A parliamentary question investigates potential conflicts of interest related to Sue Middleton's appointment as Chair of the Western Australian Regional Development Trust (WARDT), focusing on contracts, grants, and support for Moora Citrus.

AnsweredQoN 1086Legislative Council
Asked
10 April 2014
Portfolio
Regional Development

QuestionView source ↗

I refer to the appointment of Sue Middleton, who worked on the 2013 National Party campaign ( Hansard, 11 June 2013, page 1164), to the Chair of the Western Australian Regional Development Trust (WARDT), and I ask: (a) how many contracts have been let by the current and former Minister for Regional Development's departments to Sue Middleton's consulting businesses; (b) on what dates were these contracts let; (c) have all of these contracts been concluded; (d) will any of these contracts need the newly appointed Chair of the WARDT to declare an interest in these matters; (e) is there any conflict of interest by the new Chair of the WARDT and the Minister's support for Moora Citrus operated by the Chair; and (f) has the newly appointed Chair of the WARDT received any grants from the Minister's department to any operation managed or controlled by her family?

AnswerView source ↗

Answered
17 June 2014
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary representing the Minister for Regional Development
Response time
68 days
DEPARTMENT OF REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
(a) Nil
(b) - (d) Not applicable
(e) No
(f) No
DEPARTMENT OF LANDS
(a) Nil
(b) - (d) Not applicable
(e) No
(f) No
LANDCORP
(a) One
(b) 21 March 2014
(c) No - due to conclude 30/06/2014
(d) No
(e) No
(f) No
LANDGATE
(a) None
(b) - (d) Not applicable
(e) No
(f)  No
GASCOYNE DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
(a) Nil
(b) - (d) Not applicable
(e) No
(f) No
GOLDFIELDS ESPERANCE DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
(a) Nil
(b) - (d) Not applicable
(e) No
(f) No
GREAT SOUTHERN DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
(a) Two
(b) 1 July 2013 and 24 February 2014
(c) Yes
(d) Sue Middleton was engaged to undertake a desktop peer review of the  Draft Great Southern Regional Blueprint in February 2014. The contract was successfully completed and Ms Middleton paid on 12  March 2014. GSDC understands Ms Middleton was not the chair of the WARDT at that time and therefore assesses she would not be required to declare a conflict of interest in regard to that role. Ultimately  however, such assessment as to whether a conflict exists and should  be declared is Ms Middleton's.
(e) No
(f) No
KIMBERLEY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
(a) Nil
(b) - (d) Not applicable
(e) No
(f) No
MID WEST DEVELPOPMENT COMMISSION
(a) Nil
(b) - (d) Not applicable
(e) No
(f) No
PEEL DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
(a) Nil
(b) - (d) Not applicable
(e) No
(f) No
PILBARA DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
(a) Nil
(b) - (d) Not applicable
(e) No
(f) No
SOUTHWEST DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
(a) Nil
(b) - (d) Not applicable
(e) No
(f) No
WHEATBELT DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
(a) Nil
(b) - (d) Not applicable
(e) No
(f) No

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