❓ Hon Kate Doust questions the Small Business Development Corporation's (SBDC) involvement in seminars linking property investment with permanent residency, focusing on costs and potential conflicts of interest. The Minister provides a cost breakdown and denies financial contributions from related companies, promising to release seminar materials.
AnsweredQoN 558Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION —
SEMINARS — BUSINESS MIGRATION MANAGER — ATTENDANCE
558. Hon KATE DOUST to the Attorney General
representing the Minister for Small Business:
I refer to The Sunday Times article of 19 June 2016 concerning the Small
Business Development Corporation's association with seminars linking
$1.5 million property investments with Australian permanent residency.
(1) What is the
full breakdown of costs, including travel, accommodation and other expenses
associated with the SBDC business migration manager's attendance at the
three seminars held on 11 June, 12 June and 15 June?
(2) Was any
financial contribution for travel, accommodation, meals, entertainment or any
other costs associated with the business migration manager's attendance
at the three seminars made by Kitson Group, Yaran Property Group, Alpha Properties
and Facilities Management or any other company?
(3) If yes to (2), what are the
details of any financial contributions?
(4) Will the
minister release all presentations, speech notes, talking points and handouts
associated with the business manager's attendance at the seminars; and,
if not, why not?
SEMINARS — BUSINESS MIGRATION MANAGER — ATTENDANCE
558. Hon KATE DOUST to the Attorney General
representing the Minister for Small Business:
I refer to The Sunday Times article of 19 June 2016 concerning the Small
Business Development Corporation's association with seminars linking
$1.5 million property investments with Australian permanent residency.
(1) What is the
full breakdown of costs, including travel, accommodation and other expenses
associated with the SBDC business migration manager's attendance at the
three seminars held on 11 June, 12 June and 15 June?
(2) Was any
financial contribution for travel, accommodation, meals, entertainment or any
other costs associated with the business migration manager's attendance
at the three seminars made by Kitson Group, Yaran Property Group, Alpha Properties
and Facilities Management or any other company?
(3) If yes to (2), what are the
details of any financial contributions?
(4) Will the
minister release all presentations, speech notes, talking points and handouts
associated with the business manager's attendance at the seminars; and,
if not, why not?
AnswerView source ↗
On behalf of the Minister for Small
Business, I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question.
(1) The Small
Business Development Corporation's business migration manager was
travelling from Tuesday, 7 June to Tuesday, 21 June 2016 to six cities and
attended 13 seminars or events involving a variety of organisations. Based on
the approved travel requests, the estimated breakdown of costs is: airfare, $1 600;
accommodation, $3 800; transfers, meals and incidentals, $1 500, totalling $6 900.
(2) No.
(3) Not applicable.
(4) Yes; the
business migration manager is currently travelling and is due back at the Small
Business Development Corporation office on Monday, 27 June. The information
will be tabled when available. My answer reads the next day, but this is dated
yesterday and I still have not got it. I undertake to pursue that.
Business, I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question.
(1) The Small
Business Development Corporation's business migration manager was
travelling from Tuesday, 7 June to Tuesday, 21 June 2016 to six cities and
attended 13 seminars or events involving a variety of organisations. Based on
the approved travel requests, the estimated breakdown of costs is: airfare, $1 600;
accommodation, $3 800; transfers, meals and incidentals, $1 500, totalling $6 900.
(2) No.
(3) Not applicable.
(4) Yes; the
business migration manager is currently travelling and is due back at the Small
Business Development Corporation office on Monday, 27 June. The information
will be tabled when available. My answer reads the next day, but this is dated
yesterday and I still have not got it. I undertake to pursue that.
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.