❓ Hon Peter Foss questions the Attorney General's qualifications, specifically regarding his articles of clerkship. The Attorney General deflects, then provides a minimal answer, claiming the details are outside his current portfolio responsibilities.
AnsweredQoN 1545Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the Attorney General’s answers given during the debate on the Legal Practice Bill 2002 in the other place when he justified the means by which he completed his time as an articled clerk to qualify to be a legal practitioner, which is one of the necessary prerequisites to being Attorney General. (1) On what dates did the Attorney General - (a) sign; (b) register; (c) commence to serve; (d) complete his articles, and with what legal practitioner of which firm? (2) Did the Attorney General obtain - (a) the consent of his principal under section 13(2) of the Legal Practitioners Act; (b) the decision of the board under section 13(3) of the Legal Practitioners Act 1893 which permits him to engage in other employment; and, if so, (c) on what date did he secure each? (3) What parliamentary, executive or paid position did the Attorney General hold during the period of articles and what were the dates? Hon TOM STEPHENS
AnswerView source ↗
I will answer this question with a question: what were the dates upon which the former Attorney General made himself a Queen’s Counsel, and was that justified? Hon Peter Foss: I cannot make myself a QC. You are showing your ignorance. There is only way to become a QC, and that is on the recommendation of the Chief Justice, but I will forgive you. The PRESIDENT: Order! The minister has the call only to answer questions. Hon TOM STEPHENS: The answer to the question is as follows - (1)-(3) The Attorney General was admitted to practise as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court on 4 September 1995. Otherwise, the questions do not relate to his portfolio responsibilities or to any matter that has arisen since his appointment as Attorney General.
(1) On what dates did the Attorney General - (a) sign; (b) register; (c) commence to serve; (d) complete his articles, and with what legal practitioner of which firm? (2) Did the Attorney General obtain - (a) the consent of his principal under section 13(2) of the Legal Practitioners Act; (b) the decision of the board under section 13(3) of the Legal Practitioners Act 1893 which permits him to engage in other employment; and, if so, (c) on what date did he secure each? (3) What parliamentary, executive or paid position did the Attorney General hold during the period of articles and what were the dates? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: I will answer this question with a question: what were the dates upon which the former Attorney General made himself a Queen’s Counsel, and was that justified? Hon Peter Foss: I cannot make myself a QC. You are showing your ignorance. There is only way to become a QC, and that is on the recommendation of the Chief Justice, but I will forgive you. The PRESIDENT: Order! The minister has the call only to answer questions. Hon TOM STEPHENS: The answer to the question is as follows - (1)-(3) The Attorney General was admitted to practise as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court on 4 September 1995. Otherwise, the questions do not relate to his portfolio responsibilities or to any matter that has arisen since his appointment as Attorney General.
(b) register; (c) commence to serve; (d) complete his articles, and with what legal practitioner of which firm?
(c) commence to serve; (d) complete his articles, and with what legal practitioner of which firm?
(d) complete his articles, and with what legal practitioner of which firm?
(b) the decision of the board under section 13(3) of the Legal Practitioners Act 1893 which permits him to engage in other employment; and, if so, (c) on what date did he secure each?
(c) on what date did he secure each?
Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: I will answer this question with a question: what were the dates upon which the former Attorney General made himself a Queen’s Counsel, and was that justified? Hon Peter Foss: I cannot make myself a QC. You are showing your ignorance. There is only way to become a QC, and that is on the recommendation of the Chief Justice, but I will forgive you. The PRESIDENT: Order! The minister has the call only to answer questions. Hon TOM STEPHENS: The answer to the question is as follows - (1)-(3) The Attorney General was admitted to practise as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court on 4 September 1995. Otherwise, the questions do not relate to his portfolio responsibilities or to any matter that has arisen since his appointment as Attorney General.
I will answer this question with a question: what were the dates upon which the former Attorney General made himself a Queen’s Counsel, and was that justified? Hon Peter Foss: I cannot make myself a QC. You are showing your ignorance. There is only way to become a QC, and that is on the recommendation of the Chief Justice, but I will forgive you. The PRESIDENT: Order! The minister has the call only to answer questions. Hon TOM STEPHENS: The answer to the question is as follows - (1)-(3) The Attorney General was admitted to practise as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court on 4 September 1995. Otherwise, the questions do not relate to his portfolio responsibilities or to any matter that has arisen since his appointment as Attorney General.
Hon Peter Foss: I cannot make myself a QC. You are showing your ignorance. There is only way to become a QC, and that is on the recommendation of the Chief Justice, but I will forgive you. The PRESIDENT: Order! The minister has the call only to answer questions. Hon TOM STEPHENS: The answer to the question is as follows - (1)-(3) The Attorney General was admitted to practise as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court on 4 September 1995. Otherwise, the questions do not relate to his portfolio responsibilities or to any matter that has arisen since his appointment as Attorney General.
The PRESIDENT: Order! The minister has the call only to answer questions. Hon TOM STEPHENS: The answer to the question is as follows - (1)-(3) The Attorney General was admitted to practise as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court on 4 September 1995. Otherwise, the questions do not relate to his portfolio responsibilities or to any matter that has arisen since his appointment as Attorney General.
Hon TOM STEPHENS: The answer to the question is as follows - (1)-(3) The Attorney General was admitted to practise as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court on 4 September 1995. Otherwise, the questions do not relate to his portfolio responsibilities or to any matter that has arisen since his appointment as Attorney General.
(1)-(3) The Attorney General was admitted to practise as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court on 4 September 1995. Otherwise, the questions do not relate to his portfolio responsibilities or to any matter that has arisen since his appointment as Attorney General.
(1) On what dates did the Attorney General - (a) sign; (b) register; (c) commence to serve; (d) complete his articles, and with what legal practitioner of which firm? (2) Did the Attorney General obtain - (a) the consent of his principal under section 13(2) of the Legal Practitioners Act; (b) the decision of the board under section 13(3) of the Legal Practitioners Act 1893 which permits him to engage in other employment; and, if so, (c) on what date did he secure each? (3) What parliamentary, executive or paid position did the Attorney General hold during the period of articles and what were the dates? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: I will answer this question with a question: what were the dates upon which the former Attorney General made himself a Queen’s Counsel, and was that justified? Hon Peter Foss: I cannot make myself a QC. You are showing your ignorance. There is only way to become a QC, and that is on the recommendation of the Chief Justice, but I will forgive you. The PRESIDENT: Order! The minister has the call only to answer questions. Hon TOM STEPHENS: The answer to the question is as follows - (1)-(3) The Attorney General was admitted to practise as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court on 4 September 1995. Otherwise, the questions do not relate to his portfolio responsibilities or to any matter that has arisen since his appointment as Attorney General.
(b) register; (c) commence to serve; (d) complete his articles, and with what legal practitioner of which firm?
(c) commence to serve; (d) complete his articles, and with what legal practitioner of which firm?
(d) complete his articles, and with what legal practitioner of which firm?
(b) the decision of the board under section 13(3) of the Legal Practitioners Act 1893 which permits him to engage in other employment; and, if so, (c) on what date did he secure each?
(c) on what date did he secure each?
Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: I will answer this question with a question: what were the dates upon which the former Attorney General made himself a Queen’s Counsel, and was that justified? Hon Peter Foss: I cannot make myself a QC. You are showing your ignorance. There is only way to become a QC, and that is on the recommendation of the Chief Justice, but I will forgive you. The PRESIDENT: Order! The minister has the call only to answer questions. Hon TOM STEPHENS: The answer to the question is as follows - (1)-(3) The Attorney General was admitted to practise as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court on 4 September 1995. Otherwise, the questions do not relate to his portfolio responsibilities or to any matter that has arisen since his appointment as Attorney General.
I will answer this question with a question: what were the dates upon which the former Attorney General made himself a Queen’s Counsel, and was that justified? Hon Peter Foss: I cannot make myself a QC. You are showing your ignorance. There is only way to become a QC, and that is on the recommendation of the Chief Justice, but I will forgive you. The PRESIDENT: Order! The minister has the call only to answer questions. Hon TOM STEPHENS: The answer to the question is as follows - (1)-(3) The Attorney General was admitted to practise as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court on 4 September 1995. Otherwise, the questions do not relate to his portfolio responsibilities or to any matter that has arisen since his appointment as Attorney General.
Hon Peter Foss: I cannot make myself a QC. You are showing your ignorance. There is only way to become a QC, and that is on the recommendation of the Chief Justice, but I will forgive you. The PRESIDENT: Order! The minister has the call only to answer questions. Hon TOM STEPHENS: The answer to the question is as follows - (1)-(3) The Attorney General was admitted to practise as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court on 4 September 1995. Otherwise, the questions do not relate to his portfolio responsibilities or to any matter that has arisen since his appointment as Attorney General.
The PRESIDENT: Order! The minister has the call only to answer questions. Hon TOM STEPHENS: The answer to the question is as follows - (1)-(3) The Attorney General was admitted to practise as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court on 4 September 1995. Otherwise, the questions do not relate to his portfolio responsibilities or to any matter that has arisen since his appointment as Attorney General.
Hon TOM STEPHENS: The answer to the question is as follows - (1)-(3) The Attorney General was admitted to practise as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court on 4 September 1995. Otherwise, the questions do not relate to his portfolio responsibilities or to any matter that has arisen since his appointment as Attorney General.
(1)-(3) The Attorney General was admitted to practise as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court on 4 September 1995. Otherwise, the questions do not relate to his portfolio responsibilities or to any matter that has arisen since his appointment as Attorney General.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.