❓ A parliamentary question regarding a planned staff party within the Department for Planning and Infrastructure, questioning the appropriateness of the expenditure given government cost-cutting measures. The Minister acknowledges the event was cancelled.
AnsweredQoN 379Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Department for Planning and Infrastructure , STAFF PARTY
I refer to the article on page 3 of The West Australian today revealing the minister's personal endorsement of a party for 700 staff in her department at a significant cost to Western Australian taxpayers. (1) Why is the minister sanctioning such a blatant waste of taxpayers’ money, especially at a time when the Government has made so much noise about cutting departmental expenditure? (2) Can the minister confirm comments made by the acting director general of her department that this event has been postponed; and, if so, when will the party now be held? (3) Can the minister also confirm that this is the first of many such events planned with her support? Ms MacTIERNAN
I refer to the article on page 3 of The West Australian today revealing the minister's personal endorsement of a party for 700 staff in her department at a significant cost to Western Australian taxpayers. (1) Why is the minister sanctioning such a blatant waste of taxpayers’ money, especially at a time when the Government has made so much noise about cutting departmental expenditure? (2) Can the minister confirm comments made by the acting director general of her department that this event has been postponed; and, if so, when will the party now be held? (3) Can the minister also confirm that this is the first of many such events planned with her support? Ms MacTIERNAN
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(3) The report in The West Australian was, of course, wildly exaggerated. The cost of the barbecue turns out to be $3 500. Some months ago two of my chief executive officers, one from the Department of Transport and the other from the Ministry of Planning, approached me and said that when the departments were fused they wanted to conduct a lunchtime barbecue as part of a team-building exercise. They said that we were trying to achieve a great change in the public sector and that team building was an important part of that exercise. I said that I was happy to come along to a lunchtime barbecue. I did not micro-manage it. I acknowledge now that, even at $3 500, it is not appropriate under the current circumstances, so the function has been cancelled. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Ms MacTIERNAN: I am spending my time trying to clean up the messes created by the Leader of the Opposition. Several members interjected. Ms MacTIERNAN: I am not spending my time micro-managing staff lunch functions. I have now instructed my chief executive officers that the expenditure for any function that involves any element of hospitality is to be cleared through my office. I assure members that we are running a very frugal operation.
(1) Why is the minister sanctioning such a blatant waste of taxpayers’ money, especially at a time when the Government has made so much noise about cutting departmental expenditure? (2) Can the minister confirm comments made by the acting director general of her department that this event has been postponed; and, if so, when will the party now be held? (3) Can the minister also confirm that this is the first of many such events planned with her support? Ms MacTIERNAN replied: (1)-(3) The report in The West Australian was, of course, wildly exaggerated. The cost of the barbecue turns out to be $3 500. Some months ago two of my chief executive officers, one from the Department of Transport and the other from the Ministry of Planning, approached me and said that when the departments were fused they wanted to conduct a lunchtime barbecue as part of a team-building exercise. They said that we were trying to achieve a great change in the public sector and that team building was an important part of that exercise. I said that I was happy to come along to a lunchtime barbecue. I did not micro-manage it. I acknowledge now that, even at $3 500, it is not appropriate under the current circumstances, so the function has been cancelled. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Ms MacTIERNAN: I am spending my time trying to clean up the messes created by the Leader of the Opposition. Several members interjected. Ms MacTIERNAN: I am not spending my time micro-managing staff lunch functions. I have now instructed my chief executive officers that the expenditure for any function that involves any element of hospitality is to be cleared through my office. I assure members that we are running a very frugal operation.
(2) Can the minister confirm comments made by the acting director general of her department that this event has been postponed; and, if so, when will the party now be held? (3) Can the minister also confirm that this is the first of many such events planned with her support? Ms MacTIERNAN replied: (1)-(3) The report in The West Australian was, of course, wildly exaggerated. The cost of the barbecue turns out to be $3 500. Some months ago two of my chief executive officers, one from the Department of Transport and the other from the Ministry of Planning, approached me and said that when the departments were fused they wanted to conduct a lunchtime barbecue as part of a team-building exercise. They said that we were trying to achieve a great change in the public sector and that team building was an important part of that exercise. I said that I was happy to come along to a lunchtime barbecue. I did not micro-manage it. I acknowledge now that, even at $3 500, it is not appropriate under the current circumstances, so the function has been cancelled. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Ms MacTIERNAN: I am spending my time trying to clean up the messes created by the Leader of the Opposition. Several members interjected. Ms MacTIERNAN: I am not spending my time micro-managing staff lunch functions. I have now instructed my chief executive officers that the expenditure for any function that involves any element of hospitality is to be cleared through my office. I assure members that we are running a very frugal operation.
(3) Can the minister also confirm that this is the first of many such events planned with her support? Ms MacTIERNAN replied: (1)-(3) The report in The West Australian was, of course, wildly exaggerated. The cost of the barbecue turns out to be $3 500. Some months ago two of my chief executive officers, one from the Department of Transport and the other from the Ministry of Planning, approached me and said that when the departments were fused they wanted to conduct a lunchtime barbecue as part of a team-building exercise. They said that we were trying to achieve a great change in the public sector and that team building was an important part of that exercise. I said that I was happy to come along to a lunchtime barbecue. I did not micro-manage it. I acknowledge now that, even at $3 500, it is not appropriate under the current circumstances, so the function has been cancelled. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Ms MacTIERNAN: I am spending my time trying to clean up the messes created by the Leader of the Opposition. Several members interjected. Ms MacTIERNAN: I am not spending my time micro-managing staff lunch functions. I have now instructed my chief executive officers that the expenditure for any function that involves any element of hospitality is to be cleared through my office. I assure members that we are running a very frugal operation.
Ms MacTIERNAN replied: (1)-(3) The report in The West Australian was, of course, wildly exaggerated. The cost of the barbecue turns out to be $3 500. Some months ago two of my chief executive officers, one from the Department of Transport and the other from the Ministry of Planning, approached me and said that when the departments were fused they wanted to conduct a lunchtime barbecue as part of a team-building exercise. They said that we were trying to achieve a great change in the public sector and that team building was an important part of that exercise. I said that I was happy to come along to a lunchtime barbecue. I did not micro-manage it. I acknowledge now that, even at $3 500, it is not appropriate under the current circumstances, so the function has been cancelled. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Ms MacTIERNAN: I am spending my time trying to clean up the messes created by the Leader of the Opposition. Several members interjected. Ms MacTIERNAN: I am not spending my time micro-managing staff lunch functions. I have now instructed my chief executive officers that the expenditure for any function that involves any element of hospitality is to be cleared through my office. I assure members that we are running a very frugal operation.
(1)-(3) The report in The West Australian was, of course, wildly exaggerated. The cost of the barbecue turns out to be $3 500. Some months ago two of my chief executive officers, one from the Department of Transport and the other from the Ministry of Planning, approached me and said that when the departments were fused they wanted to conduct a lunchtime barbecue as part of a team-building exercise. They said that we were trying to achieve a great change in the public sector and that team building was an important part of that exercise. I said that I was happy to come along to a lunchtime barbecue. I did not micro-manage it. I acknowledge now that, even at $3 500, it is not appropriate under the current circumstances, so the function has been cancelled. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Ms MacTIERNAN: I am spending my time trying to clean up the messes created by the Leader of the Opposition. Several members interjected. Ms MacTIERNAN: I am not spending my time micro-managing staff lunch functions. I have now instructed my chief executive officers that the expenditure for any function that involves any element of hospitality is to be cleared through my office. I assure members that we are running a very frugal operation.
The SPEAKER: Order, members! Ms MacTIERNAN: I am spending my time trying to clean up the messes created by the Leader of the Opposition. Several members interjected. Ms MacTIERNAN: I am not spending my time micro-managing staff lunch functions. I have now instructed my chief executive officers that the expenditure for any function that involves any element of hospitality is to be cleared through my office. I assure members that we are running a very frugal operation.
Ms MacTIERNAN: I am spending my time trying to clean up the messes created by the Leader of the Opposition. Several members interjected. Ms MacTIERNAN: I am not spending my time micro-managing staff lunch functions. I have now instructed my chief executive officers that the expenditure for any function that involves any element of hospitality is to be cleared through my office. I assure members that we are running a very frugal operation.
Several members interjected. Ms MacTIERNAN: I am not spending my time micro-managing staff lunch functions. I have now instructed my chief executive officers that the expenditure for any function that involves any element of hospitality is to be cleared through my office. I assure members that we are running a very frugal operation.
Ms MacTIERNAN: I am not spending my time micro-managing staff lunch functions. I have now instructed my chief executive officers that the expenditure for any function that involves any element of hospitality is to be cleared through my office. I assure members that we are running a very frugal operation.
(1) Why is the minister sanctioning such a blatant waste of taxpayers’ money, especially at a time when the Government has made so much noise about cutting departmental expenditure? (2) Can the minister confirm comments made by the acting director general of her department that this event has been postponed; and, if so, when will the party now be held? (3) Can the minister also confirm that this is the first of many such events planned with her support? Ms MacTIERNAN replied: (1)-(3) The report in The West Australian was, of course, wildly exaggerated. The cost of the barbecue turns out to be $3 500. Some months ago two of my chief executive officers, one from the Department of Transport and the other from the Ministry of Planning, approached me and said that when the departments were fused they wanted to conduct a lunchtime barbecue as part of a team-building exercise. They said that we were trying to achieve a great change in the public sector and that team building was an important part of that exercise. I said that I was happy to come along to a lunchtime barbecue. I did not micro-manage it. I acknowledge now that, even at $3 500, it is not appropriate under the current circumstances, so the function has been cancelled. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Ms MacTIERNAN: I am spending my time trying to clean up the messes created by the Leader of the Opposition. Several members interjected. Ms MacTIERNAN: I am not spending my time micro-managing staff lunch functions. I have now instructed my chief executive officers that the expenditure for any function that involves any element of hospitality is to be cleared through my office. I assure members that we are running a very frugal operation.
(2) Can the minister confirm comments made by the acting director general of her department that this event has been postponed; and, if so, when will the party now be held? (3) Can the minister also confirm that this is the first of many such events planned with her support? Ms MacTIERNAN replied: (1)-(3) The report in The West Australian was, of course, wildly exaggerated. The cost of the barbecue turns out to be $3 500. Some months ago two of my chief executive officers, one from the Department of Transport and the other from the Ministry of Planning, approached me and said that when the departments were fused they wanted to conduct a lunchtime barbecue as part of a team-building exercise. They said that we were trying to achieve a great change in the public sector and that team building was an important part of that exercise. I said that I was happy to come along to a lunchtime barbecue. I did not micro-manage it. I acknowledge now that, even at $3 500, it is not appropriate under the current circumstances, so the function has been cancelled. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Ms MacTIERNAN: I am spending my time trying to clean up the messes created by the Leader of the Opposition. Several members interjected. Ms MacTIERNAN: I am not spending my time micro-managing staff lunch functions. I have now instructed my chief executive officers that the expenditure for any function that involves any element of hospitality is to be cleared through my office. I assure members that we are running a very frugal operation.
(3) Can the minister also confirm that this is the first of many such events planned with her support? Ms MacTIERNAN replied: (1)-(3) The report in The West Australian was, of course, wildly exaggerated. The cost of the barbecue turns out to be $3 500. Some months ago two of my chief executive officers, one from the Department of Transport and the other from the Ministry of Planning, approached me and said that when the departments were fused they wanted to conduct a lunchtime barbecue as part of a team-building exercise. They said that we were trying to achieve a great change in the public sector and that team building was an important part of that exercise. I said that I was happy to come along to a lunchtime barbecue. I did not micro-manage it. I acknowledge now that, even at $3 500, it is not appropriate under the current circumstances, so the function has been cancelled. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Ms MacTIERNAN: I am spending my time trying to clean up the messes created by the Leader of the Opposition. Several members interjected. Ms MacTIERNAN: I am not spending my time micro-managing staff lunch functions. I have now instructed my chief executive officers that the expenditure for any function that involves any element of hospitality is to be cleared through my office. I assure members that we are running a very frugal operation.
Ms MacTIERNAN replied: (1)-(3) The report in The West Australian was, of course, wildly exaggerated. The cost of the barbecue turns out to be $3 500. Some months ago two of my chief executive officers, one from the Department of Transport and the other from the Ministry of Planning, approached me and said that when the departments were fused they wanted to conduct a lunchtime barbecue as part of a team-building exercise. They said that we were trying to achieve a great change in the public sector and that team building was an important part of that exercise. I said that I was happy to come along to a lunchtime barbecue. I did not micro-manage it. I acknowledge now that, even at $3 500, it is not appropriate under the current circumstances, so the function has been cancelled. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Ms MacTIERNAN: I am spending my time trying to clean up the messes created by the Leader of the Opposition. Several members interjected. Ms MacTIERNAN: I am not spending my time micro-managing staff lunch functions. I have now instructed my chief executive officers that the expenditure for any function that involves any element of hospitality is to be cleared through my office. I assure members that we are running a very frugal operation.
(1)-(3) The report in The West Australian was, of course, wildly exaggerated. The cost of the barbecue turns out to be $3 500. Some months ago two of my chief executive officers, one from the Department of Transport and the other from the Ministry of Planning, approached me and said that when the departments were fused they wanted to conduct a lunchtime barbecue as part of a team-building exercise. They said that we were trying to achieve a great change in the public sector and that team building was an important part of that exercise. I said that I was happy to come along to a lunchtime barbecue. I did not micro-manage it. I acknowledge now that, even at $3 500, it is not appropriate under the current circumstances, so the function has been cancelled. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Ms MacTIERNAN: I am spending my time trying to clean up the messes created by the Leader of the Opposition. Several members interjected. Ms MacTIERNAN: I am not spending my time micro-managing staff lunch functions. I have now instructed my chief executive officers that the expenditure for any function that involves any element of hospitality is to be cleared through my office. I assure members that we are running a very frugal operation.
The SPEAKER: Order, members! Ms MacTIERNAN: I am spending my time trying to clean up the messes created by the Leader of the Opposition. Several members interjected. Ms MacTIERNAN: I am not spending my time micro-managing staff lunch functions. I have now instructed my chief executive officers that the expenditure for any function that involves any element of hospitality is to be cleared through my office. I assure members that we are running a very frugal operation.
Ms MacTIERNAN: I am spending my time trying to clean up the messes created by the Leader of the Opposition. Several members interjected. Ms MacTIERNAN: I am not spending my time micro-managing staff lunch functions. I have now instructed my chief executive officers that the expenditure for any function that involves any element of hospitality is to be cleared through my office. I assure members that we are running a very frugal operation.
Several members interjected. Ms MacTIERNAN: I am not spending my time micro-managing staff lunch functions. I have now instructed my chief executive officers that the expenditure for any function that involves any element of hospitality is to be cleared through my office. I assure members that we are running a very frugal operation.
Ms MacTIERNAN: I am not spending my time micro-managing staff lunch functions. I have now instructed my chief executive officers that the expenditure for any function that involves any element of hospitality is to be cleared through my office. I assure members that we are running a very frugal operation.
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