❓ Hon Frank Hough questions the Minister for Public Sector Management regarding the misuse of government resources by public sector employees for voting on reality TV shows. The Minister acknowledges the issue but defers a detailed response, citing time constraints and existing regulations.
AnsweredQoN 1060Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
Last week it was made known to the public that government resources have been used by public sector employees to lodge short message service and telephone votes for such reality television programs as Big Brother , Dancing with the Stars and Australian Idol . (1) Will the minister please advise - (a) the total cost incurred by public sector employees working within government departments for SMS and phone charges as a result of voting for reality television programs; (b) when to the Government’s knowledge this waste of taxpayers’ money began; and (c) which government departments were involved? (2) What steps has the Government taken to recoup taxpayers’ funds spent by public sector employees as a result of their voting for reality television programs? (3) What actions will the Government take to ensure that public sector employees do not use government resources in the future to lodge telephone or SMS votes for reality television programs? Hon KIM CHANCE
AnswerView source ↗
I thank Hon Frank Hough for some notice of the question. Providing the information in the time required is not possible and I ask that the member place the question on notice. However, having said that, I should add that it is an offence against the Public Sector Management Act to use government resources for any private purpose. Whether the Government will seek to delineate whether they were SMS messages, telephone messages, e-mails or whatever is probably unlikely, even if those figures could ever be found. The fact is that each agency has a responsibility to inform its employees that the private use of government resources is illegal.
(1) Will the minister please advise - (a) the total cost incurred by public sector employees working within government departments for SMS and phone charges as a result of voting for reality television programs; (b) when to the Government’s knowledge this waste of taxpayers’ money began; and (c) which government departments were involved? (2) What steps has the Government taken to recoup taxpayers’ funds spent by public sector employees as a result of their voting for reality television programs? (3) What actions will the Government take to ensure that public sector employees do not use government resources in the future to lodge telephone or SMS votes for reality television programs? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Frank Hough for some notice of the question. Providing the information in the time required is not possible and I ask that the member place the question on notice. However, having said that, I should add that it is an offence against the Public Sector Management Act to use government resources for any private purpose. Whether the Government will seek to delineate whether they were SMS messages, telephone messages, e-mails or whatever is probably unlikely, even if those figures could ever be found. The fact is that each agency has a responsibility to inform its employees that the private use of government resources is illegal.
(b) when to the Government’s knowledge this waste of taxpayers’ money began; and (c) which government departments were involved?
(c) which government departments were involved?
(3) What actions will the Government take to ensure that public sector employees do not use government resources in the future to lodge telephone or SMS votes for reality television programs? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Frank Hough for some notice of the question. Providing the information in the time required is not possible and I ask that the member place the question on notice. However, having said that, I should add that it is an offence against the Public Sector Management Act to use government resources for any private purpose. Whether the Government will seek to delineate whether they were SMS messages, telephone messages, e-mails or whatever is probably unlikely, even if those figures could ever be found. The fact is that each agency has a responsibility to inform its employees that the private use of government resources is illegal.
Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Frank Hough for some notice of the question. Providing the information in the time required is not possible and I ask that the member place the question on notice. However, having said that, I should add that it is an offence against the Public Sector Management Act to use government resources for any private purpose. Whether the Government will seek to delineate whether they were SMS messages, telephone messages, e-mails or whatever is probably unlikely, even if those figures could ever be found. The fact is that each agency has a responsibility to inform its employees that the private use of government resources is illegal.
I thank Hon Frank Hough for some notice of the question. Providing the information in the time required is not possible and I ask that the member place the question on notice. However, having said that, I should add that it is an offence against the Public Sector Management Act to use government resources for any private purpose. Whether the Government will seek to delineate whether they were SMS messages, telephone messages, e-mails or whatever is probably unlikely, even if those figures could ever be found. The fact is that each agency has a responsibility to inform its employees that the private use of government resources is illegal.
(1) Will the minister please advise - (a) the total cost incurred by public sector employees working within government departments for SMS and phone charges as a result of voting for reality television programs; (b) when to the Government’s knowledge this waste of taxpayers’ money began; and (c) which government departments were involved? (2) What steps has the Government taken to recoup taxpayers’ funds spent by public sector employees as a result of their voting for reality television programs? (3) What actions will the Government take to ensure that public sector employees do not use government resources in the future to lodge telephone or SMS votes for reality television programs? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Frank Hough for some notice of the question. Providing the information in the time required is not possible and I ask that the member place the question on notice. However, having said that, I should add that it is an offence against the Public Sector Management Act to use government resources for any private purpose. Whether the Government will seek to delineate whether they were SMS messages, telephone messages, e-mails or whatever is probably unlikely, even if those figures could ever be found. The fact is that each agency has a responsibility to inform its employees that the private use of government resources is illegal.
(b) when to the Government’s knowledge this waste of taxpayers’ money began; and (c) which government departments were involved?
(c) which government departments were involved?
(3) What actions will the Government take to ensure that public sector employees do not use government resources in the future to lodge telephone or SMS votes for reality television programs? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Frank Hough for some notice of the question. Providing the information in the time required is not possible and I ask that the member place the question on notice. However, having said that, I should add that it is an offence against the Public Sector Management Act to use government resources for any private purpose. Whether the Government will seek to delineate whether they were SMS messages, telephone messages, e-mails or whatever is probably unlikely, even if those figures could ever be found. The fact is that each agency has a responsibility to inform its employees that the private use of government resources is illegal.
Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Frank Hough for some notice of the question. Providing the information in the time required is not possible and I ask that the member place the question on notice. However, having said that, I should add that it is an offence against the Public Sector Management Act to use government resources for any private purpose. Whether the Government will seek to delineate whether they were SMS messages, telephone messages, e-mails or whatever is probably unlikely, even if those figures could ever be found. The fact is that each agency has a responsibility to inform its employees that the private use of government resources is illegal.
I thank Hon Frank Hough for some notice of the question. Providing the information in the time required is not possible and I ask that the member place the question on notice. However, having said that, I should add that it is an offence against the Public Sector Management Act to use government resources for any private purpose. Whether the Government will seek to delineate whether they were SMS messages, telephone messages, e-mails or whatever is probably unlikely, even if those figures could ever be found. The fact is that each agency has a responsibility to inform its employees that the private use of government resources is illegal.
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