❓ Opposition questions the Energy Minister about the Managing Director of Western Power's accommodation allowance, suggesting it's excessive and sends the wrong message to police seeking wage increases. The Minister deflects, referencing previous government decisions and suggesting the questioner examine the contract.
AnsweredQoN 1081Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer the minister to the employment contract of the new Managing Director of Western Power which he tabled yesterday and which includes a living away from home accommodation allowance and a food allowance totalling nearly $700 a week. (1) Does the minister concede that if the Managing Director of Western Power lived in Western Australia rather than commuting from Melbourne, this massive accommodation allowance would be almost entirely unnecessary? (2) Does the minister agree that paying one of our senior public servants, who already receives a generous annual salary of $455 000, an accommodation and food allowance that is nearly the equivalent of a police constable’s entire annual salary sends the wrong message to police, who are currently seeking a wage increase? Mr E.S. RIPPER
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(2) I wonder whether the shadow Minister for Energy is prepared to defend the previous Minister for Energy and his decisions to grant the managing director increases of eight per cent per annum on average. Perhaps the shadow minister will inform us whether those eight per cent a year salary increases would have been granted if he had been the minister. I stopped that. The Government has been very accountable regarding the contracts of the previous managing director and the current managing director. Those contracts have been tabled - something that never happened during the term of the previous coalition Government. If the shadow Minister for Energy has any questions about or any problem with interpretation, he has the contract and can examine it. Indeed, if he wants to, I am certain that the managing director of Western Power would be delighted to talk personally to him. I believe the managing director of Western Power is a generous enough man and he would be happy to speak personally to even the Leader of the Opposition. If I were him, I would not be, but I think he would be happy to speak personally to the Leader of the Opposition. If the shadow minister has a question about the contract, he can ring Dr Stephen van der Mye or Malcolm Macpherson, who negotiated the contract, or he can read it for himself.
(1) Does the minister concede that if the Managing Director of Western Power lived in Western Australia rather than commuting from Melbourne, this massive accommodation allowance would be almost entirely unnecessary? (2) Does the minister agree that paying one of our senior public servants, who already receives a generous annual salary of $455 000, an accommodation and food allowance that is nearly the equivalent of a police constable’s entire annual salary sends the wrong message to police, who are currently seeking a wage increase? Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: (1)-(2) I wonder whether the shadow Minister for Energy is prepared to defend the previous Minister for Energy and his decisions to grant the managing director increases of eight per cent per annum on average. Perhaps the shadow minister will inform us whether those eight per cent a year salary increases would have been granted if he had been the minister. I stopped that. The Government has been very accountable regarding the contracts of the previous managing director and the current managing director. Those contracts have been tabled - something that never happened during the term of the previous coalition Government. If the shadow Minister for Energy has any questions about or any problem with interpretation, he has the contract and can examine it. Indeed, if he wants to, I am certain that the managing director of Western Power would be delighted to talk personally to him. I believe the managing director of Western Power is a generous enough man and he would be happy to speak personally to even the Leader of the Opposition. If I were him, I would not be, but I think he would be happy to speak personally to the Leader of the Opposition. If the shadow minister has a question about the contract, he can ring Dr Stephen van der Mye or Malcolm Macpherson, who negotiated the contract, or he can read it for himself.
(2) Does the minister agree that paying one of our senior public servants, who already receives a generous annual salary of $455 000, an accommodation and food allowance that is nearly the equivalent of a police constable’s entire annual salary sends the wrong message to police, who are currently seeking a wage increase? Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: (1)-(2) I wonder whether the shadow Minister for Energy is prepared to defend the previous Minister for Energy and his decisions to grant the managing director increases of eight per cent per annum on average. Perhaps the shadow minister will inform us whether those eight per cent a year salary increases would have been granted if he had been the minister. I stopped that. The Government has been very accountable regarding the contracts of the previous managing director and the current managing director. Those contracts have been tabled - something that never happened during the term of the previous coalition Government. If the shadow Minister for Energy has any questions about or any problem with interpretation, he has the contract and can examine it. Indeed, if he wants to, I am certain that the managing director of Western Power would be delighted to talk personally to him. I believe the managing director of Western Power is a generous enough man and he would be happy to speak personally to even the Leader of the Opposition. If I were him, I would not be, but I think he would be happy to speak personally to the Leader of the Opposition. If the shadow minister has a question about the contract, he can ring Dr Stephen van der Mye or Malcolm Macpherson, who negotiated the contract, or he can read it for himself.
Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: (1)-(2) I wonder whether the shadow Minister for Energy is prepared to defend the previous Minister for Energy and his decisions to grant the managing director increases of eight per cent per annum on average. Perhaps the shadow minister will inform us whether those eight per cent a year salary increases would have been granted if he had been the minister. I stopped that. The Government has been very accountable regarding the contracts of the previous managing director and the current managing director. Those contracts have been tabled - something that never happened during the term of the previous coalition Government. If the shadow Minister for Energy has any questions about or any problem with interpretation, he has the contract and can examine it. Indeed, if he wants to, I am certain that the managing director of Western Power would be delighted to talk personally to him. I believe the managing director of Western Power is a generous enough man and he would be happy to speak personally to even the Leader of the Opposition. If I were him, I would not be, but I think he would be happy to speak personally to the Leader of the Opposition. If the shadow minister has a question about the contract, he can ring Dr Stephen van der Mye or Malcolm Macpherson, who negotiated the contract, or he can read it for himself.
(1)-(2) I wonder whether the shadow Minister for Energy is prepared to defend the previous Minister for Energy and his decisions to grant the managing director increases of eight per cent per annum on average. Perhaps the shadow minister will inform us whether those eight per cent a year salary increases would have been granted if he had been the minister. I stopped that. The Government has been very accountable regarding the contracts of the previous managing director and the current managing director. Those contracts have been tabled - something that never happened during the term of the previous coalition Government. If the shadow Minister for Energy has any questions about or any problem with interpretation, he has the contract and can examine it. Indeed, if he wants to, I am certain that the managing director of Western Power would be delighted to talk personally to him. I believe the managing director of Western Power is a generous enough man and he would be happy to speak personally to even the Leader of the Opposition. If I were him, I would not be, but I think he would be happy to speak personally to the Leader of the Opposition. If the shadow minister has a question about the contract, he can ring Dr Stephen van der Mye or Malcolm Macpherson, who negotiated the contract, or he can read it for himself.
(1) Does the minister concede that if the Managing Director of Western Power lived in Western Australia rather than commuting from Melbourne, this massive accommodation allowance would be almost entirely unnecessary? (2) Does the minister agree that paying one of our senior public servants, who already receives a generous annual salary of $455 000, an accommodation and food allowance that is nearly the equivalent of a police constable’s entire annual salary sends the wrong message to police, who are currently seeking a wage increase? Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: (1)-(2) I wonder whether the shadow Minister for Energy is prepared to defend the previous Minister for Energy and his decisions to grant the managing director increases of eight per cent per annum on average. Perhaps the shadow minister will inform us whether those eight per cent a year salary increases would have been granted if he had been the minister. I stopped that. The Government has been very accountable regarding the contracts of the previous managing director and the current managing director. Those contracts have been tabled - something that never happened during the term of the previous coalition Government. If the shadow Minister for Energy has any questions about or any problem with interpretation, he has the contract and can examine it. Indeed, if he wants to, I am certain that the managing director of Western Power would be delighted to talk personally to him. I believe the managing director of Western Power is a generous enough man and he would be happy to speak personally to even the Leader of the Opposition. If I were him, I would not be, but I think he would be happy to speak personally to the Leader of the Opposition. If the shadow minister has a question about the contract, he can ring Dr Stephen van der Mye or Malcolm Macpherson, who negotiated the contract, or he can read it for himself.
(2) Does the minister agree that paying one of our senior public servants, who already receives a generous annual salary of $455 000, an accommodation and food allowance that is nearly the equivalent of a police constable’s entire annual salary sends the wrong message to police, who are currently seeking a wage increase? Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: (1)-(2) I wonder whether the shadow Minister for Energy is prepared to defend the previous Minister for Energy and his decisions to grant the managing director increases of eight per cent per annum on average. Perhaps the shadow minister will inform us whether those eight per cent a year salary increases would have been granted if he had been the minister. I stopped that. The Government has been very accountable regarding the contracts of the previous managing director and the current managing director. Those contracts have been tabled - something that never happened during the term of the previous coalition Government. If the shadow Minister for Energy has any questions about or any problem with interpretation, he has the contract and can examine it. Indeed, if he wants to, I am certain that the managing director of Western Power would be delighted to talk personally to him. I believe the managing director of Western Power is a generous enough man and he would be happy to speak personally to even the Leader of the Opposition. If I were him, I would not be, but I think he would be happy to speak personally to the Leader of the Opposition. If the shadow minister has a question about the contract, he can ring Dr Stephen van der Mye or Malcolm Macpherson, who negotiated the contract, or he can read it for himself.
Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: (1)-(2) I wonder whether the shadow Minister for Energy is prepared to defend the previous Minister for Energy and his decisions to grant the managing director increases of eight per cent per annum on average. Perhaps the shadow minister will inform us whether those eight per cent a year salary increases would have been granted if he had been the minister. I stopped that. The Government has been very accountable regarding the contracts of the previous managing director and the current managing director. Those contracts have been tabled - something that never happened during the term of the previous coalition Government. If the shadow Minister for Energy has any questions about or any problem with interpretation, he has the contract and can examine it. Indeed, if he wants to, I am certain that the managing director of Western Power would be delighted to talk personally to him. I believe the managing director of Western Power is a generous enough man and he would be happy to speak personally to even the Leader of the Opposition. If I were him, I would not be, but I think he would be happy to speak personally to the Leader of the Opposition. If the shadow minister has a question about the contract, he can ring Dr Stephen van der Mye or Malcolm Macpherson, who negotiated the contract, or he can read it for himself.
(1)-(2) I wonder whether the shadow Minister for Energy is prepared to defend the previous Minister for Energy and his decisions to grant the managing director increases of eight per cent per annum on average. Perhaps the shadow minister will inform us whether those eight per cent a year salary increases would have been granted if he had been the minister. I stopped that. The Government has been very accountable regarding the contracts of the previous managing director and the current managing director. Those contracts have been tabled - something that never happened during the term of the previous coalition Government. If the shadow Minister for Energy has any questions about or any problem with interpretation, he has the contract and can examine it. Indeed, if he wants to, I am certain that the managing director of Western Power would be delighted to talk personally to him. I believe the managing director of Western Power is a generous enough man and he would be happy to speak personally to even the Leader of the Opposition. If I were him, I would not be, but I think he would be happy to speak personally to the Leader of the Opposition. If the shadow minister has a question about the contract, he can ring Dr Stephen van der Mye or Malcolm Macpherson, who negotiated the contract, or he can read it for himself.
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