❓ Question on Notice regarding alleged false claims by the Minister for Environment about fixing conflict-of-interest issues within the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) and whether the government knowingly appointed conflicted members. The Minister's response deflects, accuses the questioner of smearing EPA members, and claims previous government appointees were more conflicted.
AnsweredQoN 645Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION AUTHORITY — GOVERNANCE PRACTICES CHANGE
645. Mr C.J. TALLENTIRE to the
Minister for Environment:
I refer to the minster's response last year about
other affected mining proposals stemming from the conflict-of-interest decision
made by Chief Justice Wayne Martin on the Environmental Protection Authority
board and the minister's response to the effect, ''No, no, no.
As I said, the EPA code of conduct has been tightened up.''
(1) Why did the minister falsely claim that he had already
fixed the problem?
(2) Is it true
that the government appointed numerous members to the EPA board knowing that
they had a conflict of interest?
PROTECTION AUTHORITY — GOVERNANCE PRACTICES CHANGE
645. Mr C.J. TALLENTIRE to the
Minister for Environment:
I refer to the minster's response last year about
other affected mining proposals stemming from the conflict-of-interest decision
made by Chief Justice Wayne Martin on the Environmental Protection Authority
board and the minister's response to the effect, ''No, no, no.
As I said, the EPA code of conduct has been tightened up.''
(1) Why did the minister falsely claim that he had already
fixed the problem?
(2) Is it true
that the government appointed numerous members to the EPA board knowing that
they had a conflict of interest?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2)
I was hoping that I would get this question. The member for Gosnells has used a
very interesting tactic on this matter.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : I
call the member for Kwinana to order for the first time.
Mr A.P. JACOB : He
went straight to ABC Radio today —
Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Victoria Park, I call you to order for the first and second time.
Mr
A.P. JACOB : I simply want to answer the question that was put to me.
Aspersions about this matter were made very quickly on ABC Radio. I will not go
to the particular wording the member used, but he was quick to besmirch and
smear individual members of the EPA and imply that the conflict-of-interest
matters related to those members. I will tell members a very interesting fact.
Of the 25 projects that I have tabled in this place, every one of them that
involved a conflict of interest or a perceived apprehension of bias had a
conflicted member who was appointed by members opposite—every one of
the 25! I do not wish to go into that any further.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members for member for West Swan, Cannington and Butler, I call you all to
order for the first time.
Mr A.P. JACOB : In
fact, the policy change was made by a board of five members who were entirely
appointed by members opposite.
Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Victoria Park, I call you to order for the third time.
Mr
A.P. JACOB : But we did not seek to pursue individual members on this matter.
If members opposite want to go there, we can go there. Let us talk about some
of the comments from members opposite. First of all, the member for Gosnells
pursued a particular member of the Environmental Protection Authority, a member
who has not been conflicted in a single one of the proposals. According to
Justice Martin's ruling, that member appropriately declared and did not
participate at any stage. The member for Gosnells went after that member, the
member who was completely not conflicted. Even worse, the member for Gosnells
sought to smear one of the most respected and senior public servants in this
state. The member for Gosnells sought to smear the Public Sector Commissioner
who was appointed as director general to the Department of the Premier and
Cabinet under the previous Labor government.
Suspension of Member
The SPEAKER :
Member for Victoria Park, please leave the chamber.
[The member for Victoria Park left the chamber.]
I was hoping that I would get this question. The member for Gosnells has used a
very interesting tactic on this matter.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : I
call the member for Kwinana to order for the first time.
Mr A.P. JACOB : He
went straight to ABC Radio today —
Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Victoria Park, I call you to order for the first and second time.
Mr
A.P. JACOB : I simply want to answer the question that was put to me.
Aspersions about this matter were made very quickly on ABC Radio. I will not go
to the particular wording the member used, but he was quick to besmirch and
smear individual members of the EPA and imply that the conflict-of-interest
matters related to those members. I will tell members a very interesting fact.
Of the 25 projects that I have tabled in this place, every one of them that
involved a conflict of interest or a perceived apprehension of bias had a
conflicted member who was appointed by members opposite—every one of
the 25! I do not wish to go into that any further.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members for member for West Swan, Cannington and Butler, I call you all to
order for the first time.
Mr A.P. JACOB : In
fact, the policy change was made by a board of five members who were entirely
appointed by members opposite.
Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Victoria Park, I call you to order for the third time.
Mr
A.P. JACOB : But we did not seek to pursue individual members on this matter.
If members opposite want to go there, we can go there. Let us talk about some
of the comments from members opposite. First of all, the member for Gosnells
pursued a particular member of the Environmental Protection Authority, a member
who has not been conflicted in a single one of the proposals. According to
Justice Martin's ruling, that member appropriately declared and did not
participate at any stage. The member for Gosnells went after that member, the
member who was completely not conflicted. Even worse, the member for Gosnells
sought to smear one of the most respected and senior public servants in this
state. The member for Gosnells sought to smear the Public Sector Commissioner
who was appointed as director general to the Department of the Premier and
Cabinet under the previous Labor government.
Suspension of Member
The SPEAKER :
Member for Victoria Park, please leave the chamber.
[The member for Victoria Park left the chamber.]
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