❓ Question regarding the Minister for Health's confidence in agency boards and management concerning ticketing and sponsorship arrangements, following concerns raised about Healthway. The Minister defends the practice of distributing tickets to promote events and ensure parliamentary awareness.
AnsweredQoN 422Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
SPONSORSHIP
MANAGEMENT — AUDITOR GENERAL'S REPORT
422. Ms R. SAFFIOTI to the
Minister for Health:
I refer to the government's demand for the
resignation of the Healthway board, in particular the minister's loss
of confidence in the board due to what the Premier called the ''absolute
excessive use of tickets''. I refer also to the latest reports about the
ticketing arrangements for agencies under the minister's control,
including Tourism WA and Eventscorp.
(1) Does the
minister have confidence in the board and senior management of these agencies
in relation to ticketing and sponsorship arrangements?
(2) Given the
minister's action against Healthway, will the minister ask the Auditor
General to conduct an independent inquiry into the sponsorship and ticket
arrangements?
MANAGEMENT — AUDITOR GENERAL'S REPORT
422. Ms R. SAFFIOTI to the
Minister for Health:
I refer to the government's demand for the
resignation of the Healthway board, in particular the minister's loss
of confidence in the board due to what the Premier called the ''absolute
excessive use of tickets''. I refer also to the latest reports about the
ticketing arrangements for agencies under the minister's control,
including Tourism WA and Eventscorp.
(1) Does the
minister have confidence in the board and senior management of these agencies
in relation to ticketing and sponsorship arrangements?
(2) Given the
minister's action against Healthway, will the minister ask the Auditor
General to conduct an independent inquiry into the sponsorship and ticket
arrangements?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2)
When the Public Sector Commissioner released his report, he did not do it in
isolation, looking only at the behaviour of Healthway. The report looked at
other organisations as well, including the Department of Sport and Recreation,
Lotterywest and Tourism WA, to determine their practices. The comments in the
report highlighted the quality of Tourism WA setting the example for how a
system should operate in providing tickets. The vast number of tickets
available for distribution was a surprise to everyone. I know how some of those
distributions occur. For example, the organisers of the tennis tournament, for
events where large numbers of people have not purchased tickets but for which
the key is the television audience and what the cameras get to see, want a full
house. Many of those organisations hand out lots of tickets, which are handed
on to a whole range of people, including members opposite, to allow them to
attend these events. In Tourism WA, for example, at a higher level, I want my
board members going to events, and I want members of Parliament going to
events. It is critically important for them to see what is happening. I also
want members opposite going to events and for some events—Gourmet Escape
is a good example—I have given tickets to opposition members to attend.
Several
members interjected.
Dr K.D. HAMES : I
do not know who went; I just know that tickets were given. I want members
opposite to attend events, because if, heaven forbid, one day they are on this
side, I want them to appreciate the quality of these events and how important
they are to the state. It is important that members of Parliament, members of
boards and some staff attend those events.
There was an error in the report in The Sunday Times in relation to 650 tickets going to 32 staff. The
reality was that 650 tickets were produced, of which 32 went to staff. There is
a fairly big difference there, as members can imagine. The 32 staff got 32
tickets, not 650 tickets. That was corrected by The Sunday Times online after the story in the newspaper.
I have confidence in the new arrangement. The Premier is
responsible for that area of management of services. We will look at all
government departments. I know that Tourism WA, as a result of all this, has
done an internal review of how the system operates. I think it will be found
that there will be a significant toning down of tickets available and
distributed, as I think there should be.
When the Public Sector Commissioner released his report, he did not do it in
isolation, looking only at the behaviour of Healthway. The report looked at
other organisations as well, including the Department of Sport and Recreation,
Lotterywest and Tourism WA, to determine their practices. The comments in the
report highlighted the quality of Tourism WA setting the example for how a
system should operate in providing tickets. The vast number of tickets
available for distribution was a surprise to everyone. I know how some of those
distributions occur. For example, the organisers of the tennis tournament, for
events where large numbers of people have not purchased tickets but for which
the key is the television audience and what the cameras get to see, want a full
house. Many of those organisations hand out lots of tickets, which are handed
on to a whole range of people, including members opposite, to allow them to
attend these events. In Tourism WA, for example, at a higher level, I want my
board members going to events, and I want members of Parliament going to
events. It is critically important for them to see what is happening. I also
want members opposite going to events and for some events—Gourmet Escape
is a good example—I have given tickets to opposition members to attend.
Several
members interjected.
Dr K.D. HAMES : I
do not know who went; I just know that tickets were given. I want members
opposite to attend events, because if, heaven forbid, one day they are on this
side, I want them to appreciate the quality of these events and how important
they are to the state. It is important that members of Parliament, members of
boards and some staff attend those events.
There was an error in the report in The Sunday Times in relation to 650 tickets going to 32 staff. The
reality was that 650 tickets were produced, of which 32 went to staff. There is
a fairly big difference there, as members can imagine. The 32 staff got 32
tickets, not 650 tickets. That was corrected by The Sunday Times online after the story in the newspaper.
I have confidence in the new arrangement. The Premier is
responsible for that area of management of services. We will look at all
government departments. I know that Tourism WA, as a result of all this, has
done an internal review of how the system operates. I think it will be found
that there will be a significant toning down of tickets available and
distributed, as I think there should be.
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