❓ Mr. Wyatt questions the Premier regarding a large resignation payout to Mr. Larsson. The Premier deflects, stating the FOI request was misdirected and the payout was due to a breach of standards.
AnsweredQoN 466Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
JAMES LARSSON — RESIGNATION PAYOUT
466. Mr B.S. WYATT to the Premier:
I refer to the letter
from Mr Peter Conran that the Public Accounts Committee made public earlier
today regarding the payout figure to Mr James Larsson, who resigned after 28
months of employment in the Premier's government.
(1) On what basis was Mr Larsson paid $53 750
upon his resignation—approximately three to five times more than he
would be entitled to under a normal resignation?
(2) Why has the
Premier continually tried to hide this information from public scrutiny?
466. Mr B.S. WYATT to the Premier:
I refer to the letter
from Mr Peter Conran that the Public Accounts Committee made public earlier
today regarding the payout figure to Mr James Larsson, who resigned after 28
months of employment in the Premier's government.
(1) On what basis was Mr Larsson paid $53 750
upon his resignation—approximately three to five times more than he
would be entitled to under a normal resignation?
(2) Why has the
Premier continually tried to hide this information from public scrutiny?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) When the member for Victoria
Park sought the information, he sent an FOI request to my office, the office of
the Premier. Had he done as he had done previously and actually sent it to the
FOI unit, he would have had it answered. The member sent the request to the
wrong place.
Mr E.S. Ripper : Had you had a genuine commitment to freedom
of information, it would have been answered!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; he sent it to the wrong place.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : Why did I get an answer from the department
then?
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am trying to answer the member's
question. He sent it to the wrong place —
Mr B.S. Wyatt : But I got an answer from the department.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am happy to answer the question. The
member sent the request to the wrong place. Both those gentlemen are no longer
employed by the government.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : Both gentlemen? Who is the other one?
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Jake Smith was also referred to in the
letter. I have never met Jake Smith, by the way, but he was also referred to
when the member sought information.
Several members
interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Cannington!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : There is no point! Do members opposite want
me to answer or not? I am easy either way. I am quite relaxed.
Several members
interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park, you have asked a question. The Premier is
endeavouring to answer the question. I do not think that the member for
Victoria Park or the Premier needs any assistance from anybody else in this
place at this time.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : The FOI request was sent to the wrong
place; it eventually got to the right place. By that time —
Ms M.M. Quirk : By the well-oiled machinery of government!
The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the second
time today.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : When it finally got to where it was meant
to be, both Mr James Larsson and Mr Jake Smith had left the employ of
government; therefore, they had certain entitlements under the FOI process to
be informed. The determination of the payout figure was handled by the
Department of the Premier and Cabinet, not by me; they were not employed
directly by me or my office. If the member likes, I will read from the letter because
I coincidentally have a copy here. The letter from the Director General
of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet reads —
Mr Larsson tendered his
resignation with effect from 30 January 2012. It was agreed Mr Larsson would be
paid accrued and pro rata annual and long service leave and four month's
salary including waiver of working through a notice of resignation period. The
total payment was $46,847.96
And so on—blah, blah, blah. All the details are
there. He was paid his entitlements. He was paid out rather than serve a period
of notice. It is no secret that this government has high standards. Mr Larsson
breached the standard that I required, and he was paid out rather than serve
four weeks' resignation period. He was paid out because he breached the
standards. It is as simple as that.
Park sought the information, he sent an FOI request to my office, the office of
the Premier. Had he done as he had done previously and actually sent it to the
FOI unit, he would have had it answered. The member sent the request to the
wrong place.
Mr E.S. Ripper : Had you had a genuine commitment to freedom
of information, it would have been answered!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; he sent it to the wrong place.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : Why did I get an answer from the department
then?
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am trying to answer the member's
question. He sent it to the wrong place —
Mr B.S. Wyatt : But I got an answer from the department.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am happy to answer the question. The
member sent the request to the wrong place. Both those gentlemen are no longer
employed by the government.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : Both gentlemen? Who is the other one?
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Jake Smith was also referred to in the
letter. I have never met Jake Smith, by the way, but he was also referred to
when the member sought information.
Several members
interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Cannington!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : There is no point! Do members opposite want
me to answer or not? I am easy either way. I am quite relaxed.
Several members
interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park, you have asked a question. The Premier is
endeavouring to answer the question. I do not think that the member for
Victoria Park or the Premier needs any assistance from anybody else in this
place at this time.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : The FOI request was sent to the wrong
place; it eventually got to the right place. By that time —
Ms M.M. Quirk : By the well-oiled machinery of government!
The SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I formally call you to order for the second
time today.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : When it finally got to where it was meant
to be, both Mr James Larsson and Mr Jake Smith had left the employ of
government; therefore, they had certain entitlements under the FOI process to
be informed. The determination of the payout figure was handled by the
Department of the Premier and Cabinet, not by me; they were not employed
directly by me or my office. If the member likes, I will read from the letter because
I coincidentally have a copy here. The letter from the Director General
of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet reads —
Mr Larsson tendered his
resignation with effect from 30 January 2012. It was agreed Mr Larsson would be
paid accrued and pro rata annual and long service leave and four month's
salary including waiver of working through a notice of resignation period. The
total payment was $46,847.96
And so on—blah, blah, blah. All the details are
there. He was paid his entitlements. He was paid out rather than serve a period
of notice. It is no secret that this government has high standards. Mr Larsson
breached the standard that I required, and he was paid out rather than serve
four weeks' resignation period. He was paid out because he breached the
standards. It is as simple as that.
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