❓ A parliamentary question regarding the resignation of two Department of Education and Training staff members and the Minister's responsibility following a damning Corruption and Crime Commission report. The Minister responds, outlining actions taken and expressing disappointment.
AnsweredQoN 881Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING - RESIGNATIONS
(1) When Mr Paul Albert and Mr Alby Huts were required to resign yesterday, why did the minister not resign? (2) Does the minister accept ministerial responsibility for the matters reported in the damning Corruption and Crime Commission report tabled today; if not, why not? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH
(1) When Mr Paul Albert and Mr Alby Huts were required to resign yesterday, why did the minister not resign? (2) Does the minister accept ministerial responsibility for the matters reported in the damning Corruption and Crime Commission report tabled today; if not, why not? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(2) Mr Albert and Mr Huts were not sacked; they were provided with management-initiated redundancies. In terms of my involvement, I was advised last Thursday that I would be meeting with the Corruption and Crime Commission. I thought that I was going to be given a general briefing about the workings of the Corruption and Crime Commission. When presented with that report, I was totally gobsmacked. I have to say that I was very, very angry, and very, very disappointed. I was certainly of the view that some quick action needed to be taken. Mr Paul Albert was at a conference related to his work. He was meeting with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. The first thing I did was recall him to the state. That was, as I saw it, a reflection of the gravity of the issue. This is certainly not an issue that I treat light-heartedly. There is no doubt that the findings of that report are very damning. There is no doubt that all parents in this state should rightly be able to send their children to a safe environment. Clearly we need to make sure that we reduce any element of risk for children. One of the things that really upset me was the finding of the commission that the department was resisting the commission’s efforts to inquire into this matter. I was aware that the department and the commission had been working together for a very long time in trying to put the processes and structures in place at the departmental level, particularly in terms of the operation of the complaints management unit. I was certainly not aware that the commission was conducting an inquiry into the department in relation to the inappropriate handling of alleged sexual contact between staff and students. I first became aware of the report on Thursday afternoon. Since that time I have taken a very decisive course of action. I am certainly doing the best I can to restore public confidence.
(2) Does the minister accept ministerial responsibility for the matters reported in the damning Corruption and Crime Commission report tabled today; if not, why not? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: (1)-(2) Mr Albert and Mr Huts were not sacked; they were provided with management-initiated redundancies. In terms of my involvement, I was advised last Thursday that I would be meeting with the Corruption and Crime Commission. I thought that I was going to be given a general briefing about the workings of the Corruption and Crime Commission. When presented with that report, I was totally gobsmacked. I have to say that I was very, very angry, and very, very disappointed. I was certainly of the view that some quick action needed to be taken. Mr Paul Albert was at a conference related to his work. He was meeting with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. The first thing I did was recall him to the state. That was, as I saw it, a reflection of the gravity of the issue. This is certainly not an issue that I treat light-heartedly. There is no doubt that the findings of that report are very damning. There is no doubt that all parents in this state should rightly be able to send their children to a safe environment. Clearly we need to make sure that we reduce any element of risk for children. One of the things that really upset me was the finding of the commission that the department was resisting the commission’s efforts to inquire into this matter. I was aware that the department and the commission had been working together for a very long time in trying to put the processes and structures in place at the departmental level, particularly in terms of the operation of the complaints management unit. I was certainly not aware that the commission was conducting an inquiry into the department in relation to the inappropriate handling of alleged sexual contact between staff and students. I first became aware of the report on Thursday afternoon. Since that time I have taken a very decisive course of action. I am certainly doing the best I can to restore public confidence.
Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: (1)-(2) Mr Albert and Mr Huts were not sacked; they were provided with management-initiated redundancies. In terms of my involvement, I was advised last Thursday that I would be meeting with the Corruption and Crime Commission. I thought that I was going to be given a general briefing about the workings of the Corruption and Crime Commission. When presented with that report, I was totally gobsmacked. I have to say that I was very, very angry, and very, very disappointed. I was certainly of the view that some quick action needed to be taken. Mr Paul Albert was at a conference related to his work. He was meeting with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. The first thing I did was recall him to the state. That was, as I saw it, a reflection of the gravity of the issue. This is certainly not an issue that I treat light-heartedly. There is no doubt that the findings of that report are very damning. There is no doubt that all parents in this state should rightly be able to send their children to a safe environment. Clearly we need to make sure that we reduce any element of risk for children. One of the things that really upset me was the finding of the commission that the department was resisting the commission’s efforts to inquire into this matter. I was aware that the department and the commission had been working together for a very long time in trying to put the processes and structures in place at the departmental level, particularly in terms of the operation of the complaints management unit. I was certainly not aware that the commission was conducting an inquiry into the department in relation to the inappropriate handling of alleged sexual contact between staff and students. I first became aware of the report on Thursday afternoon. Since that time I have taken a very decisive course of action. I am certainly doing the best I can to restore public confidence.
(1)-(2) Mr Albert and Mr Huts were not sacked; they were provided with management-initiated redundancies. In terms of my involvement, I was advised last Thursday that I would be meeting with the Corruption and Crime Commission. I thought that I was going to be given a general briefing about the workings of the Corruption and Crime Commission. When presented with that report, I was totally gobsmacked. I have to say that I was very, very angry, and very, very disappointed. I was certainly of the view that some quick action needed to be taken. Mr Paul Albert was at a conference related to his work. He was meeting with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. The first thing I did was recall him to the state. That was, as I saw it, a reflection of the gravity of the issue. This is certainly not an issue that I treat light-heartedly. There is no doubt that the findings of that report are very damning. There is no doubt that all parents in this state should rightly be able to send their children to a safe environment. Clearly we need to make sure that we reduce any element of risk for children. One of the things that really upset me was the finding of the commission that the department was resisting the commission’s efforts to inquire into this matter. I was aware that the department and the commission had been working together for a very long time in trying to put the processes and structures in place at the departmental level, particularly in terms of the operation of the complaints management unit. I was certainly not aware that the commission was conducting an inquiry into the department in relation to the inappropriate handling of alleged sexual contact between staff and students. I first became aware of the report on Thursday afternoon. Since that time I have taken a very decisive course of action. I am certainly doing the best I can to restore public confidence.
(2) Does the minister accept ministerial responsibility for the matters reported in the damning Corruption and Crime Commission report tabled today; if not, why not? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: (1)-(2) Mr Albert and Mr Huts were not sacked; they were provided with management-initiated redundancies. In terms of my involvement, I was advised last Thursday that I would be meeting with the Corruption and Crime Commission. I thought that I was going to be given a general briefing about the workings of the Corruption and Crime Commission. When presented with that report, I was totally gobsmacked. I have to say that I was very, very angry, and very, very disappointed. I was certainly of the view that some quick action needed to be taken. Mr Paul Albert was at a conference related to his work. He was meeting with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. The first thing I did was recall him to the state. That was, as I saw it, a reflection of the gravity of the issue. This is certainly not an issue that I treat light-heartedly. There is no doubt that the findings of that report are very damning. There is no doubt that all parents in this state should rightly be able to send their children to a safe environment. Clearly we need to make sure that we reduce any element of risk for children. One of the things that really upset me was the finding of the commission that the department was resisting the commission’s efforts to inquire into this matter. I was aware that the department and the commission had been working together for a very long time in trying to put the processes and structures in place at the departmental level, particularly in terms of the operation of the complaints management unit. I was certainly not aware that the commission was conducting an inquiry into the department in relation to the inappropriate handling of alleged sexual contact between staff and students. I first became aware of the report on Thursday afternoon. Since that time I have taken a very decisive course of action. I am certainly doing the best I can to restore public confidence.
Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: (1)-(2) Mr Albert and Mr Huts were not sacked; they were provided with management-initiated redundancies. In terms of my involvement, I was advised last Thursday that I would be meeting with the Corruption and Crime Commission. I thought that I was going to be given a general briefing about the workings of the Corruption and Crime Commission. When presented with that report, I was totally gobsmacked. I have to say that I was very, very angry, and very, very disappointed. I was certainly of the view that some quick action needed to be taken. Mr Paul Albert was at a conference related to his work. He was meeting with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. The first thing I did was recall him to the state. That was, as I saw it, a reflection of the gravity of the issue. This is certainly not an issue that I treat light-heartedly. There is no doubt that the findings of that report are very damning. There is no doubt that all parents in this state should rightly be able to send their children to a safe environment. Clearly we need to make sure that we reduce any element of risk for children. One of the things that really upset me was the finding of the commission that the department was resisting the commission’s efforts to inquire into this matter. I was aware that the department and the commission had been working together for a very long time in trying to put the processes and structures in place at the departmental level, particularly in terms of the operation of the complaints management unit. I was certainly not aware that the commission was conducting an inquiry into the department in relation to the inappropriate handling of alleged sexual contact between staff and students. I first became aware of the report on Thursday afternoon. Since that time I have taken a very decisive course of action. I am certainly doing the best I can to restore public confidence.
(1)-(2) Mr Albert and Mr Huts were not sacked; they were provided with management-initiated redundancies. In terms of my involvement, I was advised last Thursday that I would be meeting with the Corruption and Crime Commission. I thought that I was going to be given a general briefing about the workings of the Corruption and Crime Commission. When presented with that report, I was totally gobsmacked. I have to say that I was very, very angry, and very, very disappointed. I was certainly of the view that some quick action needed to be taken. Mr Paul Albert was at a conference related to his work. He was meeting with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. The first thing I did was recall him to the state. That was, as I saw it, a reflection of the gravity of the issue. This is certainly not an issue that I treat light-heartedly. There is no doubt that the findings of that report are very damning. There is no doubt that all parents in this state should rightly be able to send their children to a safe environment. Clearly we need to make sure that we reduce any element of risk for children. One of the things that really upset me was the finding of the commission that the department was resisting the commission’s efforts to inquire into this matter. I was aware that the department and the commission had been working together for a very long time in trying to put the processes and structures in place at the departmental level, particularly in terms of the operation of the complaints management unit. I was certainly not aware that the commission was conducting an inquiry into the department in relation to the inappropriate handling of alleged sexual contact between staff and students. I first became aware of the report on Thursday afternoon. Since that time I have taken a very decisive course of action. I am certainly doing the best I can to restore public confidence.
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.