PerthNorg

Premier: Burke goes or I'll quit

The ultimatum follows Mr Carpenter's sacking from cabinet yesterday of Small Business Minister Norm Marlborough after the state's corruption watchdog revealed evidence of his secret dealings with Mr Burke.

The minister was sacked after the Corruption and Crime Commission (CCC) revealed phone records and tapped phone recordings between he and Mr Burke, in which the minister agreed to appoint a woman to a board at Mr Burke's urging.

Mr Marlborough also took instructions from Mr Burke about how to respond to questions in parliament.

The affair has revived the spectre of Labor's disastrous WA Inc era of the 1980s, when the Labor government under Mr Burke became involved in major business dealings with businessman including Alan Bond.