❓ A member of parliament questions the Minister for Tourism about a marketing deal with Qantas, specifically regarding potential conflicts of interest due to the Minister's prior shareholding in the airline. The Minister acknowledges the shareholding, explains its origin, and details the steps taken to dispose of the shares upon appointment.
AnsweredQoN 637Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
TOURISM —
QANTAS MARKETING DEAL
637. Mr P. PAPALIA to the
Minister for Tourism:
I refer the minister to the $7.65 million marketing deal with
Qantas announced on 11 September 2013.
(1) What role did the minister play in negotiating the
agreement?
(2) On what date did the minister sign off on the agreement?
(3) Did the
minister hold shares in Qantas during any period of the negotiations and at the
point the agreement was reached?
(4) When and
how did the minister dispose of any shares during that negotiation period?
QANTAS MARKETING DEAL
637. Mr P. PAPALIA to the
Minister for Tourism:
I refer the minister to the $7.65 million marketing deal with
Qantas announced on 11 September 2013.
(1) What role did the minister play in negotiating the
agreement?
(2) On what date did the minister sign off on the agreement?
(3) Did the
minister hold shares in Qantas during any period of the negotiations and at the
point the agreement was reached?
(4) When and
how did the minister dispose of any shares during that negotiation period?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the
member for the question.
(1)–(4)
It is true that I did have a shareholding with Qantas. They were shares that
were part of an employee bonus scheme, for which I applied during my 10-year
stint working for Qantas at the Perth international and Perth domestic
airports. It was a long time ago, actually. They have been declared as per the
usual procedures on my parliamentary declaration and also in my interests
register with the cabinet secretary. I had no hand personally in the
negotiations for the $7.65 million joint marketing arrangement with Qantas.
Most of those negotiations were conducted prior to my appointment as tourism
minister. When I was appointed tourism minister, I immediately notified the
cabinet secretary of a potential conflict of interest with my Qantas shares and
was advised to dispose of them. I immediately took steps to dispose of those
shares. The shares were disposed of, as I understand it, the day before the
announcement to the market and to the public about that joint marketing
arrangement with Qantas. I think that was on or about 11 September, and the
finalisation of the share transaction was, as I understand it, the day before,
and the cabinet secretary has been notified of the same.
member for the question.
(1)–(4)
It is true that I did have a shareholding with Qantas. They were shares that
were part of an employee bonus scheme, for which I applied during my 10-year
stint working for Qantas at the Perth international and Perth domestic
airports. It was a long time ago, actually. They have been declared as per the
usual procedures on my parliamentary declaration and also in my interests
register with the cabinet secretary. I had no hand personally in the
negotiations for the $7.65 million joint marketing arrangement with Qantas.
Most of those negotiations were conducted prior to my appointment as tourism
minister. When I was appointed tourism minister, I immediately notified the
cabinet secretary of a potential conflict of interest with my Qantas shares and
was advised to dispose of them. I immediately took steps to dispose of those
shares. The shares were disposed of, as I understand it, the day before the
announcement to the market and to the public about that joint marketing
arrangement with Qantas. I think that was on or about 11 September, and the
finalisation of the share transaction was, as I understand it, the day before,
and the cabinet secretary has been notified of the same.
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