The WA government has been accused of trying to gag the opposition from debating the trouble-plagued and long-delayed Perth Children's Hospital.
Opposition Leader Mike Nahan said he received a "cease and desist" letter last Friday from the government regarding commenting on the decision to take practical completion of the project in April and the source of lead contamination in drinking water.
The letter from Health Minister Roger Cook asks the opposition to "temper" their comments because "they may undermine the contractual and commercial position of the state".
Dr Nahan described the request as outrageous and accused the Labor government of trying to silence the opposition, adding the hospital's problems were a legitimate public issue worth debating.
"I take it as an attempted attack to stifle debate," Dr Nahan told reporters on Wednesday.
"They're trying to gag the opposition on one of the most important issues facing the community of Western Australia."
Mr Cook said in the letter that the opposition's repeated contention that the state should not have granted practical completion undermined the government's position with contractor John Holland, which had a "claim for in excess of $300 million against the government".
"If we had not granted practical completion, we would not have been able to take control and commence remediating the potable water defect," Mr Cook said.
"The contractor would not undertake this work, presumably because they felt it would undermine their later contractual position with the state."
Mr Cook later said Dr Nahan's "characterisation of the letter was disingenuous", insisting there was no request to refrain from asking questions.
"The opposition needs to make up their mind who they support - the contractor or the taxpayers of WA. It's that simple," he said.
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