❓ Mr. Papalia questions the effectiveness of the voting system change after a Busselton council election where a ticket of candidates won, alleging Treasurer involvement and misconduct. The Minister deflects, defends the voting system change, and denies knowledge of funding, suggesting reporting avenues for wrongdoing.
AnsweredQoN 835Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTORAL SYSTEM — BUSSELTON COUNCIL ELECTIONS
(1) Does the recent result in the Busselton council elections in which seven candidates openly ran as a ticket and all succeeded in being elected prove that the minister’s attempt to change the voting system to prevent factional tickets has failed? (2) Is the minister aware that the Treasurer, the member for Vasse, funded a group that supported these seven candidates, including Councillor Anne Ryan who is the subject of four misconduct findings as a result of the Corruption and Crime Commission investigations into Smiths Beach? (3) Were the Treasurer’s actions in this regard appropriate? The SPEAKER : Minister for Local Government, I will advise you that once again that an opinion is sought with respect to the last question that the member has asked. Opinions can certainly be given if that is the case, but you are not required to deliver an opinion, minister. I ask that you answer the remainder of the question. Mr G.M. CASTRILLI
(1) Does the recent result in the Busselton council elections in which seven candidates openly ran as a ticket and all succeeded in being elected prove that the minister’s attempt to change the voting system to prevent factional tickets has failed? (2) Is the minister aware that the Treasurer, the member for Vasse, funded a group that supported these seven candidates, including Councillor Anne Ryan who is the subject of four misconduct findings as a result of the Corruption and Crime Commission investigations into Smiths Beach? (3) Were the Treasurer’s actions in this regard appropriate? The SPEAKER : Minister for Local Government, I will advise you that once again that an opinion is sought with respect to the last question that the member has asked. Opinions can certainly be given if that is the case, but you are not required to deliver an opinion, minister. I ask that you answer the remainder of the question. Mr G.M. CASTRILLI
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(2) Thank you, Mr Speaker, and I thank the member for Warnbro for his question. I think from memory about 97 per cent of all local governments in Western Australia requested the change in the voting to first-past-the-post. This Liberal-National government agreed to that because we believe that is the best system for local government voting. That is what has happened, that has occurred and that is the system that was put in place for Western Australia. That was passed. We have the numbers; members opposite do not. That legislation was passed. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr G.M. CASTRILLI : I am not aware of any candidate whom the Treasurer or anybody else in Western Australia has funded. That is an allegation. Can I just say to the — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr G.M. CASTRILLI : If the member for Warnbro has any proof of wrongdoing, there are all the appropriate places he can go to. If the member has any proof, he can let me know and we will go through the standards panel or any other panel that is available to him. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
(2) Is the minister aware that the Treasurer, the member for Vasse, funded a group that supported these seven candidates, including Councillor Anne Ryan who is the subject of four misconduct findings as a result of the Corruption and Crime Commission investigations into Smiths Beach? (3) Were the Treasurer’s actions in this regard appropriate? The SPEAKER : Minister for Local Government, I will advise you that once again that an opinion is sought with respect to the last question that the member has asked. Opinions can certainly be given if that is the case, but you are not required to deliver an opinion, minister. I ask that you answer the remainder of the question. Mr G.M. CASTRILLI replied: (1)-(2) Thank you, Mr Speaker, and I thank the member for Warnbro for his question. I think from memory about 97 per cent of all local governments in Western Australia requested the change in the voting to first-past-the-post. This Liberal-National government agreed to that because we believe that is the best system for local government voting. That is what has happened, that has occurred and that is the system that was put in place for Western Australia. That was passed. We have the numbers; members opposite do not. That legislation was passed. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr G.M. CASTRILLI : I am not aware of any candidate whom the Treasurer or anybody else in Western Australia has funded. That is an allegation. Can I just say to the — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr G.M. CASTRILLI : If the member for Warnbro has any proof of wrongdoing, there are all the appropriate places he can go to. If the member has any proof, he can let me know and we will go through the standards panel or any other panel that is available to him. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
(3) Were the Treasurer’s actions in this regard appropriate? The SPEAKER : Minister for Local Government, I will advise you that once again that an opinion is sought with respect to the last question that the member has asked. Opinions can certainly be given if that is the case, but you are not required to deliver an opinion, minister. I ask that you answer the remainder of the question. Mr G.M. CASTRILLI replied: (1)-(2) Thank you, Mr Speaker, and I thank the member for Warnbro for his question. I think from memory about 97 per cent of all local governments in Western Australia requested the change in the voting to first-past-the-post. This Liberal-National government agreed to that because we believe that is the best system for local government voting. That is what has happened, that has occurred and that is the system that was put in place for Western Australia. That was passed. We have the numbers; members opposite do not. That legislation was passed. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr G.M. CASTRILLI : I am not aware of any candidate whom the Treasurer or anybody else in Western Australia has funded. That is an allegation. Can I just say to the — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr G.M. CASTRILLI : If the member for Warnbro has any proof of wrongdoing, there are all the appropriate places he can go to. If the member has any proof, he can let me know and we will go through the standards panel or any other panel that is available to him. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
The SPEAKER : Minister for Local Government, I will advise you that once again that an opinion is sought with respect to the last question that the member has asked. Opinions can certainly be given if that is the case, but you are not required to deliver an opinion, minister. I ask that you answer the remainder of the question. Mr G.M. CASTRILLI replied: (1)-(2) Thank you, Mr Speaker, and I thank the member for Warnbro for his question. I think from memory about 97 per cent of all local governments in Western Australia requested the change in the voting to first-past-the-post. This Liberal-National government agreed to that because we believe that is the best system for local government voting. That is what has happened, that has occurred and that is the system that was put in place for Western Australia. That was passed. We have the numbers; members opposite do not. That legislation was passed. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr G.M. CASTRILLI : I am not aware of any candidate whom the Treasurer or anybody else in Western Australia has funded. That is an allegation. Can I just say to the — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr G.M. CASTRILLI : If the member for Warnbro has any proof of wrongdoing, there are all the appropriate places he can go to. If the member has any proof, he can let me know and we will go through the standards panel or any other panel that is available to him. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
Mr G.M. CASTRILLI replied: (1)-(2) Thank you, Mr Speaker, and I thank the member for Warnbro for his question. I think from memory about 97 per cent of all local governments in Western Australia requested the change in the voting to first-past-the-post. This Liberal-National government agreed to that because we believe that is the best system for local government voting. That is what has happened, that has occurred and that is the system that was put in place for Western Australia. That was passed. We have the numbers; members opposite do not. That legislation was passed. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr G.M. CASTRILLI : I am not aware of any candidate whom the Treasurer or anybody else in Western Australia has funded. That is an allegation. Can I just say to the — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr G.M. CASTRILLI : If the member for Warnbro has any proof of wrongdoing, there are all the appropriate places he can go to. If the member has any proof, he can let me know and we will go through the standards panel or any other panel that is available to him. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
(1)-(2) Thank you, Mr Speaker, and I thank the member for Warnbro for his question. I think from memory about 97 per cent of all local governments in Western Australia requested the change in the voting to first-past-the-post. This Liberal-National government agreed to that because we believe that is the best system for local government voting. That is what has happened, that has occurred and that is the system that was put in place for Western Australia. That was passed. We have the numbers; members opposite do not. That legislation was passed. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr G.M. CASTRILLI : I am not aware of any candidate whom the Treasurer or anybody else in Western Australia has funded. That is an allegation. Can I just say to the — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr G.M. CASTRILLI : If the member for Warnbro has any proof of wrongdoing, there are all the appropriate places he can go to. If the member has any proof, he can let me know and we will go through the standards panel or any other panel that is available to him. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr G.M. CASTRILLI : I am not aware of any candidate whom the Treasurer or anybody else in Western Australia has funded. That is an allegation. Can I just say to the — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr G.M. CASTRILLI : If the member for Warnbro has any proof of wrongdoing, there are all the appropriate places he can go to. If the member has any proof, he can let me know and we will go through the standards panel or any other panel that is available to him. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr G.M. CASTRILLI : I am not aware of any candidate whom the Treasurer or anybody else in Western Australia has funded. That is an allegation. Can I just say to the — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr G.M. CASTRILLI : If the member for Warnbro has any proof of wrongdoing, there are all the appropriate places he can go to. If the member has any proof, he can let me know and we will go through the standards panel or any other panel that is available to him. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
Mr G.M. CASTRILLI : I am not aware of any candidate whom the Treasurer or anybody else in Western Australia has funded. That is an allegation. Can I just say to the — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr G.M. CASTRILLI : If the member for Warnbro has any proof of wrongdoing, there are all the appropriate places he can go to. If the member has any proof, he can let me know and we will go through the standards panel or any other panel that is available to him. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr G.M. CASTRILLI : If the member for Warnbro has any proof of wrongdoing, there are all the appropriate places he can go to. If the member has any proof, he can let me know and we will go through the standards panel or any other panel that is available to him. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr G.M. CASTRILLI : If the member for Warnbro has any proof of wrongdoing, there are all the appropriate places he can go to. If the member has any proof, he can let me know and we will go through the standards panel or any other panel that is available to him. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
Mr G.M. CASTRILLI : If the member for Warnbro has any proof of wrongdoing, there are all the appropriate places he can go to. If the member has any proof, he can let me know and we will go through the standards panel or any other panel that is available to him. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
(2) Is the minister aware that the Treasurer, the member for Vasse, funded a group that supported these seven candidates, including Councillor Anne Ryan who is the subject of four misconduct findings as a result of the Corruption and Crime Commission investigations into Smiths Beach? (3) Were the Treasurer’s actions in this regard appropriate? The SPEAKER : Minister for Local Government, I will advise you that once again that an opinion is sought with respect to the last question that the member has asked. Opinions can certainly be given if that is the case, but you are not required to deliver an opinion, minister. I ask that you answer the remainder of the question. Mr G.M. CASTRILLI replied: (1)-(2) Thank you, Mr Speaker, and I thank the member for Warnbro for his question. I think from memory about 97 per cent of all local governments in Western Australia requested the change in the voting to first-past-the-post. This Liberal-National government agreed to that because we believe that is the best system for local government voting. That is what has happened, that has occurred and that is the system that was put in place for Western Australia. That was passed. We have the numbers; members opposite do not. That legislation was passed. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr G.M. CASTRILLI : I am not aware of any candidate whom the Treasurer or anybody else in Western Australia has funded. That is an allegation. Can I just say to the — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr G.M. CASTRILLI : If the member for Warnbro has any proof of wrongdoing, there are all the appropriate places he can go to. If the member has any proof, he can let me know and we will go through the standards panel or any other panel that is available to him. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
(3) Were the Treasurer’s actions in this regard appropriate? The SPEAKER : Minister for Local Government, I will advise you that once again that an opinion is sought with respect to the last question that the member has asked. Opinions can certainly be given if that is the case, but you are not required to deliver an opinion, minister. I ask that you answer the remainder of the question. Mr G.M. CASTRILLI replied: (1)-(2) Thank you, Mr Speaker, and I thank the member for Warnbro for his question. I think from memory about 97 per cent of all local governments in Western Australia requested the change in the voting to first-past-the-post. This Liberal-National government agreed to that because we believe that is the best system for local government voting. That is what has happened, that has occurred and that is the system that was put in place for Western Australia. That was passed. We have the numbers; members opposite do not. That legislation was passed. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr G.M. CASTRILLI : I am not aware of any candidate whom the Treasurer or anybody else in Western Australia has funded. That is an allegation. Can I just say to the — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr G.M. CASTRILLI : If the member for Warnbro has any proof of wrongdoing, there are all the appropriate places he can go to. If the member has any proof, he can let me know and we will go through the standards panel or any other panel that is available to him. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
The SPEAKER : Minister for Local Government, I will advise you that once again that an opinion is sought with respect to the last question that the member has asked. Opinions can certainly be given if that is the case, but you are not required to deliver an opinion, minister. I ask that you answer the remainder of the question. Mr G.M. CASTRILLI replied: (1)-(2) Thank you, Mr Speaker, and I thank the member for Warnbro for his question. I think from memory about 97 per cent of all local governments in Western Australia requested the change in the voting to first-past-the-post. This Liberal-National government agreed to that because we believe that is the best system for local government voting. That is what has happened, that has occurred and that is the system that was put in place for Western Australia. That was passed. We have the numbers; members opposite do not. That legislation was passed. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr G.M. CASTRILLI : I am not aware of any candidate whom the Treasurer or anybody else in Western Australia has funded. That is an allegation. Can I just say to the — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr G.M. CASTRILLI : If the member for Warnbro has any proof of wrongdoing, there are all the appropriate places he can go to. If the member has any proof, he can let me know and we will go through the standards panel or any other panel that is available to him. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
Mr G.M. CASTRILLI replied: (1)-(2) Thank you, Mr Speaker, and I thank the member for Warnbro for his question. I think from memory about 97 per cent of all local governments in Western Australia requested the change in the voting to first-past-the-post. This Liberal-National government agreed to that because we believe that is the best system for local government voting. That is what has happened, that has occurred and that is the system that was put in place for Western Australia. That was passed. We have the numbers; members opposite do not. That legislation was passed. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr G.M. CASTRILLI : I am not aware of any candidate whom the Treasurer or anybody else in Western Australia has funded. That is an allegation. Can I just say to the — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr G.M. CASTRILLI : If the member for Warnbro has any proof of wrongdoing, there are all the appropriate places he can go to. If the member has any proof, he can let me know and we will go through the standards panel or any other panel that is available to him. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
(1)-(2) Thank you, Mr Speaker, and I thank the member for Warnbro for his question. I think from memory about 97 per cent of all local governments in Western Australia requested the change in the voting to first-past-the-post. This Liberal-National government agreed to that because we believe that is the best system for local government voting. That is what has happened, that has occurred and that is the system that was put in place for Western Australia. That was passed. We have the numbers; members opposite do not. That legislation was passed. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr G.M. CASTRILLI : I am not aware of any candidate whom the Treasurer or anybody else in Western Australia has funded. That is an allegation. Can I just say to the — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr G.M. CASTRILLI : If the member for Warnbro has any proof of wrongdoing, there are all the appropriate places he can go to. If the member has any proof, he can let me know and we will go through the standards panel or any other panel that is available to him. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr G.M. CASTRILLI : I am not aware of any candidate whom the Treasurer or anybody else in Western Australia has funded. That is an allegation. Can I just say to the — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr G.M. CASTRILLI : If the member for Warnbro has any proof of wrongdoing, there are all the appropriate places he can go to. If the member has any proof, he can let me know and we will go through the standards panel or any other panel that is available to him. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr G.M. CASTRILLI : I am not aware of any candidate whom the Treasurer or anybody else in Western Australia has funded. That is an allegation. Can I just say to the — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr G.M. CASTRILLI : If the member for Warnbro has any proof of wrongdoing, there are all the appropriate places he can go to. If the member has any proof, he can let me know and we will go through the standards panel or any other panel that is available to him. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
Mr G.M. CASTRILLI : I am not aware of any candidate whom the Treasurer or anybody else in Western Australia has funded. That is an allegation. Can I just say to the — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr G.M. CASTRILLI : If the member for Warnbro has any proof of wrongdoing, there are all the appropriate places he can go to. If the member has any proof, he can let me know and we will go through the standards panel or any other panel that is available to him. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr G.M. CASTRILLI : If the member for Warnbro has any proof of wrongdoing, there are all the appropriate places he can go to. If the member has any proof, he can let me know and we will go through the standards panel or any other panel that is available to him. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr G.M. CASTRILLI : If the member for Warnbro has any proof of wrongdoing, there are all the appropriate places he can go to. If the member has any proof, he can let me know and we will go through the standards panel or any other panel that is available to him. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
Mr G.M. CASTRILLI : If the member for Warnbro has any proof of wrongdoing, there are all the appropriate places he can go to. If the member has any proof, he can let me know and we will go through the standards panel or any other panel that is available to him. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
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