❓ Question on Notice regarding alleged irresponsible behaviour of Port Hedland Town Council. Minister neither confirms nor denies accusation, citing ongoing discussions and commitments from the council to resolve issues.
AnsweredQoN 508Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
The minister recently stated that the Government would not support irresponsible council behaviour. (1) Has the Port Hedland Town Council been acting irresponsibly? (2) If so, on what basis does the minister say that? (3) If not, will he withdraw his earlier accusation, which has impugned all councillors at Port Hedland? Hon TOM STEPHENS
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(3) The answer to the last part of the question is: I have not and I did not. In answer to the first part of the question, on Saturday morning I met the present deputy mayor, the former mayor, the range of councillors - I think one was missing - and their senior staff. In view of their undertakings to provide information sought at that meeting by the director general of my department and in view of the commitments they made and the suggestion that some progress would be made on these issues, they asked that I refrain from canvassing these issues. I intend to do that. Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! The parliamentary secretaries are drowning out the minister’s remarks, which is not very hard to do at the moment. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We had a robust discussion and we have agreed that we will not continue that robust discussion in the media because the council has undertaken to bring these issues to a resolution. I understand that the Leader of the Opposition rang the media to say he was going to Port Hedland. The people of Port Hedland asked if he would please send a photograph so that they will know what he looks like when he gets there.
(1) Has the Port Hedland Town Council been acting irresponsibly? (2) If so, on what basis does the minister say that? (3) If not, will he withdraw his earlier accusation, which has impugned all councillors at Port Hedland? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1)-(3) The answer to the last part of the question is: I have not and I did not. In answer to the first part of the question, on Saturday morning I met the present deputy mayor, the former mayor, the range of councillors - I think one was missing - and their senior staff. In view of their undertakings to provide information sought at that meeting by the director general of my department and in view of the commitments they made and the suggestion that some progress would be made on these issues, they asked that I refrain from canvassing these issues. I intend to do that. Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! The parliamentary secretaries are drowning out the minister’s remarks, which is not very hard to do at the moment. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We had a robust discussion and we have agreed that we will not continue that robust discussion in the media because the council has undertaken to bring these issues to a resolution. I understand that the Leader of the Opposition rang the media to say he was going to Port Hedland. The people of Port Hedland asked if he would please send a photograph so that they will know what he looks like when he gets there.
(2) If so, on what basis does the minister say that? (3) If not, will he withdraw his earlier accusation, which has impugned all councillors at Port Hedland? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1)-(3) The answer to the last part of the question is: I have not and I did not. In answer to the first part of the question, on Saturday morning I met the present deputy mayor, the former mayor, the range of councillors - I think one was missing - and their senior staff. In view of their undertakings to provide information sought at that meeting by the director general of my department and in view of the commitments they made and the suggestion that some progress would be made on these issues, they asked that I refrain from canvassing these issues. I intend to do that. Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! The parliamentary secretaries are drowning out the minister’s remarks, which is not very hard to do at the moment. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We had a robust discussion and we have agreed that we will not continue that robust discussion in the media because the council has undertaken to bring these issues to a resolution. I understand that the Leader of the Opposition rang the media to say he was going to Port Hedland. The people of Port Hedland asked if he would please send a photograph so that they will know what he looks like when he gets there.
(3) If not, will he withdraw his earlier accusation, which has impugned all councillors at Port Hedland? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1)-(3) The answer to the last part of the question is: I have not and I did not. In answer to the first part of the question, on Saturday morning I met the present deputy mayor, the former mayor, the range of councillors - I think one was missing - and their senior staff. In view of their undertakings to provide information sought at that meeting by the director general of my department and in view of the commitments they made and the suggestion that some progress would be made on these issues, they asked that I refrain from canvassing these issues. I intend to do that. Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! The parliamentary secretaries are drowning out the minister’s remarks, which is not very hard to do at the moment. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We had a robust discussion and we have agreed that we will not continue that robust discussion in the media because the council has undertaken to bring these issues to a resolution. I understand that the Leader of the Opposition rang the media to say he was going to Port Hedland. The people of Port Hedland asked if he would please send a photograph so that they will know what he looks like when he gets there.
Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1)-(3) The answer to the last part of the question is: I have not and I did not. In answer to the first part of the question, on Saturday morning I met the present deputy mayor, the former mayor, the range of councillors - I think one was missing - and their senior staff. In view of their undertakings to provide information sought at that meeting by the director general of my department and in view of the commitments they made and the suggestion that some progress would be made on these issues, they asked that I refrain from canvassing these issues. I intend to do that. Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! The parliamentary secretaries are drowning out the minister’s remarks, which is not very hard to do at the moment. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We had a robust discussion and we have agreed that we will not continue that robust discussion in the media because the council has undertaken to bring these issues to a resolution. I understand that the Leader of the Opposition rang the media to say he was going to Port Hedland. The people of Port Hedland asked if he would please send a photograph so that they will know what he looks like when he gets there.
(1)-(3) The answer to the last part of the question is: I have not and I did not. In answer to the first part of the question, on Saturday morning I met the present deputy mayor, the former mayor, the range of councillors - I think one was missing - and their senior staff. In view of their undertakings to provide information sought at that meeting by the director general of my department and in view of the commitments they made and the suggestion that some progress would be made on these issues, they asked that I refrain from canvassing these issues. I intend to do that. Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! The parliamentary secretaries are drowning out the minister’s remarks, which is not very hard to do at the moment. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We had a robust discussion and we have agreed that we will not continue that robust discussion in the media because the council has undertaken to bring these issues to a resolution. I understand that the Leader of the Opposition rang the media to say he was going to Port Hedland. The people of Port Hedland asked if he would please send a photograph so that they will know what he looks like when he gets there.
Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! The parliamentary secretaries are drowning out the minister’s remarks, which is not very hard to do at the moment. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We had a robust discussion and we have agreed that we will not continue that robust discussion in the media because the council has undertaken to bring these issues to a resolution. I understand that the Leader of the Opposition rang the media to say he was going to Port Hedland. The people of Port Hedland asked if he would please send a photograph so that they will know what he looks like when he gets there.
The PRESIDENT: Order! The parliamentary secretaries are drowning out the minister’s remarks, which is not very hard to do at the moment. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We had a robust discussion and we have agreed that we will not continue that robust discussion in the media because the council has undertaken to bring these issues to a resolution. I understand that the Leader of the Opposition rang the media to say he was going to Port Hedland. The people of Port Hedland asked if he would please send a photograph so that they will know what he looks like when he gets there.
Hon TOM STEPHENS: We had a robust discussion and we have agreed that we will not continue that robust discussion in the media because the council has undertaken to bring these issues to a resolution. I understand that the Leader of the Opposition rang the media to say he was going to Port Hedland. The people of Port Hedland asked if he would please send a photograph so that they will know what he looks like when he gets there.
(1) Has the Port Hedland Town Council been acting irresponsibly? (2) If so, on what basis does the minister say that? (3) If not, will he withdraw his earlier accusation, which has impugned all councillors at Port Hedland? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1)-(3) The answer to the last part of the question is: I have not and I did not. In answer to the first part of the question, on Saturday morning I met the present deputy mayor, the former mayor, the range of councillors - I think one was missing - and their senior staff. In view of their undertakings to provide information sought at that meeting by the director general of my department and in view of the commitments they made and the suggestion that some progress would be made on these issues, they asked that I refrain from canvassing these issues. I intend to do that. Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! The parliamentary secretaries are drowning out the minister’s remarks, which is not very hard to do at the moment. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We had a robust discussion and we have agreed that we will not continue that robust discussion in the media because the council has undertaken to bring these issues to a resolution. I understand that the Leader of the Opposition rang the media to say he was going to Port Hedland. The people of Port Hedland asked if he would please send a photograph so that they will know what he looks like when he gets there.
(2) If so, on what basis does the minister say that? (3) If not, will he withdraw his earlier accusation, which has impugned all councillors at Port Hedland? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1)-(3) The answer to the last part of the question is: I have not and I did not. In answer to the first part of the question, on Saturday morning I met the present deputy mayor, the former mayor, the range of councillors - I think one was missing - and their senior staff. In view of their undertakings to provide information sought at that meeting by the director general of my department and in view of the commitments they made and the suggestion that some progress would be made on these issues, they asked that I refrain from canvassing these issues. I intend to do that. Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! The parliamentary secretaries are drowning out the minister’s remarks, which is not very hard to do at the moment. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We had a robust discussion and we have agreed that we will not continue that robust discussion in the media because the council has undertaken to bring these issues to a resolution. I understand that the Leader of the Opposition rang the media to say he was going to Port Hedland. The people of Port Hedland asked if he would please send a photograph so that they will know what he looks like when he gets there.
(3) If not, will he withdraw his earlier accusation, which has impugned all councillors at Port Hedland? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1)-(3) The answer to the last part of the question is: I have not and I did not. In answer to the first part of the question, on Saturday morning I met the present deputy mayor, the former mayor, the range of councillors - I think one was missing - and their senior staff. In view of their undertakings to provide information sought at that meeting by the director general of my department and in view of the commitments they made and the suggestion that some progress would be made on these issues, they asked that I refrain from canvassing these issues. I intend to do that. Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! The parliamentary secretaries are drowning out the minister’s remarks, which is not very hard to do at the moment. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We had a robust discussion and we have agreed that we will not continue that robust discussion in the media because the council has undertaken to bring these issues to a resolution. I understand that the Leader of the Opposition rang the media to say he was going to Port Hedland. The people of Port Hedland asked if he would please send a photograph so that they will know what he looks like when he gets there.
Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1)-(3) The answer to the last part of the question is: I have not and I did not. In answer to the first part of the question, on Saturday morning I met the present deputy mayor, the former mayor, the range of councillors - I think one was missing - and their senior staff. In view of their undertakings to provide information sought at that meeting by the director general of my department and in view of the commitments they made and the suggestion that some progress would be made on these issues, they asked that I refrain from canvassing these issues. I intend to do that. Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! The parliamentary secretaries are drowning out the minister’s remarks, which is not very hard to do at the moment. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We had a robust discussion and we have agreed that we will not continue that robust discussion in the media because the council has undertaken to bring these issues to a resolution. I understand that the Leader of the Opposition rang the media to say he was going to Port Hedland. The people of Port Hedland asked if he would please send a photograph so that they will know what he looks like when he gets there.
(1)-(3) The answer to the last part of the question is: I have not and I did not. In answer to the first part of the question, on Saturday morning I met the present deputy mayor, the former mayor, the range of councillors - I think one was missing - and their senior staff. In view of their undertakings to provide information sought at that meeting by the director general of my department and in view of the commitments they made and the suggestion that some progress would be made on these issues, they asked that I refrain from canvassing these issues. I intend to do that. Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! The parliamentary secretaries are drowning out the minister’s remarks, which is not very hard to do at the moment. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We had a robust discussion and we have agreed that we will not continue that robust discussion in the media because the council has undertaken to bring these issues to a resolution. I understand that the Leader of the Opposition rang the media to say he was going to Port Hedland. The people of Port Hedland asked if he would please send a photograph so that they will know what he looks like when he gets there.
Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! The parliamentary secretaries are drowning out the minister’s remarks, which is not very hard to do at the moment. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We had a robust discussion and we have agreed that we will not continue that robust discussion in the media because the council has undertaken to bring these issues to a resolution. I understand that the Leader of the Opposition rang the media to say he was going to Port Hedland. The people of Port Hedland asked if he would please send a photograph so that they will know what he looks like when he gets there.
The PRESIDENT: Order! The parliamentary secretaries are drowning out the minister’s remarks, which is not very hard to do at the moment. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We had a robust discussion and we have agreed that we will not continue that robust discussion in the media because the council has undertaken to bring these issues to a resolution. I understand that the Leader of the Opposition rang the media to say he was going to Port Hedland. The people of Port Hedland asked if he would please send a photograph so that they will know what he looks like when he gets there.
Hon TOM STEPHENS: We had a robust discussion and we have agreed that we will not continue that robust discussion in the media because the council has undertaken to bring these issues to a resolution. I understand that the Leader of the Opposition rang the media to say he was going to Port Hedland. The people of Port Hedland asked if he would please send a photograph so that they will know what he looks like when he gets there.
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