❓ A WA parliamentary question addresses a potential conflict of interest for the Minister for Environment regarding the Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre bushland site development, specifically questioning the basis for the perceived conflict and the selection of the Minister for Planning to assume decision-making functions.
AnsweredQoN 504Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
QUEEN ELIZABETH II MEDICAL CENTRE — BUSHLAND SITE
I refer to the development of the Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre bushland site. (1) What precisely is the basis for the minister’s statement that he has a conflict of interest between his duties and functions as Minister for Environment and his duties and functions as the member for Nedlands regarding the decision making for the development of the site? (2) In light of the duties and functions of the Minister for Planning, what is the basis for selecting him to also carry out the Minister for Environment’s ministerial decision-making functions for the development of the site? (3) What process exists for — (a) correctly identifying whether a minister has a conflict of interest; and (b) substituting, if a conflict of interest is identified, an appropriate alternative person to carry out the relevant function? Hon HELEN MORTON
I refer to the development of the Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre bushland site. (1) What precisely is the basis for the minister’s statement that he has a conflict of interest between his duties and functions as Minister for Environment and his duties and functions as the member for Nedlands regarding the decision making for the development of the site? (2) In light of the duties and functions of the Minister for Planning, what is the basis for selecting him to also carry out the Minister for Environment’s ministerial decision-making functions for the development of the site? (3) What process exists for — (a) correctly identifying whether a minister has a conflict of interest; and (b) substituting, if a conflict of interest is identified, an appropriate alternative person to carry out the relevant function? Hon HELEN MORTON
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Environment has provided me with the following information — (1) Although I do not believe that an actual conflict of interest exists, for an abundance of caution, I initiated action in case a perception of conflict of interest might arise should I determine appeals on this matter. This perception could arise given my previous involvement in the proposal in my former capacity as minister for works. (2) The Minister for Planning has acted on behalf of the Minister for Environment on a number of previous occasions and has agreed to act in this instance. (3) Clause 8 of the Ministerial Code of Conduct 2008 sets out how actual or potential conflicts of interest are managed.
(1) What precisely is the basis for the minister’s statement that he has a conflict of interest between his duties and functions as Minister for Environment and his duties and functions as the member for Nedlands regarding the decision making for the development of the site? (2) In light of the duties and functions of the Minister for Planning, what is the basis for selecting him to also carry out the Minister for Environment’s ministerial decision-making functions for the development of the site? (3) What process exists for — (a) correctly identifying whether a minister has a conflict of interest; and (b) substituting, if a conflict of interest is identified, an appropriate alternative person to carry out the relevant function? Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Environment has provided me with the following information — (1) Although I do not believe that an actual conflict of interest exists, for an abundance of caution, I initiated action in case a perception of conflict of interest might arise should I determine appeals on this matter. This perception could arise given my previous involvement in the proposal in my former capacity as minister for works. (2) The Minister for Planning has acted on behalf of the Minister for Environment on a number of previous occasions and has agreed to act in this instance. (3) Clause 8 of the Ministerial Code of Conduct 2008 sets out how actual or potential conflicts of interest are managed.
(2) In light of the duties and functions of the Minister for Planning, what is the basis for selecting him to also carry out the Minister for Environment’s ministerial decision-making functions for the development of the site? (3) What process exists for — (a) correctly identifying whether a minister has a conflict of interest; and (b) substituting, if a conflict of interest is identified, an appropriate alternative person to carry out the relevant function? Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Environment has provided me with the following information — (1) Although I do not believe that an actual conflict of interest exists, for an abundance of caution, I initiated action in case a perception of conflict of interest might arise should I determine appeals on this matter. This perception could arise given my previous involvement in the proposal in my former capacity as minister for works. (2) The Minister for Planning has acted on behalf of the Minister for Environment on a number of previous occasions and has agreed to act in this instance. (3) Clause 8 of the Ministerial Code of Conduct 2008 sets out how actual or potential conflicts of interest are managed.
(3) What process exists for — (a) correctly identifying whether a minister has a conflict of interest; and (b) substituting, if a conflict of interest is identified, an appropriate alternative person to carry out the relevant function? Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Environment has provided me with the following information — (1) Although I do not believe that an actual conflict of interest exists, for an abundance of caution, I initiated action in case a perception of conflict of interest might arise should I determine appeals on this matter. This perception could arise given my previous involvement in the proposal in my former capacity as minister for works. (2) The Minister for Planning has acted on behalf of the Minister for Environment on a number of previous occasions and has agreed to act in this instance. (3) Clause 8 of the Ministerial Code of Conduct 2008 sets out how actual or potential conflicts of interest are managed.
(b) substituting, if a conflict of interest is identified, an appropriate alternative person to carry out the relevant function?
I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Environment has provided me with the following information — (1) Although I do not believe that an actual conflict of interest exists, for an abundance of caution, I initiated action in case a perception of conflict of interest might arise should I determine appeals on this matter. This perception could arise given my previous involvement in the proposal in my former capacity as minister for works. (2) The Minister for Planning has acted on behalf of the Minister for Environment on a number of previous occasions and has agreed to act in this instance. (3) Clause 8 of the Ministerial Code of Conduct 2008 sets out how actual or potential conflicts of interest are managed.
(1) Although I do not believe that an actual conflict of interest exists, for an abundance of caution, I initiated action in case a perception of conflict of interest might arise should I determine appeals on this matter. This perception could arise given my previous involvement in the proposal in my former capacity as minister for works. (2) The Minister for Planning has acted on behalf of the Minister for Environment on a number of previous occasions and has agreed to act in this instance. (3) Clause 8 of the Ministerial Code of Conduct 2008 sets out how actual or potential conflicts of interest are managed.
(2) The Minister for Planning has acted on behalf of the Minister for Environment on a number of previous occasions and has agreed to act in this instance. (3) Clause 8 of the Ministerial Code of Conduct 2008 sets out how actual or potential conflicts of interest are managed.
(3) Clause 8 of the Ministerial Code of Conduct 2008 sets out how actual or potential conflicts of interest are managed.
(1) What precisely is the basis for the minister’s statement that he has a conflict of interest between his duties and functions as Minister for Environment and his duties and functions as the member for Nedlands regarding the decision making for the development of the site? (2) In light of the duties and functions of the Minister for Planning, what is the basis for selecting him to also carry out the Minister for Environment’s ministerial decision-making functions for the development of the site? (3) What process exists for — (a) correctly identifying whether a minister has a conflict of interest; and (b) substituting, if a conflict of interest is identified, an appropriate alternative person to carry out the relevant function? Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Environment has provided me with the following information — (1) Although I do not believe that an actual conflict of interest exists, for an abundance of caution, I initiated action in case a perception of conflict of interest might arise should I determine appeals on this matter. This perception could arise given my previous involvement in the proposal in my former capacity as minister for works. (2) The Minister for Planning has acted on behalf of the Minister for Environment on a number of previous occasions and has agreed to act in this instance. (3) Clause 8 of the Ministerial Code of Conduct 2008 sets out how actual or potential conflicts of interest are managed.
(2) In light of the duties and functions of the Minister for Planning, what is the basis for selecting him to also carry out the Minister for Environment’s ministerial decision-making functions for the development of the site? (3) What process exists for — (a) correctly identifying whether a minister has a conflict of interest; and (b) substituting, if a conflict of interest is identified, an appropriate alternative person to carry out the relevant function? Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Environment has provided me with the following information — (1) Although I do not believe that an actual conflict of interest exists, for an abundance of caution, I initiated action in case a perception of conflict of interest might arise should I determine appeals on this matter. This perception could arise given my previous involvement in the proposal in my former capacity as minister for works. (2) The Minister for Planning has acted on behalf of the Minister for Environment on a number of previous occasions and has agreed to act in this instance. (3) Clause 8 of the Ministerial Code of Conduct 2008 sets out how actual or potential conflicts of interest are managed.
(3) What process exists for — (a) correctly identifying whether a minister has a conflict of interest; and (b) substituting, if a conflict of interest is identified, an appropriate alternative person to carry out the relevant function? Hon HELEN MORTON replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Environment has provided me with the following information — (1) Although I do not believe that an actual conflict of interest exists, for an abundance of caution, I initiated action in case a perception of conflict of interest might arise should I determine appeals on this matter. This perception could arise given my previous involvement in the proposal in my former capacity as minister for works. (2) The Minister for Planning has acted on behalf of the Minister for Environment on a number of previous occasions and has agreed to act in this instance. (3) Clause 8 of the Ministerial Code of Conduct 2008 sets out how actual or potential conflicts of interest are managed.
(b) substituting, if a conflict of interest is identified, an appropriate alternative person to carry out the relevant function?
I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question. The Minister for Environment has provided me with the following information — (1) Although I do not believe that an actual conflict of interest exists, for an abundance of caution, I initiated action in case a perception of conflict of interest might arise should I determine appeals on this matter. This perception could arise given my previous involvement in the proposal in my former capacity as minister for works. (2) The Minister for Planning has acted on behalf of the Minister for Environment on a number of previous occasions and has agreed to act in this instance. (3) Clause 8 of the Ministerial Code of Conduct 2008 sets out how actual or potential conflicts of interest are managed.
(1) Although I do not believe that an actual conflict of interest exists, for an abundance of caution, I initiated action in case a perception of conflict of interest might arise should I determine appeals on this matter. This perception could arise given my previous involvement in the proposal in my former capacity as minister for works. (2) The Minister for Planning has acted on behalf of the Minister for Environment on a number of previous occasions and has agreed to act in this instance. (3) Clause 8 of the Ministerial Code of Conduct 2008 sets out how actual or potential conflicts of interest are managed.
(2) The Minister for Planning has acted on behalf of the Minister for Environment on a number of previous occasions and has agreed to act in this instance. (3) Clause 8 of the Ministerial Code of Conduct 2008 sets out how actual or potential conflicts of interest are managed.
(3) Clause 8 of the Ministerial Code of Conduct 2008 sets out how actual or potential conflicts of interest are managed.
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