❓ A parliamentary question probes the government's relationship with a former ALP member and a supposed 'letter of comfort' to Sotico. The response denies the Premier's involvement and clarifies the nature of the interaction with Sotico.
AnsweredQoN 392Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
(1) Given the Premier’s statement in October 2002 that it is not in the interests of the contemporary Labor Party to have people associated with the 1980s in and around politics in Western Australia, why is it that the Government will not deal with certain former ALP members of Parliament of that era but continues to maintain a close relationship with Mr Bob Pearce? (2) Was the “letter of comfort” from the Premier to Sotico in December 2002 volunteered by the Premier, or was it requested by Sotico as part of the ongoing arrangements for the supply of timber to that company? Hon KIM CHANCE
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of this question, although it is difficult to relate the quote from the Premier to the intent of the question. It is difficult to see how that statement relates in any way to current circumstances. (1) Mr Bob Pearce is employed by the Forest Industries Federation of Western Australia as its executive director, not by the Western Australian Government. His association with government has been to represent the interests of FIFWA members in the resolution of timber industry issues. I do not know what the member meant in her reference to the Premier's statement, but I cannot see any relevance or any relationship between the two. However, I suppose the member is quite free to draw whatever conclusions she desires. (2) There was no “letter of comfort” from the Premier to Sotico. I do not know where that one came from. The Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries provided a letter to Sotico dated 11 December 2002, at the request of Sotico, to outline the quantity of resources that could be made available to the company, subject to the final confirmation of sustained yield levels in the new forest management plan.
(2) Was the “letter of comfort” from the Premier to Sotico in December 2002 volunteered by the Premier, or was it requested by Sotico as part of the ongoing arrangements for the supply of timber to that company? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question, although it is difficult to relate the quote from the Premier to the intent of the question. It is difficult to see how that statement relates in any way to current circumstances. (1) Mr Bob Pearce is employed by the Forest Industries Federation of Western Australia as its executive director, not by the Western Australian Government. His association with government has been to represent the interests of FIFWA members in the resolution of timber industry issues. I do not know what the member meant in her reference to the Premier's statement, but I cannot see any relevance or any relationship between the two. However, I suppose the member is quite free to draw whatever conclusions she desires. (2) There was no “letter of comfort” from the Premier to Sotico. I do not know where that one came from. The Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries provided a letter to Sotico dated 11 December 2002, at the request of Sotico, to outline the quantity of resources that could be made available to the company, subject to the final confirmation of sustained yield levels in the new forest management plan.
Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question, although it is difficult to relate the quote from the Premier to the intent of the question. It is difficult to see how that statement relates in any way to current circumstances. (1) Mr Bob Pearce is employed by the Forest Industries Federation of Western Australia as its executive director, not by the Western Australian Government. His association with government has been to represent the interests of FIFWA members in the resolution of timber industry issues. I do not know what the member meant in her reference to the Premier's statement, but I cannot see any relevance or any relationship between the two. However, I suppose the member is quite free to draw whatever conclusions she desires. (2) There was no “letter of comfort” from the Premier to Sotico. I do not know where that one came from. The Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries provided a letter to Sotico dated 11 December 2002, at the request of Sotico, to outline the quantity of resources that could be made available to the company, subject to the final confirmation of sustained yield levels in the new forest management plan.
I thank the member for some notice of this question, although it is difficult to relate the quote from the Premier to the intent of the question. It is difficult to see how that statement relates in any way to current circumstances. (1) Mr Bob Pearce is employed by the Forest Industries Federation of Western Australia as its executive director, not by the Western Australian Government. His association with government has been to represent the interests of FIFWA members in the resolution of timber industry issues. I do not know what the member meant in her reference to the Premier's statement, but I cannot see any relevance or any relationship between the two. However, I suppose the member is quite free to draw whatever conclusions she desires. (2) There was no “letter of comfort” from the Premier to Sotico. I do not know where that one came from. The Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries provided a letter to Sotico dated 11 December 2002, at the request of Sotico, to outline the quantity of resources that could be made available to the company, subject to the final confirmation of sustained yield levels in the new forest management plan.
(1) Mr Bob Pearce is employed by the Forest Industries Federation of Western Australia as its executive director, not by the Western Australian Government. His association with government has been to represent the interests of FIFWA members in the resolution of timber industry issues. I do not know what the member meant in her reference to the Premier's statement, but I cannot see any relevance or any relationship between the two. However, I suppose the member is quite free to draw whatever conclusions she desires. (2) There was no “letter of comfort” from the Premier to Sotico. I do not know where that one came from. The Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries provided a letter to Sotico dated 11 December 2002, at the request of Sotico, to outline the quantity of resources that could be made available to the company, subject to the final confirmation of sustained yield levels in the new forest management plan.
(2) There was no “letter of comfort” from the Premier to Sotico. I do not know where that one came from. The Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries provided a letter to Sotico dated 11 December 2002, at the request of Sotico, to outline the quantity of resources that could be made available to the company, subject to the final confirmation of sustained yield levels in the new forest management plan.
(2) Was the “letter of comfort” from the Premier to Sotico in December 2002 volunteered by the Premier, or was it requested by Sotico as part of the ongoing arrangements for the supply of timber to that company? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question, although it is difficult to relate the quote from the Premier to the intent of the question. It is difficult to see how that statement relates in any way to current circumstances. (1) Mr Bob Pearce is employed by the Forest Industries Federation of Western Australia as its executive director, not by the Western Australian Government. His association with government has been to represent the interests of FIFWA members in the resolution of timber industry issues. I do not know what the member meant in her reference to the Premier's statement, but I cannot see any relevance or any relationship between the two. However, I suppose the member is quite free to draw whatever conclusions she desires. (2) There was no “letter of comfort” from the Premier to Sotico. I do not know where that one came from. The Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries provided a letter to Sotico dated 11 December 2002, at the request of Sotico, to outline the quantity of resources that could be made available to the company, subject to the final confirmation of sustained yield levels in the new forest management plan.
Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question, although it is difficult to relate the quote from the Premier to the intent of the question. It is difficult to see how that statement relates in any way to current circumstances. (1) Mr Bob Pearce is employed by the Forest Industries Federation of Western Australia as its executive director, not by the Western Australian Government. His association with government has been to represent the interests of FIFWA members in the resolution of timber industry issues. I do not know what the member meant in her reference to the Premier's statement, but I cannot see any relevance or any relationship between the two. However, I suppose the member is quite free to draw whatever conclusions she desires. (2) There was no “letter of comfort” from the Premier to Sotico. I do not know where that one came from. The Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries provided a letter to Sotico dated 11 December 2002, at the request of Sotico, to outline the quantity of resources that could be made available to the company, subject to the final confirmation of sustained yield levels in the new forest management plan.
I thank the member for some notice of this question, although it is difficult to relate the quote from the Premier to the intent of the question. It is difficult to see how that statement relates in any way to current circumstances. (1) Mr Bob Pearce is employed by the Forest Industries Federation of Western Australia as its executive director, not by the Western Australian Government. His association with government has been to represent the interests of FIFWA members in the resolution of timber industry issues. I do not know what the member meant in her reference to the Premier's statement, but I cannot see any relevance or any relationship between the two. However, I suppose the member is quite free to draw whatever conclusions she desires. (2) There was no “letter of comfort” from the Premier to Sotico. I do not know where that one came from. The Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries provided a letter to Sotico dated 11 December 2002, at the request of Sotico, to outline the quantity of resources that could be made available to the company, subject to the final confirmation of sustained yield levels in the new forest management plan.
(1) Mr Bob Pearce is employed by the Forest Industries Federation of Western Australia as its executive director, not by the Western Australian Government. His association with government has been to represent the interests of FIFWA members in the resolution of timber industry issues. I do not know what the member meant in her reference to the Premier's statement, but I cannot see any relevance or any relationship between the two. However, I suppose the member is quite free to draw whatever conclusions she desires. (2) There was no “letter of comfort” from the Premier to Sotico. I do not know where that one came from. The Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries provided a letter to Sotico dated 11 December 2002, at the request of Sotico, to outline the quantity of resources that could be made available to the company, subject to the final confirmation of sustained yield levels in the new forest management plan.
(2) There was no “letter of comfort” from the Premier to Sotico. I do not know where that one came from. The Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries provided a letter to Sotico dated 11 December 2002, at the request of Sotico, to outline the quantity of resources that could be made available to the company, subject to the final confirmation of sustained yield levels in the new forest management plan.
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