❓ Ms. Saffioti questions the Minister for Sport and Recreation regarding the funding source for compensation to Perth Glory, alleging the Minister overruled departmental advice requiring a new appropriation. The Minister defends his decision, citing potential savings within the existing budget.
AnsweredQoN 674Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PERTH
GLORY — COMPENSATION
674. Ms R. SAFFIOTI to the
Minister for Sport and Recreation:
I refer to the minister's claim in Parliament
yesterday that he approved the compensation out of the existing project budget
on independent advice from the department.
(1) Did the
minister's September briefing note from the department state that he
would require an additional or new appropriation to fund the compensation
payment and that it would need to be taken to cabinet?
(2) Despite that
advice, did he, at a meeting in either September or October, direct his
department to investigate the viability of funding Perth Glory from the
department's current funding budget?
(3) Can the
minister confirm that, even after direction from himself, in the subsequent
briefing note the department questioned the appropriateness of funding the
claim from the project budget and asked him to note these concerns in his
recommendations?
GLORY — COMPENSATION
674. Ms R. SAFFIOTI to the
Minister for Sport and Recreation:
I refer to the minister's claim in Parliament
yesterday that he approved the compensation out of the existing project budget
on independent advice from the department.
(1) Did the
minister's September briefing note from the department state that he
would require an additional or new appropriation to fund the compensation
payment and that it would need to be taken to cabinet?
(2) Despite that
advice, did he, at a meeting in either September or October, direct his
department to investigate the viability of funding Perth Glory from the
department's current funding budget?
(3) Can the
minister confirm that, even after direction from himself, in the subsequent
briefing note the department questioned the appropriateness of funding the
claim from the project budget and asked him to note these concerns in his
recommendations?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3)
A briefing note came up—I think this is the one the member is referring
to—initially stating that it should go to cabinet, that we should fund
it outside, and that it should go back to the department. I subsequently asked
the department to explore the possibility of funding it from within the budget.
Ms R. Saffioti : So
the advice was that you needed a new appropriation.
The SPEAKER :
Member for West Swan!
Mr T.K. WALDRON :
But I did not sign that first briefing note because I did not agree with it.
Ms R. Saffioti interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for West Swan, this is not a debate between you and
the Minister for Sport and Recreation on a two-person basis. I call you to
order for the second time.
Mr T.K. WALDRON :
As I said, I sent back the first briefing note, which I did not sign. I
discussed it with the department's officers and asked them to explore
whether we were in a position to utilise funding from the nib Stadium budget.
In answer to the third point that the member was getting at
in her question, when they came back to me, I wanted to make sure that if we
were going to pay compensation out of the budget, there was enough money there
to do that. I did not want to put any part of the redevelopment in jeopardy.
The member will remember that I was advised that there were potential savings
of $4.3 million at that stage. They had other ideas about what they might be
able to do outside the scope of the project and they were looking to do other
things outside the scope of the project. The compensation request, which I
always knew was going to come, was obviously a lot higher than the amount we
eventually paid. When I had advice that $400 000 was the appropriate figure, I
made the decision that it was important that it be paid. This is about making
sure that the sport is viable. Perth Glory had a claim that was fair and
reasonable. It was not what it wanted, but it was what we were able to work
through. I thought that the claim was warranted. I made the decision then
because we had $4.3 million in potential savings. The claim was for $400 000. I
thought the compensation should be paid. I made that decision subsequently.
Obviously, the final budget is not finished, but I know it will come in under
budget.
Mr
F.M. Logan interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn, I call you to order for the first time.
A briefing note came up—I think this is the one the member is referring
to—initially stating that it should go to cabinet, that we should fund
it outside, and that it should go back to the department. I subsequently asked
the department to explore the possibility of funding it from within the budget.
Ms R. Saffioti : So
the advice was that you needed a new appropriation.
The SPEAKER :
Member for West Swan!
Mr T.K. WALDRON :
But I did not sign that first briefing note because I did not agree with it.
Ms R. Saffioti interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for West Swan, this is not a debate between you and
the Minister for Sport and Recreation on a two-person basis. I call you to
order for the second time.
Mr T.K. WALDRON :
As I said, I sent back the first briefing note, which I did not sign. I
discussed it with the department's officers and asked them to explore
whether we were in a position to utilise funding from the nib Stadium budget.
In answer to the third point that the member was getting at
in her question, when they came back to me, I wanted to make sure that if we
were going to pay compensation out of the budget, there was enough money there
to do that. I did not want to put any part of the redevelopment in jeopardy.
The member will remember that I was advised that there were potential savings
of $4.3 million at that stage. They had other ideas about what they might be
able to do outside the scope of the project and they were looking to do other
things outside the scope of the project. The compensation request, which I
always knew was going to come, was obviously a lot higher than the amount we
eventually paid. When I had advice that $400 000 was the appropriate figure, I
made the decision that it was important that it be paid. This is about making
sure that the sport is viable. Perth Glory had a claim that was fair and
reasonable. It was not what it wanted, but it was what we were able to work
through. I thought that the claim was warranted. I made the decision then
because we had $4.3 million in potential savings. The claim was for $400 000. I
thought the compensation should be paid. I made that decision subsequently.
Obviously, the final budget is not finished, but I know it will come in under
budget.
Mr
F.M. Logan interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn, I call you to order for the first time.
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