❓ Question regarding the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure's attempts to access opposition cabinet submissions and the response received. The Minister defends the requests as necessary for understanding previous government decisions, citing instances related to golf clubs in Kalgoorlie and the boating facilities trust fund.
AnsweredQoN 25Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
MINISTER FOR PLANNING AND INFRASTRUCTURE - OPPOSITION CABINET SUBMISSIONS
Has the minister ever sought access to cabinet submissions from the opposition; and, if so, what was the response? Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN
Has the minister ever sought access to cabinet submissions from the opposition; and, if so, what was the response? Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question. I was amazed today to hear the attack on the notion of cabinet confidentiality. The hypocrisy, particularly from the mentor for Cottesloe, astounded me. Point of Order Mr R.F. JOHNSON : As I understand them, the rules of this house require that questions to ministers be in relation to their portfolio areas. So far I have not heard any indication of how this question relates to the minister’s portfolio area. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : This definitely relates to my portfolio area. The SPEAKER : The question could definitely relate to the minister’s portfolio. I guess we are in a position in which we must hear the answer before we can determine whether it does. Questions without Notice Resumed Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : On several occasions the government has dealt with issues about which it needed to understand the nature of a decision made by the previous government, because we were getting representation from third parties - in one instance about the golf clubs of Kalgoorlie - about undertakings and agreements that had been given previously. Another instance involved an inquiry from industry about the boating facilities trust fund. On one occasion at least, and I suspect on others - we have not been able to assemble all the documentation in the short time available - the government, following due protocol, asked the Director General of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet to approach the then Leader of the Opposition, the member for Cottesloe, and ask whether the government could have access to, at the very least, the decision sheet, but preferably also the submission, so that we could understand the structure of the arrangements contemplated. This was not done in any way to embarrass the opposition, but rather so that the government could advance the issues being put to it by third parties. On both these occasions we received a rejection from the Leader of the Opposition, who said he was not prepared to assist the government, and that his belief in cabinet confidentiality was so extreme that he was not prepared to allow the government of the day to have access to these documents so that we could work out what the decision had been. In one instance, we had access to a decision sheet, because it had been placed on open file within the department. That decision sheet concerned the purchase of railcars. We referred to it. The member for Cottesloe was outraged that we had access to a decision sheet that we then had to implement! The member for Cottesloe has taken an extreme position on cabinet confidentiality. The member for Cottesloe is now attacking us - using that hypocritical style that he is so adept at - for taking basic steps to protect cabinet confidentiality!
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN replied: I thank the member for the question. I was amazed today to hear the attack on the notion of cabinet confidentiality. The hypocrisy, particularly from the mentor for Cottesloe, astounded me. Point of Order Mr R.F. JOHNSON : As I understand them, the rules of this house require that questions to ministers be in relation to their portfolio areas. So far I have not heard any indication of how this question relates to the minister’s portfolio area. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : This definitely relates to my portfolio area. The SPEAKER : The question could definitely relate to the minister’s portfolio. I guess we are in a position in which we must hear the answer before we can determine whether it does. Questions without Notice Resumed Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : On several occasions the government has dealt with issues about which it needed to understand the nature of a decision made by the previous government, because we were getting representation from third parties - in one instance about the golf clubs of Kalgoorlie - about undertakings and agreements that had been given previously. Another instance involved an inquiry from industry about the boating facilities trust fund. On one occasion at least, and I suspect on others - we have not been able to assemble all the documentation in the short time available - the government, following due protocol, asked the Director General of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet to approach the then Leader of the Opposition, the member for Cottesloe, and ask whether the government could have access to, at the very least, the decision sheet, but preferably also the submission, so that we could understand the structure of the arrangements contemplated. This was not done in any way to embarrass the opposition, but rather so that the government could advance the issues being put to it by third parties. On both these occasions we received a rejection from the Leader of the Opposition, who said he was not prepared to assist the government, and that his belief in cabinet confidentiality was so extreme that he was not prepared to allow the government of the day to have access to these documents so that we could work out what the decision had been. In one instance, we had access to a decision sheet, because it had been placed on open file within the department. That decision sheet concerned the purchase of railcars. We referred to it. The member for Cottesloe was outraged that we had access to a decision sheet that we then had to implement! The member for Cottesloe has taken an extreme position on cabinet confidentiality. The member for Cottesloe is now attacking us - using that hypocritical style that he is so adept at - for taking basic steps to protect cabinet confidentiality!
I thank the member for the question. I was amazed today to hear the attack on the notion of cabinet confidentiality. The hypocrisy, particularly from the mentor for Cottesloe, astounded me. Point of Order Mr R.F. JOHNSON : As I understand them, the rules of this house require that questions to ministers be in relation to their portfolio areas. So far I have not heard any indication of how this question relates to the minister’s portfolio area. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : This definitely relates to my portfolio area. The SPEAKER : The question could definitely relate to the minister’s portfolio. I guess we are in a position in which we must hear the answer before we can determine whether it does. Questions without Notice Resumed Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : On several occasions the government has dealt with issues about which it needed to understand the nature of a decision made by the previous government, because we were getting representation from third parties - in one instance about the golf clubs of Kalgoorlie - about undertakings and agreements that had been given previously. Another instance involved an inquiry from industry about the boating facilities trust fund. On one occasion at least, and I suspect on others - we have not been able to assemble all the documentation in the short time available - the government, following due protocol, asked the Director General of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet to approach the then Leader of the Opposition, the member for Cottesloe, and ask whether the government could have access to, at the very least, the decision sheet, but preferably also the submission, so that we could understand the structure of the arrangements contemplated. This was not done in any way to embarrass the opposition, but rather so that the government could advance the issues being put to it by third parties. On both these occasions we received a rejection from the Leader of the Opposition, who said he was not prepared to assist the government, and that his belief in cabinet confidentiality was so extreme that he was not prepared to allow the government of the day to have access to these documents so that we could work out what the decision had been. In one instance, we had access to a decision sheet, because it had been placed on open file within the department. That decision sheet concerned the purchase of railcars. We referred to it. The member for Cottesloe was outraged that we had access to a decision sheet that we then had to implement! The member for Cottesloe has taken an extreme position on cabinet confidentiality. The member for Cottesloe is now attacking us - using that hypocritical style that he is so adept at - for taking basic steps to protect cabinet confidentiality!
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : This definitely relates to my portfolio area. The SPEAKER : The question could definitely relate to the minister’s portfolio. I guess we are in a position in which we must hear the answer before we can determine whether it does. Questions without Notice Resumed Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : On several occasions the government has dealt with issues about which it needed to understand the nature of a decision made by the previous government, because we were getting representation from third parties - in one instance about the golf clubs of Kalgoorlie - about undertakings and agreements that had been given previously. Another instance involved an inquiry from industry about the boating facilities trust fund. On one occasion at least, and I suspect on others - we have not been able to assemble all the documentation in the short time available - the government, following due protocol, asked the Director General of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet to approach the then Leader of the Opposition, the member for Cottesloe, and ask whether the government could have access to, at the very least, the decision sheet, but preferably also the submission, so that we could understand the structure of the arrangements contemplated. This was not done in any way to embarrass the opposition, but rather so that the government could advance the issues being put to it by third parties. On both these occasions we received a rejection from the Leader of the Opposition, who said he was not prepared to assist the government, and that his belief in cabinet confidentiality was so extreme that he was not prepared to allow the government of the day to have access to these documents so that we could work out what the decision had been. In one instance, we had access to a decision sheet, because it had been placed on open file within the department. That decision sheet concerned the purchase of railcars. We referred to it. The member for Cottesloe was outraged that we had access to a decision sheet that we then had to implement! The member for Cottesloe has taken an extreme position on cabinet confidentiality. The member for Cottesloe is now attacking us - using that hypocritical style that he is so adept at - for taking basic steps to protect cabinet confidentiality!
The SPEAKER : The question could definitely relate to the minister’s portfolio. I guess we are in a position in which we must hear the answer before we can determine whether it does. Questions without Notice Resumed Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : On several occasions the government has dealt with issues about which it needed to understand the nature of a decision made by the previous government, because we were getting representation from third parties - in one instance about the golf clubs of Kalgoorlie - about undertakings and agreements that had been given previously. Another instance involved an inquiry from industry about the boating facilities trust fund. On one occasion at least, and I suspect on others - we have not been able to assemble all the documentation in the short time available - the government, following due protocol, asked the Director General of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet to approach the then Leader of the Opposition, the member for Cottesloe, and ask whether the government could have access to, at the very least, the decision sheet, but preferably also the submission, so that we could understand the structure of the arrangements contemplated. This was not done in any way to embarrass the opposition, but rather so that the government could advance the issues being put to it by third parties. On both these occasions we received a rejection from the Leader of the Opposition, who said he was not prepared to assist the government, and that his belief in cabinet confidentiality was so extreme that he was not prepared to allow the government of the day to have access to these documents so that we could work out what the decision had been. In one instance, we had access to a decision sheet, because it had been placed on open file within the department. That decision sheet concerned the purchase of railcars. We referred to it. The member for Cottesloe was outraged that we had access to a decision sheet that we then had to implement! The member for Cottesloe has taken an extreme position on cabinet confidentiality. The member for Cottesloe is now attacking us - using that hypocritical style that he is so adept at - for taking basic steps to protect cabinet confidentiality!
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN replied: I thank the member for the question. I was amazed today to hear the attack on the notion of cabinet confidentiality. The hypocrisy, particularly from the mentor for Cottesloe, astounded me. Point of Order Mr R.F. JOHNSON : As I understand them, the rules of this house require that questions to ministers be in relation to their portfolio areas. So far I have not heard any indication of how this question relates to the minister’s portfolio area. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : This definitely relates to my portfolio area. The SPEAKER : The question could definitely relate to the minister’s portfolio. I guess we are in a position in which we must hear the answer before we can determine whether it does. Questions without Notice Resumed Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : On several occasions the government has dealt with issues about which it needed to understand the nature of a decision made by the previous government, because we were getting representation from third parties - in one instance about the golf clubs of Kalgoorlie - about undertakings and agreements that had been given previously. Another instance involved an inquiry from industry about the boating facilities trust fund. On one occasion at least, and I suspect on others - we have not been able to assemble all the documentation in the short time available - the government, following due protocol, asked the Director General of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet to approach the then Leader of the Opposition, the member for Cottesloe, and ask whether the government could have access to, at the very least, the decision sheet, but preferably also the submission, so that we could understand the structure of the arrangements contemplated. This was not done in any way to embarrass the opposition, but rather so that the government could advance the issues being put to it by third parties. On both these occasions we received a rejection from the Leader of the Opposition, who said he was not prepared to assist the government, and that his belief in cabinet confidentiality was so extreme that he was not prepared to allow the government of the day to have access to these documents so that we could work out what the decision had been. In one instance, we had access to a decision sheet, because it had been placed on open file within the department. That decision sheet concerned the purchase of railcars. We referred to it. The member for Cottesloe was outraged that we had access to a decision sheet that we then had to implement! The member for Cottesloe has taken an extreme position on cabinet confidentiality. The member for Cottesloe is now attacking us - using that hypocritical style that he is so adept at - for taking basic steps to protect cabinet confidentiality!
I thank the member for the question. I was amazed today to hear the attack on the notion of cabinet confidentiality. The hypocrisy, particularly from the mentor for Cottesloe, astounded me. Point of Order Mr R.F. JOHNSON : As I understand them, the rules of this house require that questions to ministers be in relation to their portfolio areas. So far I have not heard any indication of how this question relates to the minister’s portfolio area. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : This definitely relates to my portfolio area. The SPEAKER : The question could definitely relate to the minister’s portfolio. I guess we are in a position in which we must hear the answer before we can determine whether it does. Questions without Notice Resumed Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : On several occasions the government has dealt with issues about which it needed to understand the nature of a decision made by the previous government, because we were getting representation from third parties - in one instance about the golf clubs of Kalgoorlie - about undertakings and agreements that had been given previously. Another instance involved an inquiry from industry about the boating facilities trust fund. On one occasion at least, and I suspect on others - we have not been able to assemble all the documentation in the short time available - the government, following due protocol, asked the Director General of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet to approach the then Leader of the Opposition, the member for Cottesloe, and ask whether the government could have access to, at the very least, the decision sheet, but preferably also the submission, so that we could understand the structure of the arrangements contemplated. This was not done in any way to embarrass the opposition, but rather so that the government could advance the issues being put to it by third parties. On both these occasions we received a rejection from the Leader of the Opposition, who said he was not prepared to assist the government, and that his belief in cabinet confidentiality was so extreme that he was not prepared to allow the government of the day to have access to these documents so that we could work out what the decision had been. In one instance, we had access to a decision sheet, because it had been placed on open file within the department. That decision sheet concerned the purchase of railcars. We referred to it. The member for Cottesloe was outraged that we had access to a decision sheet that we then had to implement! The member for Cottesloe has taken an extreme position on cabinet confidentiality. The member for Cottesloe is now attacking us - using that hypocritical style that he is so adept at - for taking basic steps to protect cabinet confidentiality!
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : This definitely relates to my portfolio area. The SPEAKER : The question could definitely relate to the minister’s portfolio. I guess we are in a position in which we must hear the answer before we can determine whether it does. Questions without Notice Resumed Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : On several occasions the government has dealt with issues about which it needed to understand the nature of a decision made by the previous government, because we were getting representation from third parties - in one instance about the golf clubs of Kalgoorlie - about undertakings and agreements that had been given previously. Another instance involved an inquiry from industry about the boating facilities trust fund. On one occasion at least, and I suspect on others - we have not been able to assemble all the documentation in the short time available - the government, following due protocol, asked the Director General of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet to approach the then Leader of the Opposition, the member for Cottesloe, and ask whether the government could have access to, at the very least, the decision sheet, but preferably also the submission, so that we could understand the structure of the arrangements contemplated. This was not done in any way to embarrass the opposition, but rather so that the government could advance the issues being put to it by third parties. On both these occasions we received a rejection from the Leader of the Opposition, who said he was not prepared to assist the government, and that his belief in cabinet confidentiality was so extreme that he was not prepared to allow the government of the day to have access to these documents so that we could work out what the decision had been. In one instance, we had access to a decision sheet, because it had been placed on open file within the department. That decision sheet concerned the purchase of railcars. We referred to it. The member for Cottesloe was outraged that we had access to a decision sheet that we then had to implement! The member for Cottesloe has taken an extreme position on cabinet confidentiality. The member for Cottesloe is now attacking us - using that hypocritical style that he is so adept at - for taking basic steps to protect cabinet confidentiality!
The SPEAKER : The question could definitely relate to the minister’s portfolio. I guess we are in a position in which we must hear the answer before we can determine whether it does. Questions without Notice Resumed Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : On several occasions the government has dealt with issues about which it needed to understand the nature of a decision made by the previous government, because we were getting representation from third parties - in one instance about the golf clubs of Kalgoorlie - about undertakings and agreements that had been given previously. Another instance involved an inquiry from industry about the boating facilities trust fund. On one occasion at least, and I suspect on others - we have not been able to assemble all the documentation in the short time available - the government, following due protocol, asked the Director General of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet to approach the then Leader of the Opposition, the member for Cottesloe, and ask whether the government could have access to, at the very least, the decision sheet, but preferably also the submission, so that we could understand the structure of the arrangements contemplated. This was not done in any way to embarrass the opposition, but rather so that the government could advance the issues being put to it by third parties. On both these occasions we received a rejection from the Leader of the Opposition, who said he was not prepared to assist the government, and that his belief in cabinet confidentiality was so extreme that he was not prepared to allow the government of the day to have access to these documents so that we could work out what the decision had been. In one instance, we had access to a decision sheet, because it had been placed on open file within the department. That decision sheet concerned the purchase of railcars. We referred to it. The member for Cottesloe was outraged that we had access to a decision sheet that we then had to implement! The member for Cottesloe has taken an extreme position on cabinet confidentiality. The member for Cottesloe is now attacking us - using that hypocritical style that he is so adept at - for taking basic steps to protect cabinet confidentiality!
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