❓ A parliamentary question regarding the appointment of Sean Walsh, former chief of staff to Premier Geoff Gallop, to the WA Sports Centre Trust board, questioning the basis and credentials for the appointment. The Minister defends the appointment, citing Walsh's experience and standing in the athletics community.
AnsweredQoN 116Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WA SPORTS CENTRE TRUST - MR SEAN WALSH
I refer to the minister’s press release of 19 March in which he announced new board members for the WA Sports Centre Trust. (1) Can the minister confirm that he has just appointed the former chief of staff of former Premier Geoff Gallop, Mr Sean Walsh, to the trust’s board? (2) On what basis was that appointment made and what credentials does Mr Walsh possess for that appointment? (3) When will the minister and the government learn that doing dodgy deals with their mates is the very reason they have lost four ministers in the past six months? Mr J.C. KOBELKE
I refer to the minister’s press release of 19 March in which he announced new board members for the WA Sports Centre Trust. (1) Can the minister confirm that he has just appointed the former chief of staff of former Premier Geoff Gallop, Mr Sean Walsh, to the trust’s board? (2) On what basis was that appointment made and what credentials does Mr Walsh possess for that appointment? (3) When will the minister and the government learn that doing dodgy deals with their mates is the very reason they have lost four ministers in the past six months? Mr J.C. KOBELKE
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(3) I think the opposition is running the danger of putting itself in jeopardy if it tries to blacken the name of anyone who steps into public office simply because he has had some association with members on this side. The opposition tried it earlier in another question. I am very pleased to thank the people who have been involved; that is, Denis McInerney and the people who were previously on the board of the WA Sports Centre Trust. I suppose he could have been attacked as well because he might be seen to have some sympathies or friendships with people on this side. The fact is that the new chair will be Graham Partridge, who was the chief executive officer of the Town of Cambridge. I will not refer to all the other members but I am certainly very pleased that a number of prominent people have accepted appointments to the board of the WA Sports Centre Trust. Yes, Sean Walsh is one of those. Members opposite might not know that Sean Walsh has a reputation as a runner of some eminence in this state. He served on the board quite some years ago, so he has previous experience on the board and he has a quite considerable standing within the athletics community. He will make a very good contribution as a member of the WA Sports Centre Trust board.
(1) Can the minister confirm that he has just appointed the former chief of staff of former Premier Geoff Gallop, Mr Sean Walsh, to the trust’s board? (2) On what basis was that appointment made and what credentials does Mr Walsh possess for that appointment? (3) When will the minister and the government learn that doing dodgy deals with their mates is the very reason they have lost four ministers in the past six months? Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: (1)-(3) I think the opposition is running the danger of putting itself in jeopardy if it tries to blacken the name of anyone who steps into public office simply because he has had some association with members on this side. The opposition tried it earlier in another question. I am very pleased to thank the people who have been involved; that is, Denis McInerney and the people who were previously on the board of the WA Sports Centre Trust. I suppose he could have been attacked as well because he might be seen to have some sympathies or friendships with people on this side. The fact is that the new chair will be Graham Partridge, who was the chief executive officer of the Town of Cambridge. I will not refer to all the other members but I am certainly very pleased that a number of prominent people have accepted appointments to the board of the WA Sports Centre Trust. Yes, Sean Walsh is one of those. Members opposite might not know that Sean Walsh has a reputation as a runner of some eminence in this state. He served on the board quite some years ago, so he has previous experience on the board and he has a quite considerable standing within the athletics community. He will make a very good contribution as a member of the WA Sports Centre Trust board.
(2) On what basis was that appointment made and what credentials does Mr Walsh possess for that appointment? (3) When will the minister and the government learn that doing dodgy deals with their mates is the very reason they have lost four ministers in the past six months? Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: (1)-(3) I think the opposition is running the danger of putting itself in jeopardy if it tries to blacken the name of anyone who steps into public office simply because he has had some association with members on this side. The opposition tried it earlier in another question. I am very pleased to thank the people who have been involved; that is, Denis McInerney and the people who were previously on the board of the WA Sports Centre Trust. I suppose he could have been attacked as well because he might be seen to have some sympathies or friendships with people on this side. The fact is that the new chair will be Graham Partridge, who was the chief executive officer of the Town of Cambridge. I will not refer to all the other members but I am certainly very pleased that a number of prominent people have accepted appointments to the board of the WA Sports Centre Trust. Yes, Sean Walsh is one of those. Members opposite might not know that Sean Walsh has a reputation as a runner of some eminence in this state. He served on the board quite some years ago, so he has previous experience on the board and he has a quite considerable standing within the athletics community. He will make a very good contribution as a member of the WA Sports Centre Trust board.
(3) When will the minister and the government learn that doing dodgy deals with their mates is the very reason they have lost four ministers in the past six months? Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: (1)-(3) I think the opposition is running the danger of putting itself in jeopardy if it tries to blacken the name of anyone who steps into public office simply because he has had some association with members on this side. The opposition tried it earlier in another question. I am very pleased to thank the people who have been involved; that is, Denis McInerney and the people who were previously on the board of the WA Sports Centre Trust. I suppose he could have been attacked as well because he might be seen to have some sympathies or friendships with people on this side. The fact is that the new chair will be Graham Partridge, who was the chief executive officer of the Town of Cambridge. I will not refer to all the other members but I am certainly very pleased that a number of prominent people have accepted appointments to the board of the WA Sports Centre Trust. Yes, Sean Walsh is one of those. Members opposite might not know that Sean Walsh has a reputation as a runner of some eminence in this state. He served on the board quite some years ago, so he has previous experience on the board and he has a quite considerable standing within the athletics community. He will make a very good contribution as a member of the WA Sports Centre Trust board.
Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: (1)-(3) I think the opposition is running the danger of putting itself in jeopardy if it tries to blacken the name of anyone who steps into public office simply because he has had some association with members on this side. The opposition tried it earlier in another question. I am very pleased to thank the people who have been involved; that is, Denis McInerney and the people who were previously on the board of the WA Sports Centre Trust. I suppose he could have been attacked as well because he might be seen to have some sympathies or friendships with people on this side. The fact is that the new chair will be Graham Partridge, who was the chief executive officer of the Town of Cambridge. I will not refer to all the other members but I am certainly very pleased that a number of prominent people have accepted appointments to the board of the WA Sports Centre Trust. Yes, Sean Walsh is one of those. Members opposite might not know that Sean Walsh has a reputation as a runner of some eminence in this state. He served on the board quite some years ago, so he has previous experience on the board and he has a quite considerable standing within the athletics community. He will make a very good contribution as a member of the WA Sports Centre Trust board.
(1)-(3) I think the opposition is running the danger of putting itself in jeopardy if it tries to blacken the name of anyone who steps into public office simply because he has had some association with members on this side. The opposition tried it earlier in another question. I am very pleased to thank the people who have been involved; that is, Denis McInerney and the people who were previously on the board of the WA Sports Centre Trust. I suppose he could have been attacked as well because he might be seen to have some sympathies or friendships with people on this side. The fact is that the new chair will be Graham Partridge, who was the chief executive officer of the Town of Cambridge. I will not refer to all the other members but I am certainly very pleased that a number of prominent people have accepted appointments to the board of the WA Sports Centre Trust. Yes, Sean Walsh is one of those. Members opposite might not know that Sean Walsh has a reputation as a runner of some eminence in this state. He served on the board quite some years ago, so he has previous experience on the board and he has a quite considerable standing within the athletics community. He will make a very good contribution as a member of the WA Sports Centre Trust board.
(1) Can the minister confirm that he has just appointed the former chief of staff of former Premier Geoff Gallop, Mr Sean Walsh, to the trust’s board? (2) On what basis was that appointment made and what credentials does Mr Walsh possess for that appointment? (3) When will the minister and the government learn that doing dodgy deals with their mates is the very reason they have lost four ministers in the past six months? Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: (1)-(3) I think the opposition is running the danger of putting itself in jeopardy if it tries to blacken the name of anyone who steps into public office simply because he has had some association with members on this side. The opposition tried it earlier in another question. I am very pleased to thank the people who have been involved; that is, Denis McInerney and the people who were previously on the board of the WA Sports Centre Trust. I suppose he could have been attacked as well because he might be seen to have some sympathies or friendships with people on this side. The fact is that the new chair will be Graham Partridge, who was the chief executive officer of the Town of Cambridge. I will not refer to all the other members but I am certainly very pleased that a number of prominent people have accepted appointments to the board of the WA Sports Centre Trust. Yes, Sean Walsh is one of those. Members opposite might not know that Sean Walsh has a reputation as a runner of some eminence in this state. He served on the board quite some years ago, so he has previous experience on the board and he has a quite considerable standing within the athletics community. He will make a very good contribution as a member of the WA Sports Centre Trust board.
(2) On what basis was that appointment made and what credentials does Mr Walsh possess for that appointment? (3) When will the minister and the government learn that doing dodgy deals with their mates is the very reason they have lost four ministers in the past six months? Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: (1)-(3) I think the opposition is running the danger of putting itself in jeopardy if it tries to blacken the name of anyone who steps into public office simply because he has had some association with members on this side. The opposition tried it earlier in another question. I am very pleased to thank the people who have been involved; that is, Denis McInerney and the people who were previously on the board of the WA Sports Centre Trust. I suppose he could have been attacked as well because he might be seen to have some sympathies or friendships with people on this side. The fact is that the new chair will be Graham Partridge, who was the chief executive officer of the Town of Cambridge. I will not refer to all the other members but I am certainly very pleased that a number of prominent people have accepted appointments to the board of the WA Sports Centre Trust. Yes, Sean Walsh is one of those. Members opposite might not know that Sean Walsh has a reputation as a runner of some eminence in this state. He served on the board quite some years ago, so he has previous experience on the board and he has a quite considerable standing within the athletics community. He will make a very good contribution as a member of the WA Sports Centre Trust board.
(3) When will the minister and the government learn that doing dodgy deals with their mates is the very reason they have lost four ministers in the past six months? Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: (1)-(3) I think the opposition is running the danger of putting itself in jeopardy if it tries to blacken the name of anyone who steps into public office simply because he has had some association with members on this side. The opposition tried it earlier in another question. I am very pleased to thank the people who have been involved; that is, Denis McInerney and the people who were previously on the board of the WA Sports Centre Trust. I suppose he could have been attacked as well because he might be seen to have some sympathies or friendships with people on this side. The fact is that the new chair will be Graham Partridge, who was the chief executive officer of the Town of Cambridge. I will not refer to all the other members but I am certainly very pleased that a number of prominent people have accepted appointments to the board of the WA Sports Centre Trust. Yes, Sean Walsh is one of those. Members opposite might not know that Sean Walsh has a reputation as a runner of some eminence in this state. He served on the board quite some years ago, so he has previous experience on the board and he has a quite considerable standing within the athletics community. He will make a very good contribution as a member of the WA Sports Centre Trust board.
Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: (1)-(3) I think the opposition is running the danger of putting itself in jeopardy if it tries to blacken the name of anyone who steps into public office simply because he has had some association with members on this side. The opposition tried it earlier in another question. I am very pleased to thank the people who have been involved; that is, Denis McInerney and the people who were previously on the board of the WA Sports Centre Trust. I suppose he could have been attacked as well because he might be seen to have some sympathies or friendships with people on this side. The fact is that the new chair will be Graham Partridge, who was the chief executive officer of the Town of Cambridge. I will not refer to all the other members but I am certainly very pleased that a number of prominent people have accepted appointments to the board of the WA Sports Centre Trust. Yes, Sean Walsh is one of those. Members opposite might not know that Sean Walsh has a reputation as a runner of some eminence in this state. He served on the board quite some years ago, so he has previous experience on the board and he has a quite considerable standing within the athletics community. He will make a very good contribution as a member of the WA Sports Centre Trust board.
(1)-(3) I think the opposition is running the danger of putting itself in jeopardy if it tries to blacken the name of anyone who steps into public office simply because he has had some association with members on this side. The opposition tried it earlier in another question. I am very pleased to thank the people who have been involved; that is, Denis McInerney and the people who were previously on the board of the WA Sports Centre Trust. I suppose he could have been attacked as well because he might be seen to have some sympathies or friendships with people on this side. The fact is that the new chair will be Graham Partridge, who was the chief executive officer of the Town of Cambridge. I will not refer to all the other members but I am certainly very pleased that a number of prominent people have accepted appointments to the board of the WA Sports Centre Trust. Yes, Sean Walsh is one of those. Members opposite might not know that Sean Walsh has a reputation as a runner of some eminence in this state. He served on the board quite some years ago, so he has previous experience on the board and he has a quite considerable standing within the athletics community. He will make a very good contribution as a member of the WA Sports Centre Trust board.
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