❓ Opposition Leader Barnett questions Premier Gallop about a potential conflict of interest involving Minister Stephens announcing grants in the Kalgoorlie electorate just before resigning to run for federal office. Gallop defends the process and deflects by raising past actions of a Liberal minister.
AnsweredQoN 566Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer the Premier to media statements by Hon Tom Stephens released on Thursday 16 September, the same day that he resigned from the ministry and a day after he was selected as the Labor candidate for the federal seat of Kalgoorlie. (1) Is the Premier aware that more than $666 000 worth of grants announced in these media statements fall within the federal electorate of Kalgoorlie, the seat Mr Stephens is now contesting? (2) Will the Premier concede that Mr Stephens had a clear conflict of interest in releasing the statements, given his position as the new candidate for the federal seat of Kalgoorlie, and was therefore in breach of the Premier’s ministerial code of conduct, which states that public duties must be carried out objectively and without consideration of personal or financial gain? (3) Given the considerable personal gain to Mr Stephens arising from these grants, will the Premier enforce - Dr G.I. Gallop: Personal gain? Mr C.J. BARNETT: Those are the Premier’s terms in his ministerial statement. Given the considerable personal gain to Mr Stephens arising from these grants, will the Premier enforce his own code of conduct by not supporting any future bid by Mr Stephens to return to State Parliament? Dr G.I. GALLOP
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(3) The Opposition is really on the ball. It is really taking up the issues that matter to the people of Western Australia! I notice that it is not asking questions about the doubling of the number of mental health accommodation beds the Government will provide throughout Western Australia. We might tell the Opposition about that anyway, during question time. Mr M.W. Trenorden: What about a bit of accountability? Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will talk about accountability. I ask a question of the Leader of the Opposition. Did Mr Richard Lewis act in a proper manner between December 1996 and 9 January 1997, after he had resigned his seat as a member of Parliament, because Parliament had been prorogued, but remained as a minister? New members might be interested in this, because those of us who have been members for a while remember this one very well. On 29 occasions during that period and until his eventual resignation as minister, Richard Lewis overruled local government and the then State Planning Commission decisions in full or in part, as well as dismissing appeals in 18 cases. Let us just establish what we mean by accountability. I ask the Leader of the Opposition whether Mr Lewis acted properly on that occasion. That is what I call improper behaviour. After the election, the then planning minister, Graham Kierath, who wants to come back into this House, refused to release any information on the 29 council zoning and planning decisions that Mr Lewis had overturned while operating as a caretaker minister. There was a double-barrelled impropriety. Mr Lewis made all these decisions while he was a caretaker minister, and then he failed to reveal all the information. I will now go through the details about the actions of Hon Tom Stephens. Applications for the regional headworks scheme closed on 8 April 2004. Forty applications were received by the Department of Local Government and Regional Development from seven regions. An assessment panel, independently chaired by Mr David Coates, undertook detailed assessment of each application against the criteria. Mr C.J. Barnett: That is not the point. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Yes, it is the point. The assessment panel made recommendations that were provided to the minister’s office on 26 August 2004. The minister approved the recommendations and signed the letters on the morning of Monday, 13 September 2004. At the time of the signing there was no consideration of the minister resigning from his portfolio. The delay in signing was in part due to the minister’s absence from Perth for most of the previous week. The usual process was followed. Expressions of interest for the regional development scheme for the Gascoyne were invited between 17 March and 3 May 2004. All applicants were asked to complete a supplement to the expression of interest, allowing further information to be presented to the Gascoyne Development Commission board at its 14 July meeting. Board members received a full copy and briefing note for each final application on 8 September 2004, and the applications were assessed and scored by each board member. A list of recommended applications to be funded were subsequently received in the minister’s office on 15 September 2004, which list was signed off by the then minister on 16 September. At the time the Gascoyne Development Commission forwarded this information to the minister’s office there was no indication that the then minister would resign. The usual process for releasing information through a media statement was undertaken. He was the minister and the usual process was followed. I would be very surprised if a statement about regional Western Australia did not incorporate the federal seat of Kalgoorlie given that it includes most of Western Australia. Mr C.J. Barnett: They all did. What a coincidence! Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will say two things to the Leader of the Opposition: firstly, until he comes clean on Richard Lewis’s actions in 1996 and 1997, no-one will believe the Leader of the Opposition; secondly, Hon Tom Stephens followed the usual process, and there is absolutely no case to answer on this issue.
(1) Is the Premier aware that more than $666 000 worth of grants announced in these media statements fall within the federal electorate of Kalgoorlie, the seat Mr Stephens is now contesting? (2) Will the Premier concede that Mr Stephens had a clear conflict of interest in releasing the statements, given his position as the new candidate for the federal seat of Kalgoorlie, and was therefore in breach of the Premier’s ministerial code of conduct, which states that public duties must be carried out objectively and without consideration of personal or financial gain? (3) Given the considerable personal gain to Mr Stephens arising from these grants, will the Premier enforce - Dr G.I. Gallop: Personal gain? Mr C.J. BARNETT: Those are the Premier’s terms in his ministerial statement. Given the considerable personal gain to Mr Stephens arising from these grants, will the Premier enforce his own code of conduct by not supporting any future bid by Mr Stephens to return to State Parliament? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(3) The Opposition is really on the ball. It is really taking up the issues that matter to the people of Western Australia! I notice that it is not asking questions about the doubling of the number of mental health accommodation beds the Government will provide throughout Western Australia. We might tell the Opposition about that anyway, during question time. Mr M.W. Trenorden: What about a bit of accountability? Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will talk about accountability. I ask a question of the Leader of the Opposition. Did Mr Richard Lewis act in a proper manner between December 1996 and 9 January 1997, after he had resigned his seat as a member of Parliament, because Parliament had been prorogued, but remained as a minister? New members might be interested in this, because those of us who have been members for a while remember this one very well. On 29 occasions during that period and until his eventual resignation as minister, Richard Lewis overruled local government and the then State Planning Commission decisions in full or in part, as well as dismissing appeals in 18 cases. Let us just establish what we mean by accountability. I ask the Leader of the Opposition whether Mr Lewis acted properly on that occasion. That is what I call improper behaviour. After the election, the then planning minister, Graham Kierath, who wants to come back into this House, refused to release any information on the 29 council zoning and planning decisions that Mr Lewis had overturned while operating as a caretaker minister. There was a double-barrelled impropriety. Mr Lewis made all these decisions while he was a caretaker minister, and then he failed to reveal all the information. I will now go through the details about the actions of Hon Tom Stephens. Applications for the regional headworks scheme closed on 8 April 2004. Forty applications were received by the Department of Local Government and Regional Development from seven regions. An assessment panel, independently chaired by Mr David Coates, undertook detailed assessment of each application against the criteria. Mr C.J. Barnett: That is not the point. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Yes, it is the point. The assessment panel made recommendations that were provided to the minister’s office on 26 August 2004. The minister approved the recommendations and signed the letters on the morning of Monday, 13 September 2004. At the time of the signing there was no consideration of the minister resigning from his portfolio. The delay in signing was in part due to the minister’s absence from Perth for most of the previous week. The usual process was followed. Expressions of interest for the regional development scheme for the Gascoyne were invited between 17 March and 3 May 2004. All applicants were asked to complete a supplement to the expression of interest, allowing further information to be presented to the Gascoyne Development Commission board at its 14 July meeting. Board members received a full copy and briefing note for each final application on 8 September 2004, and the applications were assessed and scored by each board member. A list of recommended applications to be funded were subsequently received in the minister’s office on 15 September 2004, which list was signed off by the then minister on 16 September. At the time the Gascoyne Development Commission forwarded this information to the minister’s office there was no indication that the then minister would resign. The usual process for releasing information through a media statement was undertaken. He was the minister and the usual process was followed. I would be very surprised if a statement about regional Western Australia did not incorporate the federal seat of Kalgoorlie given that it includes most of Western Australia. Mr C.J. Barnett: They all did. What a coincidence! Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will say two things to the Leader of the Opposition: firstly, until he comes clean on Richard Lewis’s actions in 1996 and 1997, no-one will believe the Leader of the Opposition; secondly, Hon Tom Stephens followed the usual process, and there is absolutely no case to answer on this issue.
(2) Will the Premier concede that Mr Stephens had a clear conflict of interest in releasing the statements, given his position as the new candidate for the federal seat of Kalgoorlie, and was therefore in breach of the Premier’s ministerial code of conduct, which states that public duties must be carried out objectively and without consideration of personal or financial gain? (3) Given the considerable personal gain to Mr Stephens arising from these grants, will the Premier enforce - Dr G.I. Gallop: Personal gain? Mr C.J. BARNETT: Those are the Premier’s terms in his ministerial statement. Given the considerable personal gain to Mr Stephens arising from these grants, will the Premier enforce his own code of conduct by not supporting any future bid by Mr Stephens to return to State Parliament? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(3) The Opposition is really on the ball. It is really taking up the issues that matter to the people of Western Australia! I notice that it is not asking questions about the doubling of the number of mental health accommodation beds the Government will provide throughout Western Australia. We might tell the Opposition about that anyway, during question time. Mr M.W. Trenorden: What about a bit of accountability? Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will talk about accountability. I ask a question of the Leader of the Opposition. Did Mr Richard Lewis act in a proper manner between December 1996 and 9 January 1997, after he had resigned his seat as a member of Parliament, because Parliament had been prorogued, but remained as a minister? New members might be interested in this, because those of us who have been members for a while remember this one very well. On 29 occasions during that period and until his eventual resignation as minister, Richard Lewis overruled local government and the then State Planning Commission decisions in full or in part, as well as dismissing appeals in 18 cases. Let us just establish what we mean by accountability. I ask the Leader of the Opposition whether Mr Lewis acted properly on that occasion. That is what I call improper behaviour. After the election, the then planning minister, Graham Kierath, who wants to come back into this House, refused to release any information on the 29 council zoning and planning decisions that Mr Lewis had overturned while operating as a caretaker minister. There was a double-barrelled impropriety. Mr Lewis made all these decisions while he was a caretaker minister, and then he failed to reveal all the information. I will now go through the details about the actions of Hon Tom Stephens. Applications for the regional headworks scheme closed on 8 April 2004. Forty applications were received by the Department of Local Government and Regional Development from seven regions. An assessment panel, independently chaired by Mr David Coates, undertook detailed assessment of each application against the criteria. Mr C.J. Barnett: That is not the point. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Yes, it is the point. The assessment panel made recommendations that were provided to the minister’s office on 26 August 2004. The minister approved the recommendations and signed the letters on the morning of Monday, 13 September 2004. At the time of the signing there was no consideration of the minister resigning from his portfolio. The delay in signing was in part due to the minister’s absence from Perth for most of the previous week. The usual process was followed. Expressions of interest for the regional development scheme for the Gascoyne were invited between 17 March and 3 May 2004. All applicants were asked to complete a supplement to the expression of interest, allowing further information to be presented to the Gascoyne Development Commission board at its 14 July meeting. Board members received a full copy and briefing note for each final application on 8 September 2004, and the applications were assessed and scored by each board member. A list of recommended applications to be funded were subsequently received in the minister’s office on 15 September 2004, which list was signed off by the then minister on 16 September. At the time the Gascoyne Development Commission forwarded this information to the minister’s office there was no indication that the then minister would resign. The usual process for releasing information through a media statement was undertaken. He was the minister and the usual process was followed. I would be very surprised if a statement about regional Western Australia did not incorporate the federal seat of Kalgoorlie given that it includes most of Western Australia. Mr C.J. Barnett: They all did. What a coincidence! Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will say two things to the Leader of the Opposition: firstly, until he comes clean on Richard Lewis’s actions in 1996 and 1997, no-one will believe the Leader of the Opposition; secondly, Hon Tom Stephens followed the usual process, and there is absolutely no case to answer on this issue.
(3) Given the considerable personal gain to Mr Stephens arising from these grants, will the Premier enforce - Dr G.I. Gallop: Personal gain? Mr C.J. BARNETT: Those are the Premier’s terms in his ministerial statement. Given the considerable personal gain to Mr Stephens arising from these grants, will the Premier enforce his own code of conduct by not supporting any future bid by Mr Stephens to return to State Parliament? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(3) The Opposition is really on the ball. It is really taking up the issues that matter to the people of Western Australia! I notice that it is not asking questions about the doubling of the number of mental health accommodation beds the Government will provide throughout Western Australia. We might tell the Opposition about that anyway, during question time. Mr M.W. Trenorden: What about a bit of accountability? Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will talk about accountability. I ask a question of the Leader of the Opposition. Did Mr Richard Lewis act in a proper manner between December 1996 and 9 January 1997, after he had resigned his seat as a member of Parliament, because Parliament had been prorogued, but remained as a minister? New members might be interested in this, because those of us who have been members for a while remember this one very well. On 29 occasions during that period and until his eventual resignation as minister, Richard Lewis overruled local government and the then State Planning Commission decisions in full or in part, as well as dismissing appeals in 18 cases. Let us just establish what we mean by accountability. I ask the Leader of the Opposition whether Mr Lewis acted properly on that occasion. That is what I call improper behaviour. After the election, the then planning minister, Graham Kierath, who wants to come back into this House, refused to release any information on the 29 council zoning and planning decisions that Mr Lewis had overturned while operating as a caretaker minister. There was a double-barrelled impropriety. Mr Lewis made all these decisions while he was a caretaker minister, and then he failed to reveal all the information. I will now go through the details about the actions of Hon Tom Stephens. Applications for the regional headworks scheme closed on 8 April 2004. Forty applications were received by the Department of Local Government and Regional Development from seven regions. An assessment panel, independently chaired by Mr David Coates, undertook detailed assessment of each application against the criteria. Mr C.J. Barnett: That is not the point. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Yes, it is the point. The assessment panel made recommendations that were provided to the minister’s office on 26 August 2004. The minister approved the recommendations and signed the letters on the morning of Monday, 13 September 2004. At the time of the signing there was no consideration of the minister resigning from his portfolio. The delay in signing was in part due to the minister’s absence from Perth for most of the previous week. The usual process was followed. Expressions of interest for the regional development scheme for the Gascoyne were invited between 17 March and 3 May 2004. All applicants were asked to complete a supplement to the expression of interest, allowing further information to be presented to the Gascoyne Development Commission board at its 14 July meeting. Board members received a full copy and briefing note for each final application on 8 September 2004, and the applications were assessed and scored by each board member. A list of recommended applications to be funded were subsequently received in the minister’s office on 15 September 2004, which list was signed off by the then minister on 16 September. At the time the Gascoyne Development Commission forwarded this information to the minister’s office there was no indication that the then minister would resign. The usual process for releasing information through a media statement was undertaken. He was the minister and the usual process was followed. I would be very surprised if a statement about regional Western Australia did not incorporate the federal seat of Kalgoorlie given that it includes most of Western Australia. Mr C.J. Barnett: They all did. What a coincidence! Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will say two things to the Leader of the Opposition: firstly, until he comes clean on Richard Lewis’s actions in 1996 and 1997, no-one will believe the Leader of the Opposition; secondly, Hon Tom Stephens followed the usual process, and there is absolutely no case to answer on this issue.
Dr G.I. Gallop: Personal gain? Mr C.J. BARNETT: Those are the Premier’s terms in his ministerial statement. Given the considerable personal gain to Mr Stephens arising from these grants, will the Premier enforce his own code of conduct by not supporting any future bid by Mr Stephens to return to State Parliament? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(3) The Opposition is really on the ball. It is really taking up the issues that matter to the people of Western Australia! I notice that it is not asking questions about the doubling of the number of mental health accommodation beds the Government will provide throughout Western Australia. We might tell the Opposition about that anyway, during question time. Mr M.W. Trenorden: What about a bit of accountability? Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will talk about accountability. I ask a question of the Leader of the Opposition. Did Mr Richard Lewis act in a proper manner between December 1996 and 9 January 1997, after he had resigned his seat as a member of Parliament, because Parliament had been prorogued, but remained as a minister? New members might be interested in this, because those of us who have been members for a while remember this one very well. On 29 occasions during that period and until his eventual resignation as minister, Richard Lewis overruled local government and the then State Planning Commission decisions in full or in part, as well as dismissing appeals in 18 cases. Let us just establish what we mean by accountability. I ask the Leader of the Opposition whether Mr Lewis acted properly on that occasion. That is what I call improper behaviour. After the election, the then planning minister, Graham Kierath, who wants to come back into this House, refused to release any information on the 29 council zoning and planning decisions that Mr Lewis had overturned while operating as a caretaker minister. There was a double-barrelled impropriety. Mr Lewis made all these decisions while he was a caretaker minister, and then he failed to reveal all the information. I will now go through the details about the actions of Hon Tom Stephens. Applications for the regional headworks scheme closed on 8 April 2004. Forty applications were received by the Department of Local Government and Regional Development from seven regions. An assessment panel, independently chaired by Mr David Coates, undertook detailed assessment of each application against the criteria. Mr C.J. Barnett: That is not the point. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Yes, it is the point. The assessment panel made recommendations that were provided to the minister’s office on 26 August 2004. The minister approved the recommendations and signed the letters on the morning of Monday, 13 September 2004. At the time of the signing there was no consideration of the minister resigning from his portfolio. The delay in signing was in part due to the minister’s absence from Perth for most of the previous week. The usual process was followed. Expressions of interest for the regional development scheme for the Gascoyne were invited between 17 March and 3 May 2004. All applicants were asked to complete a supplement to the expression of interest, allowing further information to be presented to the Gascoyne Development Commission board at its 14 July meeting. Board members received a full copy and briefing note for each final application on 8 September 2004, and the applications were assessed and scored by each board member. A list of recommended applications to be funded were subsequently received in the minister’s office on 15 September 2004, which list was signed off by the then minister on 16 September. At the time the Gascoyne Development Commission forwarded this information to the minister’s office there was no indication that the then minister would resign. The usual process for releasing information through a media statement was undertaken. He was the minister and the usual process was followed. I would be very surprised if a statement about regional Western Australia did not incorporate the federal seat of Kalgoorlie given that it includes most of Western Australia. Mr C.J. Barnett: They all did. What a coincidence! Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will say two things to the Leader of the Opposition: firstly, until he comes clean on Richard Lewis’s actions in 1996 and 1997, no-one will believe the Leader of the Opposition; secondly, Hon Tom Stephens followed the usual process, and there is absolutely no case to answer on this issue.
Mr C.J. BARNETT: Those are the Premier’s terms in his ministerial statement. Given the considerable personal gain to Mr Stephens arising from these grants, will the Premier enforce his own code of conduct by not supporting any future bid by Mr Stephens to return to State Parliament? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(3) The Opposition is really on the ball. It is really taking up the issues that matter to the people of Western Australia! I notice that it is not asking questions about the doubling of the number of mental health accommodation beds the Government will provide throughout Western Australia. We might tell the Opposition about that anyway, during question time. Mr M.W. Trenorden: What about a bit of accountability? Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will talk about accountability. I ask a question of the Leader of the Opposition. Did Mr Richard Lewis act in a proper manner between December 1996 and 9 January 1997, after he had resigned his seat as a member of Parliament, because Parliament had been prorogued, but remained as a minister? New members might be interested in this, because those of us who have been members for a while remember this one very well. On 29 occasions during that period and until his eventual resignation as minister, Richard Lewis overruled local government and the then State Planning Commission decisions in full or in part, as well as dismissing appeals in 18 cases. Let us just establish what we mean by accountability. I ask the Leader of the Opposition whether Mr Lewis acted properly on that occasion. That is what I call improper behaviour. After the election, the then planning minister, Graham Kierath, who wants to come back into this House, refused to release any information on the 29 council zoning and planning decisions that Mr Lewis had overturned while operating as a caretaker minister. There was a double-barrelled impropriety. Mr Lewis made all these decisions while he was a caretaker minister, and then he failed to reveal all the information. I will now go through the details about the actions of Hon Tom Stephens. Applications for the regional headworks scheme closed on 8 April 2004. Forty applications were received by the Department of Local Government and Regional Development from seven regions. An assessment panel, independently chaired by Mr David Coates, undertook detailed assessment of each application against the criteria. Mr C.J. Barnett: That is not the point. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Yes, it is the point. The assessment panel made recommendations that were provided to the minister’s office on 26 August 2004. The minister approved the recommendations and signed the letters on the morning of Monday, 13 September 2004. At the time of the signing there was no consideration of the minister resigning from his portfolio. The delay in signing was in part due to the minister’s absence from Perth for most of the previous week. The usual process was followed. Expressions of interest for the regional development scheme for the Gascoyne were invited between 17 March and 3 May 2004. All applicants were asked to complete a supplement to the expression of interest, allowing further information to be presented to the Gascoyne Development Commission board at its 14 July meeting. Board members received a full copy and briefing note for each final application on 8 September 2004, and the applications were assessed and scored by each board member. A list of recommended applications to be funded were subsequently received in the minister’s office on 15 September 2004, which list was signed off by the then minister on 16 September. At the time the Gascoyne Development Commission forwarded this information to the minister’s office there was no indication that the then minister would resign. The usual process for releasing information through a media statement was undertaken. He was the minister and the usual process was followed. I would be very surprised if a statement about regional Western Australia did not incorporate the federal seat of Kalgoorlie given that it includes most of Western Australia. Mr C.J. Barnett: They all did. What a coincidence! Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will say two things to the Leader of the Opposition: firstly, until he comes clean on Richard Lewis’s actions in 1996 and 1997, no-one will believe the Leader of the Opposition; secondly, Hon Tom Stephens followed the usual process, and there is absolutely no case to answer on this issue.
Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(3) The Opposition is really on the ball. It is really taking up the issues that matter to the people of Western Australia! I notice that it is not asking questions about the doubling of the number of mental health accommodation beds the Government will provide throughout Western Australia. We might tell the Opposition about that anyway, during question time. Mr M.W. Trenorden: What about a bit of accountability? Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will talk about accountability. I ask a question of the Leader of the Opposition. Did Mr Richard Lewis act in a proper manner between December 1996 and 9 January 1997, after he had resigned his seat as a member of Parliament, because Parliament had been prorogued, but remained as a minister? New members might be interested in this, because those of us who have been members for a while remember this one very well. On 29 occasions during that period and until his eventual resignation as minister, Richard Lewis overruled local government and the then State Planning Commission decisions in full or in part, as well as dismissing appeals in 18 cases. Let us just establish what we mean by accountability. I ask the Leader of the Opposition whether Mr Lewis acted properly on that occasion. That is what I call improper behaviour. After the election, the then planning minister, Graham Kierath, who wants to come back into this House, refused to release any information on the 29 council zoning and planning decisions that Mr Lewis had overturned while operating as a caretaker minister. There was a double-barrelled impropriety. Mr Lewis made all these decisions while he was a caretaker minister, and then he failed to reveal all the information. I will now go through the details about the actions of Hon Tom Stephens. Applications for the regional headworks scheme closed on 8 April 2004. Forty applications were received by the Department of Local Government and Regional Development from seven regions. An assessment panel, independently chaired by Mr David Coates, undertook detailed assessment of each application against the criteria. Mr C.J. Barnett: That is not the point. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Yes, it is the point. The assessment panel made recommendations that were provided to the minister’s office on 26 August 2004. The minister approved the recommendations and signed the letters on the morning of Monday, 13 September 2004. At the time of the signing there was no consideration of the minister resigning from his portfolio. The delay in signing was in part due to the minister’s absence from Perth for most of the previous week. The usual process was followed. Expressions of interest for the regional development scheme for the Gascoyne were invited between 17 March and 3 May 2004. All applicants were asked to complete a supplement to the expression of interest, allowing further information to be presented to the Gascoyne Development Commission board at its 14 July meeting. Board members received a full copy and briefing note for each final application on 8 September 2004, and the applications were assessed and scored by each board member. A list of recommended applications to be funded were subsequently received in the minister’s office on 15 September 2004, which list was signed off by the then minister on 16 September. At the time the Gascoyne Development Commission forwarded this information to the minister’s office there was no indication that the then minister would resign. The usual process for releasing information through a media statement was undertaken. He was the minister and the usual process was followed. I would be very surprised if a statement about regional Western Australia did not incorporate the federal seat of Kalgoorlie given that it includes most of Western Australia. Mr C.J. Barnett: They all did. What a coincidence! Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will say two things to the Leader of the Opposition: firstly, until he comes clean on Richard Lewis’s actions in 1996 and 1997, no-one will believe the Leader of the Opposition; secondly, Hon Tom Stephens followed the usual process, and there is absolutely no case to answer on this issue.
(1)-(3) The Opposition is really on the ball. It is really taking up the issues that matter to the people of Western Australia! I notice that it is not asking questions about the doubling of the number of mental health accommodation beds the Government will provide throughout Western Australia. We might tell the Opposition about that anyway, during question time. Mr M.W. Trenorden: What about a bit of accountability? Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will talk about accountability. I ask a question of the Leader of the Opposition. Did Mr Richard Lewis act in a proper manner between December 1996 and 9 January 1997, after he had resigned his seat as a member of Parliament, because Parliament had been prorogued, but remained as a minister? New members might be interested in this, because those of us who have been members for a while remember this one very well. On 29 occasions during that period and until his eventual resignation as minister, Richard Lewis overruled local government and the then State Planning Commission decisions in full or in part, as well as dismissing appeals in 18 cases. Let us just establish what we mean by accountability. I ask the Leader of the Opposition whether Mr Lewis acted properly on that occasion. That is what I call improper behaviour. After the election, the then planning minister, Graham Kierath, who wants to come back into this House, refused to release any information on the 29 council zoning and planning decisions that Mr Lewis had overturned while operating as a caretaker minister. There was a double-barrelled impropriety. Mr Lewis made all these decisions while he was a caretaker minister, and then he failed to reveal all the information. I will now go through the details about the actions of Hon Tom Stephens. Applications for the regional headworks scheme closed on 8 April 2004. Forty applications were received by the Department of Local Government and Regional Development from seven regions. An assessment panel, independently chaired by Mr David Coates, undertook detailed assessment of each application against the criteria. Mr C.J. Barnett: That is not the point. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Yes, it is the point. The assessment panel made recommendations that were provided to the minister’s office on 26 August 2004. The minister approved the recommendations and signed the letters on the morning of Monday, 13 September 2004. At the time of the signing there was no consideration of the minister resigning from his portfolio. The delay in signing was in part due to the minister’s absence from Perth for most of the previous week. The usual process was followed. Expressions of interest for the regional development scheme for the Gascoyne were invited between 17 March and 3 May 2004. All applicants were asked to complete a supplement to the expression of interest, allowing further information to be presented to the Gascoyne Development Commission board at its 14 July meeting. Board members received a full copy and briefing note for each final application on 8 September 2004, and the applications were assessed and scored by each board member. A list of recommended applications to be funded were subsequently received in the minister’s office on 15 September 2004, which list was signed off by the then minister on 16 September. At the time the Gascoyne Development Commission forwarded this information to the minister’s office there was no indication that the then minister would resign. The usual process for releasing information through a media statement was undertaken. He was the minister and the usual process was followed. I would be very surprised if a statement about regional Western Australia did not incorporate the federal seat of Kalgoorlie given that it includes most of Western Australia. Mr C.J. Barnett: They all did. What a coincidence! Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will say two things to the Leader of the Opposition: firstly, until he comes clean on Richard Lewis’s actions in 1996 and 1997, no-one will believe the Leader of the Opposition; secondly, Hon Tom Stephens followed the usual process, and there is absolutely no case to answer on this issue.
Mr M.W. Trenorden: What about a bit of accountability? Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will talk about accountability. I ask a question of the Leader of the Opposition. Did Mr Richard Lewis act in a proper manner between December 1996 and 9 January 1997, after he had resigned his seat as a member of Parliament, because Parliament had been prorogued, but remained as a minister? New members might be interested in this, because those of us who have been members for a while remember this one very well. On 29 occasions during that period and until his eventual resignation as minister, Richard Lewis overruled local government and the then State Planning Commission decisions in full or in part, as well as dismissing appeals in 18 cases. Let us just establish what we mean by accountability. I ask the Leader of the Opposition whether Mr Lewis acted properly on that occasion. That is what I call improper behaviour. After the election, the then planning minister, Graham Kierath, who wants to come back into this House, refused to release any information on the 29 council zoning and planning decisions that Mr Lewis had overturned while operating as a caretaker minister. There was a double-barrelled impropriety. Mr Lewis made all these decisions while he was a caretaker minister, and then he failed to reveal all the information. I will now go through the details about the actions of Hon Tom Stephens. Applications for the regional headworks scheme closed on 8 April 2004. Forty applications were received by the Department of Local Government and Regional Development from seven regions. An assessment panel, independently chaired by Mr David Coates, undertook detailed assessment of each application against the criteria. Mr C.J. Barnett: That is not the point. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Yes, it is the point. The assessment panel made recommendations that were provided to the minister’s office on 26 August 2004. The minister approved the recommendations and signed the letters on the morning of Monday, 13 September 2004. At the time of the signing there was no consideration of the minister resigning from his portfolio. The delay in signing was in part due to the minister’s absence from Perth for most of the previous week. The usual process was followed. Expressions of interest for the regional development scheme for the Gascoyne were invited between 17 March and 3 May 2004. All applicants were asked to complete a supplement to the expression of interest, allowing further information to be presented to the Gascoyne Development Commission board at its 14 July meeting. Board members received a full copy and briefing note for each final application on 8 September 2004, and the applications were assessed and scored by each board member. A list of recommended applications to be funded were subsequently received in the minister’s office on 15 September 2004, which list was signed off by the then minister on 16 September. At the time the Gascoyne Development Commission forwarded this information to the minister’s office there was no indication that the then minister would resign. The usual process for releasing information through a media statement was undertaken. He was the minister and the usual process was followed. I would be very surprised if a statement about regional Western Australia did not incorporate the federal seat of Kalgoorlie given that it includes most of Western Australia. Mr C.J. Barnett: They all did. What a coincidence! Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will say two things to the Leader of the Opposition: firstly, until he comes clean on Richard Lewis’s actions in 1996 and 1997, no-one will believe the Leader of the Opposition; secondly, Hon Tom Stephens followed the usual process, and there is absolutely no case to answer on this issue.
Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will talk about accountability. I ask a question of the Leader of the Opposition. Did Mr Richard Lewis act in a proper manner between December 1996 and 9 January 1997, after he had resigned his seat as a member of Parliament, because Parliament had been prorogued, but remained as a minister? New members might be interested in this, because those of us who have been members for a while remember this one very well. On 29 occasions during that period and until his eventual resignation as minister, Richard Lewis overruled local government and the then State Planning Commission decisions in full or in part, as well as dismissing appeals in 18 cases. Let us just establish what we mean by accountability. I ask the Leader of the Opposition whether Mr Lewis acted properly on that occasion. That is what I call improper behaviour. After the election, the then planning minister, Graham Kierath, who wants to come back into this House, refused to release any information on the 29 council zoning and planning decisions that Mr Lewis had overturned while operating as a caretaker minister. There was a double-barrelled impropriety. Mr Lewis made all these decisions while he was a caretaker minister, and then he failed to reveal all the information. I will now go through the details about the actions of Hon Tom Stephens. Applications for the regional headworks scheme closed on 8 April 2004. Forty applications were received by the Department of Local Government and Regional Development from seven regions. An assessment panel, independently chaired by Mr David Coates, undertook detailed assessment of each application against the criteria. Mr C.J. Barnett: That is not the point. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Yes, it is the point. The assessment panel made recommendations that were provided to the minister’s office on 26 August 2004. The minister approved the recommendations and signed the letters on the morning of Monday, 13 September 2004. At the time of the signing there was no consideration of the minister resigning from his portfolio. The delay in signing was in part due to the minister’s absence from Perth for most of the previous week. The usual process was followed. Expressions of interest for the regional development scheme for the Gascoyne were invited between 17 March and 3 May 2004. All applicants were asked to complete a supplement to the expression of interest, allowing further information to be presented to the Gascoyne Development Commission board at its 14 July meeting. Board members received a full copy and briefing note for each final application on 8 September 2004, and the applications were assessed and scored by each board member. A list of recommended applications to be funded were subsequently received in the minister’s office on 15 September 2004, which list was signed off by the then minister on 16 September. At the time the Gascoyne Development Commission forwarded this information to the minister’s office there was no indication that the then minister would resign. The usual process for releasing information through a media statement was undertaken. He was the minister and the usual process was followed. I would be very surprised if a statement about regional Western Australia did not incorporate the federal seat of Kalgoorlie given that it includes most of Western Australia. Mr C.J. Barnett: They all did. What a coincidence! Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will say two things to the Leader of the Opposition: firstly, until he comes clean on Richard Lewis’s actions in 1996 and 1997, no-one will believe the Leader of the Opposition; secondly, Hon Tom Stephens followed the usual process, and there is absolutely no case to answer on this issue.
I will now go through the details about the actions of Hon Tom Stephens. Applications for the regional headworks scheme closed on 8 April 2004. Forty applications were received by the Department of Local Government and Regional Development from seven regions. An assessment panel, independently chaired by Mr David Coates, undertook detailed assessment of each application against the criteria. Mr C.J. Barnett: That is not the point. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Yes, it is the point. The assessment panel made recommendations that were provided to the minister’s office on 26 August 2004. The minister approved the recommendations and signed the letters on the morning of Monday, 13 September 2004. At the time of the signing there was no consideration of the minister resigning from his portfolio. The delay in signing was in part due to the minister’s absence from Perth for most of the previous week. The usual process was followed. Expressions of interest for the regional development scheme for the Gascoyne were invited between 17 March and 3 May 2004. All applicants were asked to complete a supplement to the expression of interest, allowing further information to be presented to the Gascoyne Development Commission board at its 14 July meeting. Board members received a full copy and briefing note for each final application on 8 September 2004, and the applications were assessed and scored by each board member. A list of recommended applications to be funded were subsequently received in the minister’s office on 15 September 2004, which list was signed off by the then minister on 16 September. At the time the Gascoyne Development Commission forwarded this information to the minister’s office there was no indication that the then minister would resign. The usual process for releasing information through a media statement was undertaken. He was the minister and the usual process was followed. I would be very surprised if a statement about regional Western Australia did not incorporate the federal seat of Kalgoorlie given that it includes most of Western Australia. Mr C.J. Barnett: They all did. What a coincidence! Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will say two things to the Leader of the Opposition: firstly, until he comes clean on Richard Lewis’s actions in 1996 and 1997, no-one will believe the Leader of the Opposition; secondly, Hon Tom Stephens followed the usual process, and there is absolutely no case to answer on this issue.
Mr C.J. Barnett: That is not the point. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Yes, it is the point. The assessment panel made recommendations that were provided to the minister’s office on 26 August 2004. The minister approved the recommendations and signed the letters on the morning of Monday, 13 September 2004. At the time of the signing there was no consideration of the minister resigning from his portfolio. The delay in signing was in part due to the minister’s absence from Perth for most of the previous week. The usual process was followed. Expressions of interest for the regional development scheme for the Gascoyne were invited between 17 March and 3 May 2004. All applicants were asked to complete a supplement to the expression of interest, allowing further information to be presented to the Gascoyne Development Commission board at its 14 July meeting. Board members received a full copy and briefing note for each final application on 8 September 2004, and the applications were assessed and scored by each board member. A list of recommended applications to be funded were subsequently received in the minister’s office on 15 September 2004, which list was signed off by the then minister on 16 September. At the time the Gascoyne Development Commission forwarded this information to the minister’s office there was no indication that the then minister would resign. The usual process for releasing information through a media statement was undertaken. He was the minister and the usual process was followed. I would be very surprised if a statement about regional Western Australia did not incorporate the federal seat of Kalgoorlie given that it includes most of Western Australia. Mr C.J. Barnett: They all did. What a coincidence! Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will say two things to the Leader of the Opposition: firstly, until he comes clean on Richard Lewis’s actions in 1996 and 1997, no-one will believe the Leader of the Opposition; secondly, Hon Tom Stephens followed the usual process, and there is absolutely no case to answer on this issue.
Dr G.I. GALLOP: Yes, it is the point. The assessment panel made recommendations that were provided to the minister’s office on 26 August 2004. The minister approved the recommendations and signed the letters on the morning of Monday, 13 September 2004. At the time of the signing there was no consideration of the minister resigning from his portfolio. The delay in signing was in part due to the minister’s absence from Perth for most of the previous week. The usual process was followed. Expressions of interest for the regional development scheme for the Gascoyne were invited between 17 March and 3 May 2004. All applicants were asked to complete a supplement to the expression of interest, allowing further information to be presented to the Gascoyne Development Commission board at its 14 July meeting. Board members received a full copy and briefing note for each final application on 8 September 2004, and the applications were assessed and scored by each board member. A list of recommended applications to be funded were subsequently received in the minister’s office on 15 September 2004, which list was signed off by the then minister on 16 September. At the time the Gascoyne Development Commission forwarded this information to the minister’s office there was no indication that the then minister would resign. The usual process for releasing information through a media statement was undertaken. He was the minister and the usual process was followed. I would be very surprised if a statement about regional Western Australia did not incorporate the federal seat of Kalgoorlie given that it includes most of Western Australia. Mr C.J. Barnett: They all did. What a coincidence! Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will say two things to the Leader of the Opposition: firstly, until he comes clean on Richard Lewis’s actions in 1996 and 1997, no-one will believe the Leader of the Opposition; secondly, Hon Tom Stephens followed the usual process, and there is absolutely no case to answer on this issue.
Expressions of interest for the regional development scheme for the Gascoyne were invited between 17 March and 3 May 2004. All applicants were asked to complete a supplement to the expression of interest, allowing further information to be presented to the Gascoyne Development Commission board at its 14 July meeting. Board members received a full copy and briefing note for each final application on 8 September 2004, and the applications were assessed and scored by each board member. A list of recommended applications to be funded were subsequently received in the minister’s office on 15 September 2004, which list was signed off by the then minister on 16 September. At the time the Gascoyne Development Commission forwarded this information to the minister’s office there was no indication that the then minister would resign. The usual process for releasing information through a media statement was undertaken. He was the minister and the usual process was followed. I would be very surprised if a statement about regional Western Australia did not incorporate the federal seat of Kalgoorlie given that it includes most of Western Australia. Mr C.J. Barnett: They all did. What a coincidence! Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will say two things to the Leader of the Opposition: firstly, until he comes clean on Richard Lewis’s actions in 1996 and 1997, no-one will believe the Leader of the Opposition; secondly, Hon Tom Stephens followed the usual process, and there is absolutely no case to answer on this issue.
Mr C.J. Barnett: They all did. What a coincidence! Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will say two things to the Leader of the Opposition: firstly, until he comes clean on Richard Lewis’s actions in 1996 and 1997, no-one will believe the Leader of the Opposition; secondly, Hon Tom Stephens followed the usual process, and there is absolutely no case to answer on this issue.
Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will say two things to the Leader of the Opposition: firstly, until he comes clean on Richard Lewis’s actions in 1996 and 1997, no-one will believe the Leader of the Opposition; secondly, Hon Tom Stephens followed the usual process, and there is absolutely no case to answer on this issue.
(1) Is the Premier aware that more than $666 000 worth of grants announced in these media statements fall within the federal electorate of Kalgoorlie, the seat Mr Stephens is now contesting? (2) Will the Premier concede that Mr Stephens had a clear conflict of interest in releasing the statements, given his position as the new candidate for the federal seat of Kalgoorlie, and was therefore in breach of the Premier’s ministerial code of conduct, which states that public duties must be carried out objectively and without consideration of personal or financial gain? (3) Given the considerable personal gain to Mr Stephens arising from these grants, will the Premier enforce - Dr G.I. Gallop: Personal gain? Mr C.J. BARNETT: Those are the Premier’s terms in his ministerial statement. Given the considerable personal gain to Mr Stephens arising from these grants, will the Premier enforce his own code of conduct by not supporting any future bid by Mr Stephens to return to State Parliament? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(3) The Opposition is really on the ball. It is really taking up the issues that matter to the people of Western Australia! I notice that it is not asking questions about the doubling of the number of mental health accommodation beds the Government will provide throughout Western Australia. We might tell the Opposition about that anyway, during question time. Mr M.W. Trenorden: What about a bit of accountability? Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will talk about accountability. I ask a question of the Leader of the Opposition. Did Mr Richard Lewis act in a proper manner between December 1996 and 9 January 1997, after he had resigned his seat as a member of Parliament, because Parliament had been prorogued, but remained as a minister? New members might be interested in this, because those of us who have been members for a while remember this one very well. On 29 occasions during that period and until his eventual resignation as minister, Richard Lewis overruled local government and the then State Planning Commission decisions in full or in part, as well as dismissing appeals in 18 cases. Let us just establish what we mean by accountability. I ask the Leader of the Opposition whether Mr Lewis acted properly on that occasion. That is what I call improper behaviour. After the election, the then planning minister, Graham Kierath, who wants to come back into this House, refused to release any information on the 29 council zoning and planning decisions that Mr Lewis had overturned while operating as a caretaker minister. There was a double-barrelled impropriety. Mr Lewis made all these decisions while he was a caretaker minister, and then he failed to reveal all the information. I will now go through the details about the actions of Hon Tom Stephens. Applications for the regional headworks scheme closed on 8 April 2004. Forty applications were received by the Department of Local Government and Regional Development from seven regions. An assessment panel, independently chaired by Mr David Coates, undertook detailed assessment of each application against the criteria. Mr C.J. Barnett: That is not the point. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Yes, it is the point. The assessment panel made recommendations that were provided to the minister’s office on 26 August 2004. The minister approved the recommendations and signed the letters on the morning of Monday, 13 September 2004. At the time of the signing there was no consideration of the minister resigning from his portfolio. The delay in signing was in part due to the minister’s absence from Perth for most of the previous week. The usual process was followed. Expressions of interest for the regional development scheme for the Gascoyne were invited between 17 March and 3 May 2004. All applicants were asked to complete a supplement to the expression of interest, allowing further information to be presented to the Gascoyne Development Commission board at its 14 July meeting. Board members received a full copy and briefing note for each final application on 8 September 2004, and the applications were assessed and scored by each board member. A list of recommended applications to be funded were subsequently received in the minister’s office on 15 September 2004, which list was signed off by the then minister on 16 September. At the time the Gascoyne Development Commission forwarded this information to the minister’s office there was no indication that the then minister would resign. The usual process for releasing information through a media statement was undertaken. He was the minister and the usual process was followed. I would be very surprised if a statement about regional Western Australia did not incorporate the federal seat of Kalgoorlie given that it includes most of Western Australia. Mr C.J. Barnett: They all did. What a coincidence! Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will say two things to the Leader of the Opposition: firstly, until he comes clean on Richard Lewis’s actions in 1996 and 1997, no-one will believe the Leader of the Opposition; secondly, Hon Tom Stephens followed the usual process, and there is absolutely no case to answer on this issue.
(2) Will the Premier concede that Mr Stephens had a clear conflict of interest in releasing the statements, given his position as the new candidate for the federal seat of Kalgoorlie, and was therefore in breach of the Premier’s ministerial code of conduct, which states that public duties must be carried out objectively and without consideration of personal or financial gain? (3) Given the considerable personal gain to Mr Stephens arising from these grants, will the Premier enforce - Dr G.I. Gallop: Personal gain? Mr C.J. BARNETT: Those are the Premier’s terms in his ministerial statement. Given the considerable personal gain to Mr Stephens arising from these grants, will the Premier enforce his own code of conduct by not supporting any future bid by Mr Stephens to return to State Parliament? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(3) The Opposition is really on the ball. It is really taking up the issues that matter to the people of Western Australia! I notice that it is not asking questions about the doubling of the number of mental health accommodation beds the Government will provide throughout Western Australia. We might tell the Opposition about that anyway, during question time. Mr M.W. Trenorden: What about a bit of accountability? Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will talk about accountability. I ask a question of the Leader of the Opposition. Did Mr Richard Lewis act in a proper manner between December 1996 and 9 January 1997, after he had resigned his seat as a member of Parliament, because Parliament had been prorogued, but remained as a minister? New members might be interested in this, because those of us who have been members for a while remember this one very well. On 29 occasions during that period and until his eventual resignation as minister, Richard Lewis overruled local government and the then State Planning Commission decisions in full or in part, as well as dismissing appeals in 18 cases. Let us just establish what we mean by accountability. I ask the Leader of the Opposition whether Mr Lewis acted properly on that occasion. That is what I call improper behaviour. After the election, the then planning minister, Graham Kierath, who wants to come back into this House, refused to release any information on the 29 council zoning and planning decisions that Mr Lewis had overturned while operating as a caretaker minister. There was a double-barrelled impropriety. Mr Lewis made all these decisions while he was a caretaker minister, and then he failed to reveal all the information. I will now go through the details about the actions of Hon Tom Stephens. Applications for the regional headworks scheme closed on 8 April 2004. Forty applications were received by the Department of Local Government and Regional Development from seven regions. An assessment panel, independently chaired by Mr David Coates, undertook detailed assessment of each application against the criteria. Mr C.J. Barnett: That is not the point. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Yes, it is the point. The assessment panel made recommendations that were provided to the minister’s office on 26 August 2004. The minister approved the recommendations and signed the letters on the morning of Monday, 13 September 2004. At the time of the signing there was no consideration of the minister resigning from his portfolio. The delay in signing was in part due to the minister’s absence from Perth for most of the previous week. The usual process was followed. Expressions of interest for the regional development scheme for the Gascoyne were invited between 17 March and 3 May 2004. All applicants were asked to complete a supplement to the expression of interest, allowing further information to be presented to the Gascoyne Development Commission board at its 14 July meeting. Board members received a full copy and briefing note for each final application on 8 September 2004, and the applications were assessed and scored by each board member. A list of recommended applications to be funded were subsequently received in the minister’s office on 15 September 2004, which list was signed off by the then minister on 16 September. At the time the Gascoyne Development Commission forwarded this information to the minister’s office there was no indication that the then minister would resign. The usual process for releasing information through a media statement was undertaken. He was the minister and the usual process was followed. I would be very surprised if a statement about regional Western Australia did not incorporate the federal seat of Kalgoorlie given that it includes most of Western Australia. Mr C.J. Barnett: They all did. What a coincidence! Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will say two things to the Leader of the Opposition: firstly, until he comes clean on Richard Lewis’s actions in 1996 and 1997, no-one will believe the Leader of the Opposition; secondly, Hon Tom Stephens followed the usual process, and there is absolutely no case to answer on this issue.
(3) Given the considerable personal gain to Mr Stephens arising from these grants, will the Premier enforce - Dr G.I. Gallop: Personal gain? Mr C.J. BARNETT: Those are the Premier’s terms in his ministerial statement. Given the considerable personal gain to Mr Stephens arising from these grants, will the Premier enforce his own code of conduct by not supporting any future bid by Mr Stephens to return to State Parliament? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(3) The Opposition is really on the ball. It is really taking up the issues that matter to the people of Western Australia! I notice that it is not asking questions about the doubling of the number of mental health accommodation beds the Government will provide throughout Western Australia. We might tell the Opposition about that anyway, during question time. Mr M.W. Trenorden: What about a bit of accountability? Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will talk about accountability. I ask a question of the Leader of the Opposition. Did Mr Richard Lewis act in a proper manner between December 1996 and 9 January 1997, after he had resigned his seat as a member of Parliament, because Parliament had been prorogued, but remained as a minister? New members might be interested in this, because those of us who have been members for a while remember this one very well. On 29 occasions during that period and until his eventual resignation as minister, Richard Lewis overruled local government and the then State Planning Commission decisions in full or in part, as well as dismissing appeals in 18 cases. Let us just establish what we mean by accountability. I ask the Leader of the Opposition whether Mr Lewis acted properly on that occasion. That is what I call improper behaviour. After the election, the then planning minister, Graham Kierath, who wants to come back into this House, refused to release any information on the 29 council zoning and planning decisions that Mr Lewis had overturned while operating as a caretaker minister. There was a double-barrelled impropriety. Mr Lewis made all these decisions while he was a caretaker minister, and then he failed to reveal all the information. I will now go through the details about the actions of Hon Tom Stephens. Applications for the regional headworks scheme closed on 8 April 2004. Forty applications were received by the Department of Local Government and Regional Development from seven regions. An assessment panel, independently chaired by Mr David Coates, undertook detailed assessment of each application against the criteria. Mr C.J. Barnett: That is not the point. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Yes, it is the point. The assessment panel made recommendations that were provided to the minister’s office on 26 August 2004. The minister approved the recommendations and signed the letters on the morning of Monday, 13 September 2004. At the time of the signing there was no consideration of the minister resigning from his portfolio. The delay in signing was in part due to the minister’s absence from Perth for most of the previous week. The usual process was followed. Expressions of interest for the regional development scheme for the Gascoyne were invited between 17 March and 3 May 2004. All applicants were asked to complete a supplement to the expression of interest, allowing further information to be presented to the Gascoyne Development Commission board at its 14 July meeting. Board members received a full copy and briefing note for each final application on 8 September 2004, and the applications were assessed and scored by each board member. A list of recommended applications to be funded were subsequently received in the minister’s office on 15 September 2004, which list was signed off by the then minister on 16 September. At the time the Gascoyne Development Commission forwarded this information to the minister’s office there was no indication that the then minister would resign. The usual process for releasing information through a media statement was undertaken. He was the minister and the usual process was followed. I would be very surprised if a statement about regional Western Australia did not incorporate the federal seat of Kalgoorlie given that it includes most of Western Australia. Mr C.J. Barnett: They all did. What a coincidence! Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will say two things to the Leader of the Opposition: firstly, until he comes clean on Richard Lewis’s actions in 1996 and 1997, no-one will believe the Leader of the Opposition; secondly, Hon Tom Stephens followed the usual process, and there is absolutely no case to answer on this issue.
Dr G.I. Gallop: Personal gain? Mr C.J. BARNETT: Those are the Premier’s terms in his ministerial statement. Given the considerable personal gain to Mr Stephens arising from these grants, will the Premier enforce his own code of conduct by not supporting any future bid by Mr Stephens to return to State Parliament? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(3) The Opposition is really on the ball. It is really taking up the issues that matter to the people of Western Australia! I notice that it is not asking questions about the doubling of the number of mental health accommodation beds the Government will provide throughout Western Australia. We might tell the Opposition about that anyway, during question time. Mr M.W. Trenorden: What about a bit of accountability? Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will talk about accountability. I ask a question of the Leader of the Opposition. Did Mr Richard Lewis act in a proper manner between December 1996 and 9 January 1997, after he had resigned his seat as a member of Parliament, because Parliament had been prorogued, but remained as a minister? New members might be interested in this, because those of us who have been members for a while remember this one very well. On 29 occasions during that period and until his eventual resignation as minister, Richard Lewis overruled local government and the then State Planning Commission decisions in full or in part, as well as dismissing appeals in 18 cases. Let us just establish what we mean by accountability. I ask the Leader of the Opposition whether Mr Lewis acted properly on that occasion. That is what I call improper behaviour. After the election, the then planning minister, Graham Kierath, who wants to come back into this House, refused to release any information on the 29 council zoning and planning decisions that Mr Lewis had overturned while operating as a caretaker minister. There was a double-barrelled impropriety. Mr Lewis made all these decisions while he was a caretaker minister, and then he failed to reveal all the information. I will now go through the details about the actions of Hon Tom Stephens. Applications for the regional headworks scheme closed on 8 April 2004. Forty applications were received by the Department of Local Government and Regional Development from seven regions. An assessment panel, independently chaired by Mr David Coates, undertook detailed assessment of each application against the criteria. Mr C.J. Barnett: That is not the point. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Yes, it is the point. The assessment panel made recommendations that were provided to the minister’s office on 26 August 2004. The minister approved the recommendations and signed the letters on the morning of Monday, 13 September 2004. At the time of the signing there was no consideration of the minister resigning from his portfolio. The delay in signing was in part due to the minister’s absence from Perth for most of the previous week. The usual process was followed. Expressions of interest for the regional development scheme for the Gascoyne were invited between 17 March and 3 May 2004. All applicants were asked to complete a supplement to the expression of interest, allowing further information to be presented to the Gascoyne Development Commission board at its 14 July meeting. Board members received a full copy and briefing note for each final application on 8 September 2004, and the applications were assessed and scored by each board member. A list of recommended applications to be funded were subsequently received in the minister’s office on 15 September 2004, which list was signed off by the then minister on 16 September. At the time the Gascoyne Development Commission forwarded this information to the minister’s office there was no indication that the then minister would resign. The usual process for releasing information through a media statement was undertaken. He was the minister and the usual process was followed. I would be very surprised if a statement about regional Western Australia did not incorporate the federal seat of Kalgoorlie given that it includes most of Western Australia. Mr C.J. Barnett: They all did. What a coincidence! Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will say two things to the Leader of the Opposition: firstly, until he comes clean on Richard Lewis’s actions in 1996 and 1997, no-one will believe the Leader of the Opposition; secondly, Hon Tom Stephens followed the usual process, and there is absolutely no case to answer on this issue.
Mr C.J. BARNETT: Those are the Premier’s terms in his ministerial statement. Given the considerable personal gain to Mr Stephens arising from these grants, will the Premier enforce his own code of conduct by not supporting any future bid by Mr Stephens to return to State Parliament? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(3) The Opposition is really on the ball. It is really taking up the issues that matter to the people of Western Australia! I notice that it is not asking questions about the doubling of the number of mental health accommodation beds the Government will provide throughout Western Australia. We might tell the Opposition about that anyway, during question time. Mr M.W. Trenorden: What about a bit of accountability? Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will talk about accountability. I ask a question of the Leader of the Opposition. Did Mr Richard Lewis act in a proper manner between December 1996 and 9 January 1997, after he had resigned his seat as a member of Parliament, because Parliament had been prorogued, but remained as a minister? New members might be interested in this, because those of us who have been members for a while remember this one very well. On 29 occasions during that period and until his eventual resignation as minister, Richard Lewis overruled local government and the then State Planning Commission decisions in full or in part, as well as dismissing appeals in 18 cases. Let us just establish what we mean by accountability. I ask the Leader of the Opposition whether Mr Lewis acted properly on that occasion. That is what I call improper behaviour. After the election, the then planning minister, Graham Kierath, who wants to come back into this House, refused to release any information on the 29 council zoning and planning decisions that Mr Lewis had overturned while operating as a caretaker minister. There was a double-barrelled impropriety. Mr Lewis made all these decisions while he was a caretaker minister, and then he failed to reveal all the information. I will now go through the details about the actions of Hon Tom Stephens. Applications for the regional headworks scheme closed on 8 April 2004. Forty applications were received by the Department of Local Government and Regional Development from seven regions. An assessment panel, independently chaired by Mr David Coates, undertook detailed assessment of each application against the criteria. Mr C.J. Barnett: That is not the point. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Yes, it is the point. The assessment panel made recommendations that were provided to the minister’s office on 26 August 2004. The minister approved the recommendations and signed the letters on the morning of Monday, 13 September 2004. At the time of the signing there was no consideration of the minister resigning from his portfolio. The delay in signing was in part due to the minister’s absence from Perth for most of the previous week. The usual process was followed. Expressions of interest for the regional development scheme for the Gascoyne were invited between 17 March and 3 May 2004. All applicants were asked to complete a supplement to the expression of interest, allowing further information to be presented to the Gascoyne Development Commission board at its 14 July meeting. Board members received a full copy and briefing note for each final application on 8 September 2004, and the applications were assessed and scored by each board member. A list of recommended applications to be funded were subsequently received in the minister’s office on 15 September 2004, which list was signed off by the then minister on 16 September. At the time the Gascoyne Development Commission forwarded this information to the minister’s office there was no indication that the then minister would resign. The usual process for releasing information through a media statement was undertaken. He was the minister and the usual process was followed. I would be very surprised if a statement about regional Western Australia did not incorporate the federal seat of Kalgoorlie given that it includes most of Western Australia. Mr C.J. Barnett: They all did. What a coincidence! Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will say two things to the Leader of the Opposition: firstly, until he comes clean on Richard Lewis’s actions in 1996 and 1997, no-one will believe the Leader of the Opposition; secondly, Hon Tom Stephens followed the usual process, and there is absolutely no case to answer on this issue.
Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(3) The Opposition is really on the ball. It is really taking up the issues that matter to the people of Western Australia! I notice that it is not asking questions about the doubling of the number of mental health accommodation beds the Government will provide throughout Western Australia. We might tell the Opposition about that anyway, during question time. Mr M.W. Trenorden: What about a bit of accountability? Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will talk about accountability. I ask a question of the Leader of the Opposition. Did Mr Richard Lewis act in a proper manner between December 1996 and 9 January 1997, after he had resigned his seat as a member of Parliament, because Parliament had been prorogued, but remained as a minister? New members might be interested in this, because those of us who have been members for a while remember this one very well. On 29 occasions during that period and until his eventual resignation as minister, Richard Lewis overruled local government and the then State Planning Commission decisions in full or in part, as well as dismissing appeals in 18 cases. Let us just establish what we mean by accountability. I ask the Leader of the Opposition whether Mr Lewis acted properly on that occasion. That is what I call improper behaviour. After the election, the then planning minister, Graham Kierath, who wants to come back into this House, refused to release any information on the 29 council zoning and planning decisions that Mr Lewis had overturned while operating as a caretaker minister. There was a double-barrelled impropriety. Mr Lewis made all these decisions while he was a caretaker minister, and then he failed to reveal all the information. I will now go through the details about the actions of Hon Tom Stephens. Applications for the regional headworks scheme closed on 8 April 2004. Forty applications were received by the Department of Local Government and Regional Development from seven regions. An assessment panel, independently chaired by Mr David Coates, undertook detailed assessment of each application against the criteria. Mr C.J. Barnett: That is not the point. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Yes, it is the point. The assessment panel made recommendations that were provided to the minister’s office on 26 August 2004. The minister approved the recommendations and signed the letters on the morning of Monday, 13 September 2004. At the time of the signing there was no consideration of the minister resigning from his portfolio. The delay in signing was in part due to the minister’s absence from Perth for most of the previous week. The usual process was followed. Expressions of interest for the regional development scheme for the Gascoyne were invited between 17 March and 3 May 2004. All applicants were asked to complete a supplement to the expression of interest, allowing further information to be presented to the Gascoyne Development Commission board at its 14 July meeting. Board members received a full copy and briefing note for each final application on 8 September 2004, and the applications were assessed and scored by each board member. A list of recommended applications to be funded were subsequently received in the minister’s office on 15 September 2004, which list was signed off by the then minister on 16 September. At the time the Gascoyne Development Commission forwarded this information to the minister’s office there was no indication that the then minister would resign. The usual process for releasing information through a media statement was undertaken. He was the minister and the usual process was followed. I would be very surprised if a statement about regional Western Australia did not incorporate the federal seat of Kalgoorlie given that it includes most of Western Australia. Mr C.J. Barnett: They all did. What a coincidence! Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will say two things to the Leader of the Opposition: firstly, until he comes clean on Richard Lewis’s actions in 1996 and 1997, no-one will believe the Leader of the Opposition; secondly, Hon Tom Stephens followed the usual process, and there is absolutely no case to answer on this issue.
(1)-(3) The Opposition is really on the ball. It is really taking up the issues that matter to the people of Western Australia! I notice that it is not asking questions about the doubling of the number of mental health accommodation beds the Government will provide throughout Western Australia. We might tell the Opposition about that anyway, during question time. Mr M.W. Trenorden: What about a bit of accountability? Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will talk about accountability. I ask a question of the Leader of the Opposition. Did Mr Richard Lewis act in a proper manner between December 1996 and 9 January 1997, after he had resigned his seat as a member of Parliament, because Parliament had been prorogued, but remained as a minister? New members might be interested in this, because those of us who have been members for a while remember this one very well. On 29 occasions during that period and until his eventual resignation as minister, Richard Lewis overruled local government and the then State Planning Commission decisions in full or in part, as well as dismissing appeals in 18 cases. Let us just establish what we mean by accountability. I ask the Leader of the Opposition whether Mr Lewis acted properly on that occasion. That is what I call improper behaviour. After the election, the then planning minister, Graham Kierath, who wants to come back into this House, refused to release any information on the 29 council zoning and planning decisions that Mr Lewis had overturned while operating as a caretaker minister. There was a double-barrelled impropriety. Mr Lewis made all these decisions while he was a caretaker minister, and then he failed to reveal all the information. I will now go through the details about the actions of Hon Tom Stephens. Applications for the regional headworks scheme closed on 8 April 2004. Forty applications were received by the Department of Local Government and Regional Development from seven regions. An assessment panel, independently chaired by Mr David Coates, undertook detailed assessment of each application against the criteria. Mr C.J. Barnett: That is not the point. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Yes, it is the point. The assessment panel made recommendations that were provided to the minister’s office on 26 August 2004. The minister approved the recommendations and signed the letters on the morning of Monday, 13 September 2004. At the time of the signing there was no consideration of the minister resigning from his portfolio. The delay in signing was in part due to the minister’s absence from Perth for most of the previous week. The usual process was followed. Expressions of interest for the regional development scheme for the Gascoyne were invited between 17 March and 3 May 2004. All applicants were asked to complete a supplement to the expression of interest, allowing further information to be presented to the Gascoyne Development Commission board at its 14 July meeting. Board members received a full copy and briefing note for each final application on 8 September 2004, and the applications were assessed and scored by each board member. A list of recommended applications to be funded were subsequently received in the minister’s office on 15 September 2004, which list was signed off by the then minister on 16 September. At the time the Gascoyne Development Commission forwarded this information to the minister’s office there was no indication that the then minister would resign. The usual process for releasing information through a media statement was undertaken. He was the minister and the usual process was followed. I would be very surprised if a statement about regional Western Australia did not incorporate the federal seat of Kalgoorlie given that it includes most of Western Australia. Mr C.J. Barnett: They all did. What a coincidence! Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will say two things to the Leader of the Opposition: firstly, until he comes clean on Richard Lewis’s actions in 1996 and 1997, no-one will believe the Leader of the Opposition; secondly, Hon Tom Stephens followed the usual process, and there is absolutely no case to answer on this issue.
Mr M.W. Trenorden: What about a bit of accountability? Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will talk about accountability. I ask a question of the Leader of the Opposition. Did Mr Richard Lewis act in a proper manner between December 1996 and 9 January 1997, after he had resigned his seat as a member of Parliament, because Parliament had been prorogued, but remained as a minister? New members might be interested in this, because those of us who have been members for a while remember this one very well. On 29 occasions during that period and until his eventual resignation as minister, Richard Lewis overruled local government and the then State Planning Commission decisions in full or in part, as well as dismissing appeals in 18 cases. Let us just establish what we mean by accountability. I ask the Leader of the Opposition whether Mr Lewis acted properly on that occasion. That is what I call improper behaviour. After the election, the then planning minister, Graham Kierath, who wants to come back into this House, refused to release any information on the 29 council zoning and planning decisions that Mr Lewis had overturned while operating as a caretaker minister. There was a double-barrelled impropriety. Mr Lewis made all these decisions while he was a caretaker minister, and then he failed to reveal all the information. I will now go through the details about the actions of Hon Tom Stephens. Applications for the regional headworks scheme closed on 8 April 2004. Forty applications were received by the Department of Local Government and Regional Development from seven regions. An assessment panel, independently chaired by Mr David Coates, undertook detailed assessment of each application against the criteria. Mr C.J. Barnett: That is not the point. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Yes, it is the point. The assessment panel made recommendations that were provided to the minister’s office on 26 August 2004. The minister approved the recommendations and signed the letters on the morning of Monday, 13 September 2004. At the time of the signing there was no consideration of the minister resigning from his portfolio. The delay in signing was in part due to the minister’s absence from Perth for most of the previous week. The usual process was followed. Expressions of interest for the regional development scheme for the Gascoyne were invited between 17 March and 3 May 2004. All applicants were asked to complete a supplement to the expression of interest, allowing further information to be presented to the Gascoyne Development Commission board at its 14 July meeting. Board members received a full copy and briefing note for each final application on 8 September 2004, and the applications were assessed and scored by each board member. A list of recommended applications to be funded were subsequently received in the minister’s office on 15 September 2004, which list was signed off by the then minister on 16 September. At the time the Gascoyne Development Commission forwarded this information to the minister’s office there was no indication that the then minister would resign. The usual process for releasing information through a media statement was undertaken. He was the minister and the usual process was followed. I would be very surprised if a statement about regional Western Australia did not incorporate the federal seat of Kalgoorlie given that it includes most of Western Australia. Mr C.J. Barnett: They all did. What a coincidence! Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will say two things to the Leader of the Opposition: firstly, until he comes clean on Richard Lewis’s actions in 1996 and 1997, no-one will believe the Leader of the Opposition; secondly, Hon Tom Stephens followed the usual process, and there is absolutely no case to answer on this issue.
Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will talk about accountability. I ask a question of the Leader of the Opposition. Did Mr Richard Lewis act in a proper manner between December 1996 and 9 January 1997, after he had resigned his seat as a member of Parliament, because Parliament had been prorogued, but remained as a minister? New members might be interested in this, because those of us who have been members for a while remember this one very well. On 29 occasions during that period and until his eventual resignation as minister, Richard Lewis overruled local government and the then State Planning Commission decisions in full or in part, as well as dismissing appeals in 18 cases. Let us just establish what we mean by accountability. I ask the Leader of the Opposition whether Mr Lewis acted properly on that occasion. That is what I call improper behaviour. After the election, the then planning minister, Graham Kierath, who wants to come back into this House, refused to release any information on the 29 council zoning and planning decisions that Mr Lewis had overturned while operating as a caretaker minister. There was a double-barrelled impropriety. Mr Lewis made all these decisions while he was a caretaker minister, and then he failed to reveal all the information. I will now go through the details about the actions of Hon Tom Stephens. Applications for the regional headworks scheme closed on 8 April 2004. Forty applications were received by the Department of Local Government and Regional Development from seven regions. An assessment panel, independently chaired by Mr David Coates, undertook detailed assessment of each application against the criteria. Mr C.J. Barnett: That is not the point. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Yes, it is the point. The assessment panel made recommendations that were provided to the minister’s office on 26 August 2004. The minister approved the recommendations and signed the letters on the morning of Monday, 13 September 2004. At the time of the signing there was no consideration of the minister resigning from his portfolio. The delay in signing was in part due to the minister’s absence from Perth for most of the previous week. The usual process was followed. Expressions of interest for the regional development scheme for the Gascoyne were invited between 17 March and 3 May 2004. All applicants were asked to complete a supplement to the expression of interest, allowing further information to be presented to the Gascoyne Development Commission board at its 14 July meeting. Board members received a full copy and briefing note for each final application on 8 September 2004, and the applications were assessed and scored by each board member. A list of recommended applications to be funded were subsequently received in the minister’s office on 15 September 2004, which list was signed off by the then minister on 16 September. At the time the Gascoyne Development Commission forwarded this information to the minister’s office there was no indication that the then minister would resign. The usual process for releasing information through a media statement was undertaken. He was the minister and the usual process was followed. I would be very surprised if a statement about regional Western Australia did not incorporate the federal seat of Kalgoorlie given that it includes most of Western Australia. Mr C.J. Barnett: They all did. What a coincidence! Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will say two things to the Leader of the Opposition: firstly, until he comes clean on Richard Lewis’s actions in 1996 and 1997, no-one will believe the Leader of the Opposition; secondly, Hon Tom Stephens followed the usual process, and there is absolutely no case to answer on this issue.
I will now go through the details about the actions of Hon Tom Stephens. Applications for the regional headworks scheme closed on 8 April 2004. Forty applications were received by the Department of Local Government and Regional Development from seven regions. An assessment panel, independently chaired by Mr David Coates, undertook detailed assessment of each application against the criteria. Mr C.J. Barnett: That is not the point. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Yes, it is the point. The assessment panel made recommendations that were provided to the minister’s office on 26 August 2004. The minister approved the recommendations and signed the letters on the morning of Monday, 13 September 2004. At the time of the signing there was no consideration of the minister resigning from his portfolio. The delay in signing was in part due to the minister’s absence from Perth for most of the previous week. The usual process was followed. Expressions of interest for the regional development scheme for the Gascoyne were invited between 17 March and 3 May 2004. All applicants were asked to complete a supplement to the expression of interest, allowing further information to be presented to the Gascoyne Development Commission board at its 14 July meeting. Board members received a full copy and briefing note for each final application on 8 September 2004, and the applications were assessed and scored by each board member. A list of recommended applications to be funded were subsequently received in the minister’s office on 15 September 2004, which list was signed off by the then minister on 16 September. At the time the Gascoyne Development Commission forwarded this information to the minister’s office there was no indication that the then minister would resign. The usual process for releasing information through a media statement was undertaken. He was the minister and the usual process was followed. I would be very surprised if a statement about regional Western Australia did not incorporate the federal seat of Kalgoorlie given that it includes most of Western Australia. Mr C.J. Barnett: They all did. What a coincidence! Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will say two things to the Leader of the Opposition: firstly, until he comes clean on Richard Lewis’s actions in 1996 and 1997, no-one will believe the Leader of the Opposition; secondly, Hon Tom Stephens followed the usual process, and there is absolutely no case to answer on this issue.
Mr C.J. Barnett: That is not the point. Dr G.I. GALLOP: Yes, it is the point. The assessment panel made recommendations that were provided to the minister’s office on 26 August 2004. The minister approved the recommendations and signed the letters on the morning of Monday, 13 September 2004. At the time of the signing there was no consideration of the minister resigning from his portfolio. The delay in signing was in part due to the minister’s absence from Perth for most of the previous week. The usual process was followed. Expressions of interest for the regional development scheme for the Gascoyne were invited between 17 March and 3 May 2004. All applicants were asked to complete a supplement to the expression of interest, allowing further information to be presented to the Gascoyne Development Commission board at its 14 July meeting. Board members received a full copy and briefing note for each final application on 8 September 2004, and the applications were assessed and scored by each board member. A list of recommended applications to be funded were subsequently received in the minister’s office on 15 September 2004, which list was signed off by the then minister on 16 September. At the time the Gascoyne Development Commission forwarded this information to the minister’s office there was no indication that the then minister would resign. The usual process for releasing information through a media statement was undertaken. He was the minister and the usual process was followed. I would be very surprised if a statement about regional Western Australia did not incorporate the federal seat of Kalgoorlie given that it includes most of Western Australia. Mr C.J. Barnett: They all did. What a coincidence! Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will say two things to the Leader of the Opposition: firstly, until he comes clean on Richard Lewis’s actions in 1996 and 1997, no-one will believe the Leader of the Opposition; secondly, Hon Tom Stephens followed the usual process, and there is absolutely no case to answer on this issue.
Dr G.I. GALLOP: Yes, it is the point. The assessment panel made recommendations that were provided to the minister’s office on 26 August 2004. The minister approved the recommendations and signed the letters on the morning of Monday, 13 September 2004. At the time of the signing there was no consideration of the minister resigning from his portfolio. The delay in signing was in part due to the minister’s absence from Perth for most of the previous week. The usual process was followed. Expressions of interest for the regional development scheme for the Gascoyne were invited between 17 March and 3 May 2004. All applicants were asked to complete a supplement to the expression of interest, allowing further information to be presented to the Gascoyne Development Commission board at its 14 July meeting. Board members received a full copy and briefing note for each final application on 8 September 2004, and the applications were assessed and scored by each board member. A list of recommended applications to be funded were subsequently received in the minister’s office on 15 September 2004, which list was signed off by the then minister on 16 September. At the time the Gascoyne Development Commission forwarded this information to the minister’s office there was no indication that the then minister would resign. The usual process for releasing information through a media statement was undertaken. He was the minister and the usual process was followed. I would be very surprised if a statement about regional Western Australia did not incorporate the federal seat of Kalgoorlie given that it includes most of Western Australia. Mr C.J. Barnett: They all did. What a coincidence! Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will say two things to the Leader of the Opposition: firstly, until he comes clean on Richard Lewis’s actions in 1996 and 1997, no-one will believe the Leader of the Opposition; secondly, Hon Tom Stephens followed the usual process, and there is absolutely no case to answer on this issue.
Expressions of interest for the regional development scheme for the Gascoyne were invited between 17 March and 3 May 2004. All applicants were asked to complete a supplement to the expression of interest, allowing further information to be presented to the Gascoyne Development Commission board at its 14 July meeting. Board members received a full copy and briefing note for each final application on 8 September 2004, and the applications were assessed and scored by each board member. A list of recommended applications to be funded were subsequently received in the minister’s office on 15 September 2004, which list was signed off by the then minister on 16 September. At the time the Gascoyne Development Commission forwarded this information to the minister’s office there was no indication that the then minister would resign. The usual process for releasing information through a media statement was undertaken. He was the minister and the usual process was followed. I would be very surprised if a statement about regional Western Australia did not incorporate the federal seat of Kalgoorlie given that it includes most of Western Australia. Mr C.J. Barnett: They all did. What a coincidence! Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will say two things to the Leader of the Opposition: firstly, until he comes clean on Richard Lewis’s actions in 1996 and 1997, no-one will believe the Leader of the Opposition; secondly, Hon Tom Stephens followed the usual process, and there is absolutely no case to answer on this issue.
Mr C.J. Barnett: They all did. What a coincidence! Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will say two things to the Leader of the Opposition: firstly, until he comes clean on Richard Lewis’s actions in 1996 and 1997, no-one will believe the Leader of the Opposition; secondly, Hon Tom Stephens followed the usual process, and there is absolutely no case to answer on this issue.
Dr G.I. GALLOP: I will say two things to the Leader of the Opposition: firstly, until he comes clean on Richard Lewis’s actions in 1996 and 1997, no-one will believe the Leader of the Opposition; secondly, Hon Tom Stephens followed the usual process, and there is absolutely no case to answer on this issue.
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