous praise and adoration from the former Greens member for Braddon, Basil O’Halloran, during her last Budget Estimates as Minister.

Most famously, in 2013, Ms O’Connor responded to one of a number of questions from Mr O’Halloran by saying that he was “so cute”, before proceeding to read a prepared answer to the pre-prepared question.

Top 5 “non-Dixers” asked by Basil O’Halloran of Cassy O’Connor in 2013 Estimates
1.
Mr O’HALLORAN – Minister, I remember enjoying this (budget estimates) session last year. I found this harmonious and educative and, at the same time, challenging. I would like to get a global overview from you to confirm my view that we are so lucky that we have a Greens member in charge of climate change.

Ms O’CONNOR – Mr O’Halloran, you are so cute.

Mr O’HALLORAN – I am trying to come to grips, and have been for quite a long time now, with a planet that by 2010 will be 4 degrees warmer, a planet that is facing sea level rises of 3-4 millimetres and probably increasing, per year, with, without doubt – and we may be seeing this now as a consequence of climate change – more extreme weather events where we are going to definitely be impacted by coastal inundation.

There is no doubt and it is happening already, that we have species unable to adapt unless they have the capacity to be mobile enough to move.

Ms O’CONNOR – We may be one of them, Mr O’Halloran, if we are not smart about it.
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2.
Mr O’HALLORAN – Minister, last year you and I visited a facility in Wivenhoe in Burnie, which was supported accommodation for people who were either homeless or at risk of homelessness and you probably recall that up there we met a lady who had lost her family and her home and was in this accommodation because of a poker machine addiction. I will come back to that in a minute. You and I visited the same place just two or three weeks ago and there was quite a large refurbishment going on. We had an opportunity to talk with the residents and I would like you to talk me through that redevelopment that is going on.
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3.
Mr O’HALLORAN – Minister, I want to talk about Neighbourhood Houses. They have received increased funding in this year’s budget for capital works and I am interested to know details regarding how this money will be spent and what it will mean for operation of the neighbourhood house network in Tasmania?
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4.
Mr O’HALLORAN – Minister, I want to talk about Neighbourhood Houses. They have received increased funding in this year’s budget for capital works and I am interested to know details regarding how this money will be spent and what it will mean for operation of the neighbourhood house network in Tasmania?

Ms O’CONNOR – Excellent question. Thank you, Mr O’Halloran. I am very happy to answer it.
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5.
Mr O’HALLORAN – That is good news. Can you give some idea whether it is your strategies that are making a mark?
Ms O’CONNOR – Of course it is, Mr O’Halloran.
Sarah Courtney, Liberal Member for Bass