❓ Question regarding the Minister for Health's comments on a journalist who allegedly stole a computer containing patient information from Royal Perth Hospital, and the security of said computers. The Minister defends his actions and clarifies the location of the computers.
AnsweredQoN 194Legislative Assembly
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ROYAL P ERTH HOSPITAL COMPUTERS
I refer to the minister’s extraordinary claim on the Channel 10 news about his failure to protect the highly-sensitive and private information of patients of the Royal Perth Hospital, when he stated — The reporter stole the computer in order to fabricate a story. I also refer to the minister’s accusation that a journalist at The West Australian was “gormless” for not appreciating that — The winds of change are blowing. (1) Given that the minister has, no doubt, many pressing matters of government arising from being both the Minister for Health and the Attorney General, is involving himself in the criticism of journalism and journalists a good use of government time and resources? (2) Given that the computers with private patient information were left in an unsecured laneway, why was the minister defaming an individual when a formal investigation had not been carried out to determine the facts of what occurred? Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : Don’t you remember what you used to say about The West Australian journalists? You used to describe some of them as my press secretaries! Point of Order Dr K.D. HAMES : I believe I asked the question of the Minister for Health — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We were just trying to assist you. The SPEAKER : That is quite true. I am sure the Minister for Health does not need assistance from any of his colleagues. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr J.A. McGINTY
I refer to the minister’s extraordinary claim on the Channel 10 news about his failure to protect the highly-sensitive and private information of patients of the Royal Perth Hospital, when he stated — The reporter stole the computer in order to fabricate a story. I also refer to the minister’s accusation that a journalist at The West Australian was “gormless” for not appreciating that — The winds of change are blowing. (1) Given that the minister has, no doubt, many pressing matters of government arising from being both the Minister for Health and the Attorney General, is involving himself in the criticism of journalism and journalists a good use of government time and resources? (2) Given that the computers with private patient information were left in an unsecured laneway, why was the minister defaming an individual when a formal investigation had not been carried out to determine the facts of what occurred? Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : Don’t you remember what you used to say about The West Australian journalists? You used to describe some of them as my press secretaries! Point of Order Dr K.D. HAMES : I believe I asked the question of the Minister for Health — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We were just trying to assist you. The SPEAKER : That is quite true. I am sure the Minister for Health does not need assistance from any of his colleagues. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr J.A. McGINTY
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(1)-(2) In answer to the question of what was I doing responding to questions from journalists: that is what I do. Dr K.D. Hames : I don’t think that is exactly what I asked. I said “criticising journalists”. Mr J.A. McGINTY : If they ask me questions and they ask me what my opinion is on things, I will give it to them. Mr T. Buswell : Not always; not if you don’t like the question! Mr J.A. McGINTY : I will happily give it. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is inappropriate for two people, in a serial method, to ask and interject, and then the next to one to interject, and then the next one to interject. I call both the Leader of the Opposition and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The second question that was asked was about the computers at Royal Perth Hospital. They were not left in the laneway. I went to Royal Perth Hospital on the Sunday morning, immediately after that article appeared, and met with senior doctors and other staff responsible for IT, as well as for the management of the hospital. I got a comprehensive briefing on what arrangements were in place for the disposal of computers that were no longer required. It became apparent that keeping the computers under lock and key—which is what did happen—prior to those computers being put in a bin to be disposed of, was the appropriate thing to happen. In transit—and I made this point on television—there was always an element of risk. The bin into which the computers were put to be taken away and crushed, so that there was no prospect of them ever ending up on the market, was left unattended for a period of time in the heart of the hospital, in a place in the hospital to which the public had no reasonable access. Dr K.D. Hames : I heard it was no further than from me to you in an open laneway. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : No, it was not. I went to the hospital and I took the journalists through and showed them; so it was not in that way at all. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member ought to go and have a look; I did, on the Sunday morning, first thing. The important thing is that we can always learn from these matters, and there are always lessons on how things can be tightened further to protect public interest. Mr P.D. Omodei : Did the journalist steal the computer, or not? Mr J.A. McGINTY : He admitted to the Royal Perth Hospital people on the Saturday that he did. Yes, is the answer to that question. Mr C.C. Porter : He admitted theft? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Yes. Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
(2) Given that the computers with private patient information were left in an unsecured laneway, why was the minister defaming an individual when a formal investigation had not been carried out to determine the facts of what occurred? Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : Don’t you remember what you used to say about The West Australian journalists? You used to describe some of them as my press secretaries! Point of Order Dr K.D. HAMES : I believe I asked the question of the Minister for Health — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We were just trying to assist you. The SPEAKER : That is quite true. I am sure the Minister for Health does not need assistance from any of his colleagues. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) In answer to the question of what was I doing responding to questions from journalists: that is what I do. Dr K.D. Hames : I don’t think that is exactly what I asked. I said “criticising journalists”. Mr J.A. McGINTY : If they ask me questions and they ask me what my opinion is on things, I will give it to them. Mr T. Buswell : Not always; not if you don’t like the question! Mr J.A. McGINTY : I will happily give it. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is inappropriate for two people, in a serial method, to ask and interject, and then the next to one to interject, and then the next one to interject. I call both the Leader of the Opposition and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The second question that was asked was about the computers at Royal Perth Hospital. They were not left in the laneway. I went to Royal Perth Hospital on the Sunday morning, immediately after that article appeared, and met with senior doctors and other staff responsible for IT, as well as for the management of the hospital. I got a comprehensive briefing on what arrangements were in place for the disposal of computers that were no longer required. It became apparent that keeping the computers under lock and key—which is what did happen—prior to those computers being put in a bin to be disposed of, was the appropriate thing to happen. In transit—and I made this point on television—there was always an element of risk. The bin into which the computers were put to be taken away and crushed, so that there was no prospect of them ever ending up on the market, was left unattended for a period of time in the heart of the hospital, in a place in the hospital to which the public had no reasonable access. Dr K.D. Hames : I heard it was no further than from me to you in an open laneway. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : No, it was not. I went to the hospital and I took the journalists through and showed them; so it was not in that way at all. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member ought to go and have a look; I did, on the Sunday morning, first thing. The important thing is that we can always learn from these matters, and there are always lessons on how things can be tightened further to protect public interest. Mr P.D. Omodei : Did the journalist steal the computer, or not? Mr J.A. McGINTY : He admitted to the Royal Perth Hospital people on the Saturday that he did. Yes, is the answer to that question. Mr C.C. Porter : He admitted theft? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Yes. Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : Don’t you remember what you used to say about The West Australian journalists? You used to describe some of them as my press secretaries! Point of Order Dr K.D. HAMES : I believe I asked the question of the Minister for Health — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We were just trying to assist you. The SPEAKER : That is quite true. I am sure the Minister for Health does not need assistance from any of his colleagues. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) In answer to the question of what was I doing responding to questions from journalists: that is what I do. Dr K.D. Hames : I don’t think that is exactly what I asked. I said “criticising journalists”. Mr J.A. McGINTY : If they ask me questions and they ask me what my opinion is on things, I will give it to them. Mr T. Buswell : Not always; not if you don’t like the question! Mr J.A. McGINTY : I will happily give it. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is inappropriate for two people, in a serial method, to ask and interject, and then the next to one to interject, and then the next one to interject. I call both the Leader of the Opposition and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The second question that was asked was about the computers at Royal Perth Hospital. They were not left in the laneway. I went to Royal Perth Hospital on the Sunday morning, immediately after that article appeared, and met with senior doctors and other staff responsible for IT, as well as for the management of the hospital. I got a comprehensive briefing on what arrangements were in place for the disposal of computers that were no longer required. It became apparent that keeping the computers under lock and key—which is what did happen—prior to those computers being put in a bin to be disposed of, was the appropriate thing to happen. In transit—and I made this point on television—there was always an element of risk. The bin into which the computers were put to be taken away and crushed, so that there was no prospect of them ever ending up on the market, was left unattended for a period of time in the heart of the hospital, in a place in the hospital to which the public had no reasonable access. Dr K.D. Hames : I heard it was no further than from me to you in an open laneway. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : No, it was not. I went to the hospital and I took the journalists through and showed them; so it was not in that way at all. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member ought to go and have a look; I did, on the Sunday morning, first thing. The important thing is that we can always learn from these matters, and there are always lessons on how things can be tightened further to protect public interest. Mr P.D. Omodei : Did the journalist steal the computer, or not? Mr J.A. McGINTY : He admitted to the Royal Perth Hospital people on the Saturday that he did. Yes, is the answer to that question. Mr C.C. Porter : He admitted theft? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Yes. Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We were just trying to assist you. The SPEAKER : That is quite true. I am sure the Minister for Health does not need assistance from any of his colleagues. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) In answer to the question of what was I doing responding to questions from journalists: that is what I do. Dr K.D. Hames : I don’t think that is exactly what I asked. I said “criticising journalists”. Mr J.A. McGINTY : If they ask me questions and they ask me what my opinion is on things, I will give it to them. Mr T. Buswell : Not always; not if you don’t like the question! Mr J.A. McGINTY : I will happily give it. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is inappropriate for two people, in a serial method, to ask and interject, and then the next to one to interject, and then the next one to interject. I call both the Leader of the Opposition and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The second question that was asked was about the computers at Royal Perth Hospital. They were not left in the laneway. I went to Royal Perth Hospital on the Sunday morning, immediately after that article appeared, and met with senior doctors and other staff responsible for IT, as well as for the management of the hospital. I got a comprehensive briefing on what arrangements were in place for the disposal of computers that were no longer required. It became apparent that keeping the computers under lock and key—which is what did happen—prior to those computers being put in a bin to be disposed of, was the appropriate thing to happen. In transit—and I made this point on television—there was always an element of risk. The bin into which the computers were put to be taken away and crushed, so that there was no prospect of them ever ending up on the market, was left unattended for a period of time in the heart of the hospital, in a place in the hospital to which the public had no reasonable access. Dr K.D. Hames : I heard it was no further than from me to you in an open laneway. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : No, it was not. I went to the hospital and I took the journalists through and showed them; so it was not in that way at all. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member ought to go and have a look; I did, on the Sunday morning, first thing. The important thing is that we can always learn from these matters, and there are always lessons on how things can be tightened further to protect public interest. Mr P.D. Omodei : Did the journalist steal the computer, or not? Mr J.A. McGINTY : He admitted to the Royal Perth Hospital people on the Saturday that he did. Yes, is the answer to that question. Mr C.C. Porter : He admitted theft? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Yes. Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
The SPEAKER : That is quite true. I am sure the Minister for Health does not need assistance from any of his colleagues. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) In answer to the question of what was I doing responding to questions from journalists: that is what I do. Dr K.D. Hames : I don’t think that is exactly what I asked. I said “criticising journalists”. Mr J.A. McGINTY : If they ask me questions and they ask me what my opinion is on things, I will give it to them. Mr T. Buswell : Not always; not if you don’t like the question! Mr J.A. McGINTY : I will happily give it. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is inappropriate for two people, in a serial method, to ask and interject, and then the next to one to interject, and then the next one to interject. I call both the Leader of the Opposition and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The second question that was asked was about the computers at Royal Perth Hospital. They were not left in the laneway. I went to Royal Perth Hospital on the Sunday morning, immediately after that article appeared, and met with senior doctors and other staff responsible for IT, as well as for the management of the hospital. I got a comprehensive briefing on what arrangements were in place for the disposal of computers that were no longer required. It became apparent that keeping the computers under lock and key—which is what did happen—prior to those computers being put in a bin to be disposed of, was the appropriate thing to happen. In transit—and I made this point on television—there was always an element of risk. The bin into which the computers were put to be taken away and crushed, so that there was no prospect of them ever ending up on the market, was left unattended for a period of time in the heart of the hospital, in a place in the hospital to which the public had no reasonable access. Dr K.D. Hames : I heard it was no further than from me to you in an open laneway. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : No, it was not. I went to the hospital and I took the journalists through and showed them; so it was not in that way at all. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member ought to go and have a look; I did, on the Sunday morning, first thing. The important thing is that we can always learn from these matters, and there are always lessons on how things can be tightened further to protect public interest. Mr P.D. Omodei : Did the journalist steal the computer, or not? Mr J.A. McGINTY : He admitted to the Royal Perth Hospital people on the Saturday that he did. Yes, is the answer to that question. Mr C.C. Porter : He admitted theft? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Yes. Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
(1)-(2) In answer to the question of what was I doing responding to questions from journalists: that is what I do. Dr K.D. Hames : I don’t think that is exactly what I asked. I said “criticising journalists”. Mr J.A. McGINTY : If they ask me questions and they ask me what my opinion is on things, I will give it to them. Mr T. Buswell : Not always; not if you don’t like the question! Mr J.A. McGINTY : I will happily give it. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is inappropriate for two people, in a serial method, to ask and interject, and then the next to one to interject, and then the next one to interject. I call both the Leader of the Opposition and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The second question that was asked was about the computers at Royal Perth Hospital. They were not left in the laneway. I went to Royal Perth Hospital on the Sunday morning, immediately after that article appeared, and met with senior doctors and other staff responsible for IT, as well as for the management of the hospital. I got a comprehensive briefing on what arrangements were in place for the disposal of computers that were no longer required. It became apparent that keeping the computers under lock and key—which is what did happen—prior to those computers being put in a bin to be disposed of, was the appropriate thing to happen. In transit—and I made this point on television—there was always an element of risk. The bin into which the computers were put to be taken away and crushed, so that there was no prospect of them ever ending up on the market, was left unattended for a period of time in the heart of the hospital, in a place in the hospital to which the public had no reasonable access. Dr K.D. Hames : I heard it was no further than from me to you in an open laneway. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : No, it was not. I went to the hospital and I took the journalists through and showed them; so it was not in that way at all. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member ought to go and have a look; I did, on the Sunday morning, first thing. The important thing is that we can always learn from these matters, and there are always lessons on how things can be tightened further to protect public interest. Mr P.D. Omodei : Did the journalist steal the computer, or not? Mr J.A. McGINTY : He admitted to the Royal Perth Hospital people on the Saturday that he did. Yes, is the answer to that question. Mr C.C. Porter : He admitted theft? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Yes. Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Dr K.D. Hames : I don’t think that is exactly what I asked. I said “criticising journalists”. Mr J.A. McGINTY : If they ask me questions and they ask me what my opinion is on things, I will give it to them. Mr T. Buswell : Not always; not if you don’t like the question! Mr J.A. McGINTY : I will happily give it. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is inappropriate for two people, in a serial method, to ask and interject, and then the next to one to interject, and then the next one to interject. I call both the Leader of the Opposition and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The second question that was asked was about the computers at Royal Perth Hospital. They were not left in the laneway. I went to Royal Perth Hospital on the Sunday morning, immediately after that article appeared, and met with senior doctors and other staff responsible for IT, as well as for the management of the hospital. I got a comprehensive briefing on what arrangements were in place for the disposal of computers that were no longer required. It became apparent that keeping the computers under lock and key—which is what did happen—prior to those computers being put in a bin to be disposed of, was the appropriate thing to happen. In transit—and I made this point on television—there was always an element of risk. The bin into which the computers were put to be taken away and crushed, so that there was no prospect of them ever ending up on the market, was left unattended for a period of time in the heart of the hospital, in a place in the hospital to which the public had no reasonable access. Dr K.D. Hames : I heard it was no further than from me to you in an open laneway. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : No, it was not. I went to the hospital and I took the journalists through and showed them; so it was not in that way at all. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member ought to go and have a look; I did, on the Sunday morning, first thing. The important thing is that we can always learn from these matters, and there are always lessons on how things can be tightened further to protect public interest. Mr P.D. Omodei : Did the journalist steal the computer, or not? Mr J.A. McGINTY : He admitted to the Royal Perth Hospital people on the Saturday that he did. Yes, is the answer to that question. Mr C.C. Porter : He admitted theft? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Yes. Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : If they ask me questions and they ask me what my opinion is on things, I will give it to them. Mr T. Buswell : Not always; not if you don’t like the question! Mr J.A. McGINTY : I will happily give it. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is inappropriate for two people, in a serial method, to ask and interject, and then the next to one to interject, and then the next one to interject. I call both the Leader of the Opposition and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The second question that was asked was about the computers at Royal Perth Hospital. They were not left in the laneway. I went to Royal Perth Hospital on the Sunday morning, immediately after that article appeared, and met with senior doctors and other staff responsible for IT, as well as for the management of the hospital. I got a comprehensive briefing on what arrangements were in place for the disposal of computers that were no longer required. It became apparent that keeping the computers under lock and key—which is what did happen—prior to those computers being put in a bin to be disposed of, was the appropriate thing to happen. In transit—and I made this point on television—there was always an element of risk. The bin into which the computers were put to be taken away and crushed, so that there was no prospect of them ever ending up on the market, was left unattended for a period of time in the heart of the hospital, in a place in the hospital to which the public had no reasonable access. Dr K.D. Hames : I heard it was no further than from me to you in an open laneway. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : No, it was not. I went to the hospital and I took the journalists through and showed them; so it was not in that way at all. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member ought to go and have a look; I did, on the Sunday morning, first thing. The important thing is that we can always learn from these matters, and there are always lessons on how things can be tightened further to protect public interest. Mr P.D. Omodei : Did the journalist steal the computer, or not? Mr J.A. McGINTY : He admitted to the Royal Perth Hospital people on the Saturday that he did. Yes, is the answer to that question. Mr C.C. Porter : He admitted theft? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Yes. Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Mr T. Buswell : Not always; not if you don’t like the question! Mr J.A. McGINTY : I will happily give it. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is inappropriate for two people, in a serial method, to ask and interject, and then the next to one to interject, and then the next one to interject. I call both the Leader of the Opposition and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The second question that was asked was about the computers at Royal Perth Hospital. They were not left in the laneway. I went to Royal Perth Hospital on the Sunday morning, immediately after that article appeared, and met with senior doctors and other staff responsible for IT, as well as for the management of the hospital. I got a comprehensive briefing on what arrangements were in place for the disposal of computers that were no longer required. It became apparent that keeping the computers under lock and key—which is what did happen—prior to those computers being put in a bin to be disposed of, was the appropriate thing to happen. In transit—and I made this point on television—there was always an element of risk. The bin into which the computers were put to be taken away and crushed, so that there was no prospect of them ever ending up on the market, was left unattended for a period of time in the heart of the hospital, in a place in the hospital to which the public had no reasonable access. Dr K.D. Hames : I heard it was no further than from me to you in an open laneway. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : No, it was not. I went to the hospital and I took the journalists through and showed them; so it was not in that way at all. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member ought to go and have a look; I did, on the Sunday morning, first thing. The important thing is that we can always learn from these matters, and there are always lessons on how things can be tightened further to protect public interest. Mr P.D. Omodei : Did the journalist steal the computer, or not? Mr J.A. McGINTY : He admitted to the Royal Perth Hospital people on the Saturday that he did. Yes, is the answer to that question. Mr C.C. Porter : He admitted theft? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Yes. Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : I will happily give it. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is inappropriate for two people, in a serial method, to ask and interject, and then the next to one to interject, and then the next one to interject. I call both the Leader of the Opposition and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The second question that was asked was about the computers at Royal Perth Hospital. They were not left in the laneway. I went to Royal Perth Hospital on the Sunday morning, immediately after that article appeared, and met with senior doctors and other staff responsible for IT, as well as for the management of the hospital. I got a comprehensive briefing on what arrangements were in place for the disposal of computers that were no longer required. It became apparent that keeping the computers under lock and key—which is what did happen—prior to those computers being put in a bin to be disposed of, was the appropriate thing to happen. In transit—and I made this point on television—there was always an element of risk. The bin into which the computers were put to be taken away and crushed, so that there was no prospect of them ever ending up on the market, was left unattended for a period of time in the heart of the hospital, in a place in the hospital to which the public had no reasonable access. Dr K.D. Hames : I heard it was no further than from me to you in an open laneway. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : No, it was not. I went to the hospital and I took the journalists through and showed them; so it was not in that way at all. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member ought to go and have a look; I did, on the Sunday morning, first thing. The important thing is that we can always learn from these matters, and there are always lessons on how things can be tightened further to protect public interest. Mr P.D. Omodei : Did the journalist steal the computer, or not? Mr J.A. McGINTY : He admitted to the Royal Perth Hospital people on the Saturday that he did. Yes, is the answer to that question. Mr C.C. Porter : He admitted theft? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Yes. Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is inappropriate for two people, in a serial method, to ask and interject, and then the next to one to interject, and then the next one to interject. I call both the Leader of the Opposition and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The second question that was asked was about the computers at Royal Perth Hospital. They were not left in the laneway. I went to Royal Perth Hospital on the Sunday morning, immediately after that article appeared, and met with senior doctors and other staff responsible for IT, as well as for the management of the hospital. I got a comprehensive briefing on what arrangements were in place for the disposal of computers that were no longer required. It became apparent that keeping the computers under lock and key—which is what did happen—prior to those computers being put in a bin to be disposed of, was the appropriate thing to happen. In transit—and I made this point on television—there was always an element of risk. The bin into which the computers were put to be taken away and crushed, so that there was no prospect of them ever ending up on the market, was left unattended for a period of time in the heart of the hospital, in a place in the hospital to which the public had no reasonable access. Dr K.D. Hames : I heard it was no further than from me to you in an open laneway. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : No, it was not. I went to the hospital and I took the journalists through and showed them; so it was not in that way at all. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member ought to go and have a look; I did, on the Sunday morning, first thing. The important thing is that we can always learn from these matters, and there are always lessons on how things can be tightened further to protect public interest. Mr P.D. Omodei : Did the journalist steal the computer, or not? Mr J.A. McGINTY : He admitted to the Royal Perth Hospital people on the Saturday that he did. Yes, is the answer to that question. Mr C.C. Porter : He admitted theft? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Yes. Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
The SPEAKER : It is inappropriate for two people, in a serial method, to ask and interject, and then the next to one to interject, and then the next one to interject. I call both the Leader of the Opposition and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The second question that was asked was about the computers at Royal Perth Hospital. They were not left in the laneway. I went to Royal Perth Hospital on the Sunday morning, immediately after that article appeared, and met with senior doctors and other staff responsible for IT, as well as for the management of the hospital. I got a comprehensive briefing on what arrangements were in place for the disposal of computers that were no longer required. It became apparent that keeping the computers under lock and key—which is what did happen—prior to those computers being put in a bin to be disposed of, was the appropriate thing to happen. In transit—and I made this point on television—there was always an element of risk. The bin into which the computers were put to be taken away and crushed, so that there was no prospect of them ever ending up on the market, was left unattended for a period of time in the heart of the hospital, in a place in the hospital to which the public had no reasonable access. Dr K.D. Hames : I heard it was no further than from me to you in an open laneway. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : No, it was not. I went to the hospital and I took the journalists through and showed them; so it was not in that way at all. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member ought to go and have a look; I did, on the Sunday morning, first thing. The important thing is that we can always learn from these matters, and there are always lessons on how things can be tightened further to protect public interest. Mr P.D. Omodei : Did the journalist steal the computer, or not? Mr J.A. McGINTY : He admitted to the Royal Perth Hospital people on the Saturday that he did. Yes, is the answer to that question. Mr C.C. Porter : He admitted theft? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Yes. Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : The second question that was asked was about the computers at Royal Perth Hospital. They were not left in the laneway. I went to Royal Perth Hospital on the Sunday morning, immediately after that article appeared, and met with senior doctors and other staff responsible for IT, as well as for the management of the hospital. I got a comprehensive briefing on what arrangements were in place for the disposal of computers that were no longer required. It became apparent that keeping the computers under lock and key—which is what did happen—prior to those computers being put in a bin to be disposed of, was the appropriate thing to happen. In transit—and I made this point on television—there was always an element of risk. The bin into which the computers were put to be taken away and crushed, so that there was no prospect of them ever ending up on the market, was left unattended for a period of time in the heart of the hospital, in a place in the hospital to which the public had no reasonable access. Dr K.D. Hames : I heard it was no further than from me to you in an open laneway. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : No, it was not. I went to the hospital and I took the journalists through and showed them; so it was not in that way at all. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member ought to go and have a look; I did, on the Sunday morning, first thing. The important thing is that we can always learn from these matters, and there are always lessons on how things can be tightened further to protect public interest. Mr P.D. Omodei : Did the journalist steal the computer, or not? Mr J.A. McGINTY : He admitted to the Royal Perth Hospital people on the Saturday that he did. Yes, is the answer to that question. Mr C.C. Porter : He admitted theft? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Yes. Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Dr K.D. Hames : I heard it was no further than from me to you in an open laneway. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : No, it was not. I went to the hospital and I took the journalists through and showed them; so it was not in that way at all. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member ought to go and have a look; I did, on the Sunday morning, first thing. The important thing is that we can always learn from these matters, and there are always lessons on how things can be tightened further to protect public interest. Mr P.D. Omodei : Did the journalist steal the computer, or not? Mr J.A. McGINTY : He admitted to the Royal Perth Hospital people on the Saturday that he did. Yes, is the answer to that question. Mr C.C. Porter : He admitted theft? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Yes. Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : No, it was not. I went to the hospital and I took the journalists through and showed them; so it was not in that way at all. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member ought to go and have a look; I did, on the Sunday morning, first thing. The important thing is that we can always learn from these matters, and there are always lessons on how things can be tightened further to protect public interest. Mr P.D. Omodei : Did the journalist steal the computer, or not? Mr J.A. McGINTY : He admitted to the Royal Perth Hospital people on the Saturday that he did. Yes, is the answer to that question. Mr C.C. Porter : He admitted theft? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Yes. Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : No, it was not. I went to the hospital and I took the journalists through and showed them; so it was not in that way at all. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member ought to go and have a look; I did, on the Sunday morning, first thing. The important thing is that we can always learn from these matters, and there are always lessons on how things can be tightened further to protect public interest. Mr P.D. Omodei : Did the journalist steal the computer, or not? Mr J.A. McGINTY : He admitted to the Royal Perth Hospital people on the Saturday that he did. Yes, is the answer to that question. Mr C.C. Porter : He admitted theft? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Yes. Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member ought to go and have a look; I did, on the Sunday morning, first thing. The important thing is that we can always learn from these matters, and there are always lessons on how things can be tightened further to protect public interest. Mr P.D. Omodei : Did the journalist steal the computer, or not? Mr J.A. McGINTY : He admitted to the Royal Perth Hospital people on the Saturday that he did. Yes, is the answer to that question. Mr C.C. Porter : He admitted theft? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Yes. Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member ought to go and have a look; I did, on the Sunday morning, first thing. The important thing is that we can always learn from these matters, and there are always lessons on how things can be tightened further to protect public interest. Mr P.D. Omodei : Did the journalist steal the computer, or not? Mr J.A. McGINTY : He admitted to the Royal Perth Hospital people on the Saturday that he did. Yes, is the answer to that question. Mr C.C. Porter : He admitted theft? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Yes. Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member ought to go and have a look; I did, on the Sunday morning, first thing. The important thing is that we can always learn from these matters, and there are always lessons on how things can be tightened further to protect public interest. Mr P.D. Omodei : Did the journalist steal the computer, or not? Mr J.A. McGINTY : He admitted to the Royal Perth Hospital people on the Saturday that he did. Yes, is the answer to that question. Mr C.C. Porter : He admitted theft? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Yes. Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Mr P.D. Omodei : Did the journalist steal the computer, or not? Mr J.A. McGINTY : He admitted to the Royal Perth Hospital people on the Saturday that he did. Yes, is the answer to that question. Mr C.C. Porter : He admitted theft? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Yes. Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : He admitted to the Royal Perth Hospital people on the Saturday that he did. Yes, is the answer to that question. Mr C.C. Porter : He admitted theft? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Yes. Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Mr C.C. Porter : He admitted theft? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Yes. Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : Yes. Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
(2) Given that the computers with private patient information were left in an unsecured laneway, why was the minister defaming an individual when a formal investigation had not been carried out to determine the facts of what occurred? Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : Don’t you remember what you used to say about The West Australian journalists? You used to describe some of them as my press secretaries! Point of Order Dr K.D. HAMES : I believe I asked the question of the Minister for Health — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We were just trying to assist you. The SPEAKER : That is quite true. I am sure the Minister for Health does not need assistance from any of his colleagues. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) In answer to the question of what was I doing responding to questions from journalists: that is what I do. Dr K.D. Hames : I don’t think that is exactly what I asked. I said “criticising journalists”. Mr J.A. McGINTY : If they ask me questions and they ask me what my opinion is on things, I will give it to them. Mr T. Buswell : Not always; not if you don’t like the question! Mr J.A. McGINTY : I will happily give it. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is inappropriate for two people, in a serial method, to ask and interject, and then the next to one to interject, and then the next one to interject. I call both the Leader of the Opposition and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The second question that was asked was about the computers at Royal Perth Hospital. They were not left in the laneway. I went to Royal Perth Hospital on the Sunday morning, immediately after that article appeared, and met with senior doctors and other staff responsible for IT, as well as for the management of the hospital. I got a comprehensive briefing on what arrangements were in place for the disposal of computers that were no longer required. It became apparent that keeping the computers under lock and key—which is what did happen—prior to those computers being put in a bin to be disposed of, was the appropriate thing to happen. In transit—and I made this point on television—there was always an element of risk. The bin into which the computers were put to be taken away and crushed, so that there was no prospect of them ever ending up on the market, was left unattended for a period of time in the heart of the hospital, in a place in the hospital to which the public had no reasonable access. Dr K.D. Hames : I heard it was no further than from me to you in an open laneway. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : No, it was not. I went to the hospital and I took the journalists through and showed them; so it was not in that way at all. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member ought to go and have a look; I did, on the Sunday morning, first thing. The important thing is that we can always learn from these matters, and there are always lessons on how things can be tightened further to protect public interest. Mr P.D. Omodei : Did the journalist steal the computer, or not? Mr J.A. McGINTY : He admitted to the Royal Perth Hospital people on the Saturday that he did. Yes, is the answer to that question. Mr C.C. Porter : He admitted theft? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Yes. Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : Don’t you remember what you used to say about The West Australian journalists? You used to describe some of them as my press secretaries! Point of Order Dr K.D. HAMES : I believe I asked the question of the Minister for Health — Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We were just trying to assist you. The SPEAKER : That is quite true. I am sure the Minister for Health does not need assistance from any of his colleagues. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) In answer to the question of what was I doing responding to questions from journalists: that is what I do. Dr K.D. Hames : I don’t think that is exactly what I asked. I said “criticising journalists”. Mr J.A. McGINTY : If they ask me questions and they ask me what my opinion is on things, I will give it to them. Mr T. Buswell : Not always; not if you don’t like the question! Mr J.A. McGINTY : I will happily give it. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is inappropriate for two people, in a serial method, to ask and interject, and then the next to one to interject, and then the next one to interject. I call both the Leader of the Opposition and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The second question that was asked was about the computers at Royal Perth Hospital. They were not left in the laneway. I went to Royal Perth Hospital on the Sunday morning, immediately after that article appeared, and met with senior doctors and other staff responsible for IT, as well as for the management of the hospital. I got a comprehensive briefing on what arrangements were in place for the disposal of computers that were no longer required. It became apparent that keeping the computers under lock and key—which is what did happen—prior to those computers being put in a bin to be disposed of, was the appropriate thing to happen. In transit—and I made this point on television—there was always an element of risk. The bin into which the computers were put to be taken away and crushed, so that there was no prospect of them ever ending up on the market, was left unattended for a period of time in the heart of the hospital, in a place in the hospital to which the public had no reasonable access. Dr K.D. Hames : I heard it was no further than from me to you in an open laneway. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : No, it was not. I went to the hospital and I took the journalists through and showed them; so it was not in that way at all. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member ought to go and have a look; I did, on the Sunday morning, first thing. The important thing is that we can always learn from these matters, and there are always lessons on how things can be tightened further to protect public interest. Mr P.D. Omodei : Did the journalist steal the computer, or not? Mr J.A. McGINTY : He admitted to the Royal Perth Hospital people on the Saturday that he did. Yes, is the answer to that question. Mr C.C. Porter : He admitted theft? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Yes. Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : We were just trying to assist you. The SPEAKER : That is quite true. I am sure the Minister for Health does not need assistance from any of his colleagues. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) In answer to the question of what was I doing responding to questions from journalists: that is what I do. Dr K.D. Hames : I don’t think that is exactly what I asked. I said “criticising journalists”. Mr J.A. McGINTY : If they ask me questions and they ask me what my opinion is on things, I will give it to them. Mr T. Buswell : Not always; not if you don’t like the question! Mr J.A. McGINTY : I will happily give it. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is inappropriate for two people, in a serial method, to ask and interject, and then the next to one to interject, and then the next one to interject. I call both the Leader of the Opposition and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The second question that was asked was about the computers at Royal Perth Hospital. They were not left in the laneway. I went to Royal Perth Hospital on the Sunday morning, immediately after that article appeared, and met with senior doctors and other staff responsible for IT, as well as for the management of the hospital. I got a comprehensive briefing on what arrangements were in place for the disposal of computers that were no longer required. It became apparent that keeping the computers under lock and key—which is what did happen—prior to those computers being put in a bin to be disposed of, was the appropriate thing to happen. In transit—and I made this point on television—there was always an element of risk. The bin into which the computers were put to be taken away and crushed, so that there was no prospect of them ever ending up on the market, was left unattended for a period of time in the heart of the hospital, in a place in the hospital to which the public had no reasonable access. Dr K.D. Hames : I heard it was no further than from me to you in an open laneway. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : No, it was not. I went to the hospital and I took the journalists through and showed them; so it was not in that way at all. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member ought to go and have a look; I did, on the Sunday morning, first thing. The important thing is that we can always learn from these matters, and there are always lessons on how things can be tightened further to protect public interest. Mr P.D. Omodei : Did the journalist steal the computer, or not? Mr J.A. McGINTY : He admitted to the Royal Perth Hospital people on the Saturday that he did. Yes, is the answer to that question. Mr C.C. Porter : He admitted theft? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Yes. Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
The SPEAKER : That is quite true. I am sure the Minister for Health does not need assistance from any of his colleagues. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(2) In answer to the question of what was I doing responding to questions from journalists: that is what I do. Dr K.D. Hames : I don’t think that is exactly what I asked. I said “criticising journalists”. Mr J.A. McGINTY : If they ask me questions and they ask me what my opinion is on things, I will give it to them. Mr T. Buswell : Not always; not if you don’t like the question! Mr J.A. McGINTY : I will happily give it. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is inappropriate for two people, in a serial method, to ask and interject, and then the next to one to interject, and then the next one to interject. I call both the Leader of the Opposition and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The second question that was asked was about the computers at Royal Perth Hospital. They were not left in the laneway. I went to Royal Perth Hospital on the Sunday morning, immediately after that article appeared, and met with senior doctors and other staff responsible for IT, as well as for the management of the hospital. I got a comprehensive briefing on what arrangements were in place for the disposal of computers that were no longer required. It became apparent that keeping the computers under lock and key—which is what did happen—prior to those computers being put in a bin to be disposed of, was the appropriate thing to happen. In transit—and I made this point on television—there was always an element of risk. The bin into which the computers were put to be taken away and crushed, so that there was no prospect of them ever ending up on the market, was left unattended for a period of time in the heart of the hospital, in a place in the hospital to which the public had no reasonable access. Dr K.D. Hames : I heard it was no further than from me to you in an open laneway. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : No, it was not. I went to the hospital and I took the journalists through and showed them; so it was not in that way at all. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member ought to go and have a look; I did, on the Sunday morning, first thing. The important thing is that we can always learn from these matters, and there are always lessons on how things can be tightened further to protect public interest. Mr P.D. Omodei : Did the journalist steal the computer, or not? Mr J.A. McGINTY : He admitted to the Royal Perth Hospital people on the Saturday that he did. Yes, is the answer to that question. Mr C.C. Porter : He admitted theft? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Yes. Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
(1)-(2) In answer to the question of what was I doing responding to questions from journalists: that is what I do. Dr K.D. Hames : I don’t think that is exactly what I asked. I said “criticising journalists”. Mr J.A. McGINTY : If they ask me questions and they ask me what my opinion is on things, I will give it to them. Mr T. Buswell : Not always; not if you don’t like the question! Mr J.A. McGINTY : I will happily give it. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is inappropriate for two people, in a serial method, to ask and interject, and then the next to one to interject, and then the next one to interject. I call both the Leader of the Opposition and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The second question that was asked was about the computers at Royal Perth Hospital. They were not left in the laneway. I went to Royal Perth Hospital on the Sunday morning, immediately after that article appeared, and met with senior doctors and other staff responsible for IT, as well as for the management of the hospital. I got a comprehensive briefing on what arrangements were in place for the disposal of computers that were no longer required. It became apparent that keeping the computers under lock and key—which is what did happen—prior to those computers being put in a bin to be disposed of, was the appropriate thing to happen. In transit—and I made this point on television—there was always an element of risk. The bin into which the computers were put to be taken away and crushed, so that there was no prospect of them ever ending up on the market, was left unattended for a period of time in the heart of the hospital, in a place in the hospital to which the public had no reasonable access. Dr K.D. Hames : I heard it was no further than from me to you in an open laneway. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : No, it was not. I went to the hospital and I took the journalists through and showed them; so it was not in that way at all. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member ought to go and have a look; I did, on the Sunday morning, first thing. The important thing is that we can always learn from these matters, and there are always lessons on how things can be tightened further to protect public interest. Mr P.D. Omodei : Did the journalist steal the computer, or not? Mr J.A. McGINTY : He admitted to the Royal Perth Hospital people on the Saturday that he did. Yes, is the answer to that question. Mr C.C. Porter : He admitted theft? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Yes. Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Dr K.D. Hames : I don’t think that is exactly what I asked. I said “criticising journalists”. Mr J.A. McGINTY : If they ask me questions and they ask me what my opinion is on things, I will give it to them. Mr T. Buswell : Not always; not if you don’t like the question! Mr J.A. McGINTY : I will happily give it. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is inappropriate for two people, in a serial method, to ask and interject, and then the next to one to interject, and then the next one to interject. I call both the Leader of the Opposition and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The second question that was asked was about the computers at Royal Perth Hospital. They were not left in the laneway. I went to Royal Perth Hospital on the Sunday morning, immediately after that article appeared, and met with senior doctors and other staff responsible for IT, as well as for the management of the hospital. I got a comprehensive briefing on what arrangements were in place for the disposal of computers that were no longer required. It became apparent that keeping the computers under lock and key—which is what did happen—prior to those computers being put in a bin to be disposed of, was the appropriate thing to happen. In transit—and I made this point on television—there was always an element of risk. The bin into which the computers were put to be taken away and crushed, so that there was no prospect of them ever ending up on the market, was left unattended for a period of time in the heart of the hospital, in a place in the hospital to which the public had no reasonable access. Dr K.D. Hames : I heard it was no further than from me to you in an open laneway. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : No, it was not. I went to the hospital and I took the journalists through and showed them; so it was not in that way at all. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member ought to go and have a look; I did, on the Sunday morning, first thing. The important thing is that we can always learn from these matters, and there are always lessons on how things can be tightened further to protect public interest. Mr P.D. Omodei : Did the journalist steal the computer, or not? Mr J.A. McGINTY : He admitted to the Royal Perth Hospital people on the Saturday that he did. Yes, is the answer to that question. Mr C.C. Porter : He admitted theft? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Yes. Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : If they ask me questions and they ask me what my opinion is on things, I will give it to them. Mr T. Buswell : Not always; not if you don’t like the question! Mr J.A. McGINTY : I will happily give it. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is inappropriate for two people, in a serial method, to ask and interject, and then the next to one to interject, and then the next one to interject. I call both the Leader of the Opposition and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The second question that was asked was about the computers at Royal Perth Hospital. They were not left in the laneway. I went to Royal Perth Hospital on the Sunday morning, immediately after that article appeared, and met with senior doctors and other staff responsible for IT, as well as for the management of the hospital. I got a comprehensive briefing on what arrangements were in place for the disposal of computers that were no longer required. It became apparent that keeping the computers under lock and key—which is what did happen—prior to those computers being put in a bin to be disposed of, was the appropriate thing to happen. In transit—and I made this point on television—there was always an element of risk. The bin into which the computers were put to be taken away and crushed, so that there was no prospect of them ever ending up on the market, was left unattended for a period of time in the heart of the hospital, in a place in the hospital to which the public had no reasonable access. Dr K.D. Hames : I heard it was no further than from me to you in an open laneway. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : No, it was not. I went to the hospital and I took the journalists through and showed them; so it was not in that way at all. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member ought to go and have a look; I did, on the Sunday morning, first thing. The important thing is that we can always learn from these matters, and there are always lessons on how things can be tightened further to protect public interest. Mr P.D. Omodei : Did the journalist steal the computer, or not? Mr J.A. McGINTY : He admitted to the Royal Perth Hospital people on the Saturday that he did. Yes, is the answer to that question. Mr C.C. Porter : He admitted theft? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Yes. Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Mr T. Buswell : Not always; not if you don’t like the question! Mr J.A. McGINTY : I will happily give it. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is inappropriate for two people, in a serial method, to ask and interject, and then the next to one to interject, and then the next one to interject. I call both the Leader of the Opposition and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The second question that was asked was about the computers at Royal Perth Hospital. They were not left in the laneway. I went to Royal Perth Hospital on the Sunday morning, immediately after that article appeared, and met with senior doctors and other staff responsible for IT, as well as for the management of the hospital. I got a comprehensive briefing on what arrangements were in place for the disposal of computers that were no longer required. It became apparent that keeping the computers under lock and key—which is what did happen—prior to those computers being put in a bin to be disposed of, was the appropriate thing to happen. In transit—and I made this point on television—there was always an element of risk. The bin into which the computers were put to be taken away and crushed, so that there was no prospect of them ever ending up on the market, was left unattended for a period of time in the heart of the hospital, in a place in the hospital to which the public had no reasonable access. Dr K.D. Hames : I heard it was no further than from me to you in an open laneway. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : No, it was not. I went to the hospital and I took the journalists through and showed them; so it was not in that way at all. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member ought to go and have a look; I did, on the Sunday morning, first thing. The important thing is that we can always learn from these matters, and there are always lessons on how things can be tightened further to protect public interest. Mr P.D. Omodei : Did the journalist steal the computer, or not? Mr J.A. McGINTY : He admitted to the Royal Perth Hospital people on the Saturday that he did. Yes, is the answer to that question. Mr C.C. Porter : He admitted theft? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Yes. Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : I will happily give it. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is inappropriate for two people, in a serial method, to ask and interject, and then the next to one to interject, and then the next one to interject. I call both the Leader of the Opposition and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The second question that was asked was about the computers at Royal Perth Hospital. They were not left in the laneway. I went to Royal Perth Hospital on the Sunday morning, immediately after that article appeared, and met with senior doctors and other staff responsible for IT, as well as for the management of the hospital. I got a comprehensive briefing on what arrangements were in place for the disposal of computers that were no longer required. It became apparent that keeping the computers under lock and key—which is what did happen—prior to those computers being put in a bin to be disposed of, was the appropriate thing to happen. In transit—and I made this point on television—there was always an element of risk. The bin into which the computers were put to be taken away and crushed, so that there was no prospect of them ever ending up on the market, was left unattended for a period of time in the heart of the hospital, in a place in the hospital to which the public had no reasonable access. Dr K.D. Hames : I heard it was no further than from me to you in an open laneway. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : No, it was not. I went to the hospital and I took the journalists through and showed them; so it was not in that way at all. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member ought to go and have a look; I did, on the Sunday morning, first thing. The important thing is that we can always learn from these matters, and there are always lessons on how things can be tightened further to protect public interest. Mr P.D. Omodei : Did the journalist steal the computer, or not? Mr J.A. McGINTY : He admitted to the Royal Perth Hospital people on the Saturday that he did. Yes, is the answer to that question. Mr C.C. Porter : He admitted theft? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Yes. Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : It is inappropriate for two people, in a serial method, to ask and interject, and then the next to one to interject, and then the next one to interject. I call both the Leader of the Opposition and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The second question that was asked was about the computers at Royal Perth Hospital. They were not left in the laneway. I went to Royal Perth Hospital on the Sunday morning, immediately after that article appeared, and met with senior doctors and other staff responsible for IT, as well as for the management of the hospital. I got a comprehensive briefing on what arrangements were in place for the disposal of computers that were no longer required. It became apparent that keeping the computers under lock and key—which is what did happen—prior to those computers being put in a bin to be disposed of, was the appropriate thing to happen. In transit—and I made this point on television—there was always an element of risk. The bin into which the computers were put to be taken away and crushed, so that there was no prospect of them ever ending up on the market, was left unattended for a period of time in the heart of the hospital, in a place in the hospital to which the public had no reasonable access. Dr K.D. Hames : I heard it was no further than from me to you in an open laneway. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : No, it was not. I went to the hospital and I took the journalists through and showed them; so it was not in that way at all. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member ought to go and have a look; I did, on the Sunday morning, first thing. The important thing is that we can always learn from these matters, and there are always lessons on how things can be tightened further to protect public interest. Mr P.D. Omodei : Did the journalist steal the computer, or not? Mr J.A. McGINTY : He admitted to the Royal Perth Hospital people on the Saturday that he did. Yes, is the answer to that question. Mr C.C. Porter : He admitted theft? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Yes. Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
The SPEAKER : It is inappropriate for two people, in a serial method, to ask and interject, and then the next to one to interject, and then the next one to interject. I call both the Leader of the Opposition and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The second question that was asked was about the computers at Royal Perth Hospital. They were not left in the laneway. I went to Royal Perth Hospital on the Sunday morning, immediately after that article appeared, and met with senior doctors and other staff responsible for IT, as well as for the management of the hospital. I got a comprehensive briefing on what arrangements were in place for the disposal of computers that were no longer required. It became apparent that keeping the computers under lock and key—which is what did happen—prior to those computers being put in a bin to be disposed of, was the appropriate thing to happen. In transit—and I made this point on television—there was always an element of risk. The bin into which the computers were put to be taken away and crushed, so that there was no prospect of them ever ending up on the market, was left unattended for a period of time in the heart of the hospital, in a place in the hospital to which the public had no reasonable access. Dr K.D. Hames : I heard it was no further than from me to you in an open laneway. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : No, it was not. I went to the hospital and I took the journalists through and showed them; so it was not in that way at all. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member ought to go and have a look; I did, on the Sunday morning, first thing. The important thing is that we can always learn from these matters, and there are always lessons on how things can be tightened further to protect public interest. Mr P.D. Omodei : Did the journalist steal the computer, or not? Mr J.A. McGINTY : He admitted to the Royal Perth Hospital people on the Saturday that he did. Yes, is the answer to that question. Mr C.C. Porter : He admitted theft? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Yes. Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : The second question that was asked was about the computers at Royal Perth Hospital. They were not left in the laneway. I went to Royal Perth Hospital on the Sunday morning, immediately after that article appeared, and met with senior doctors and other staff responsible for IT, as well as for the management of the hospital. I got a comprehensive briefing on what arrangements were in place for the disposal of computers that were no longer required. It became apparent that keeping the computers under lock and key—which is what did happen—prior to those computers being put in a bin to be disposed of, was the appropriate thing to happen. In transit—and I made this point on television—there was always an element of risk. The bin into which the computers were put to be taken away and crushed, so that there was no prospect of them ever ending up on the market, was left unattended for a period of time in the heart of the hospital, in a place in the hospital to which the public had no reasonable access. Dr K.D. Hames : I heard it was no further than from me to you in an open laneway. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : No, it was not. I went to the hospital and I took the journalists through and showed them; so it was not in that way at all. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member ought to go and have a look; I did, on the Sunday morning, first thing. The important thing is that we can always learn from these matters, and there are always lessons on how things can be tightened further to protect public interest. Mr P.D. Omodei : Did the journalist steal the computer, or not? Mr J.A. McGINTY : He admitted to the Royal Perth Hospital people on the Saturday that he did. Yes, is the answer to that question. Mr C.C. Porter : He admitted theft? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Yes. Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Dr K.D. Hames : I heard it was no further than from me to you in an open laneway. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : No, it was not. I went to the hospital and I took the journalists through and showed them; so it was not in that way at all. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member ought to go and have a look; I did, on the Sunday morning, first thing. The important thing is that we can always learn from these matters, and there are always lessons on how things can be tightened further to protect public interest. Mr P.D. Omodei : Did the journalist steal the computer, or not? Mr J.A. McGINTY : He admitted to the Royal Perth Hospital people on the Saturday that he did. Yes, is the answer to that question. Mr C.C. Porter : He admitted theft? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Yes. Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : No, it was not. I went to the hospital and I took the journalists through and showed them; so it was not in that way at all. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member ought to go and have a look; I did, on the Sunday morning, first thing. The important thing is that we can always learn from these matters, and there are always lessons on how things can be tightened further to protect public interest. Mr P.D. Omodei : Did the journalist steal the computer, or not? Mr J.A. McGINTY : He admitted to the Royal Perth Hospital people on the Saturday that he did. Yes, is the answer to that question. Mr C.C. Porter : He admitted theft? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Yes. Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : No, it was not. I went to the hospital and I took the journalists through and showed them; so it was not in that way at all. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member ought to go and have a look; I did, on the Sunday morning, first thing. The important thing is that we can always learn from these matters, and there are always lessons on how things can be tightened further to protect public interest. Mr P.D. Omodei : Did the journalist steal the computer, or not? Mr J.A. McGINTY : He admitted to the Royal Perth Hospital people on the Saturday that he did. Yes, is the answer to that question. Mr C.C. Porter : He admitted theft? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Yes. Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member ought to go and have a look; I did, on the Sunday morning, first thing. The important thing is that we can always learn from these matters, and there are always lessons on how things can be tightened further to protect public interest. Mr P.D. Omodei : Did the journalist steal the computer, or not? Mr J.A. McGINTY : He admitted to the Royal Perth Hospital people on the Saturday that he did. Yes, is the answer to that question. Mr C.C. Porter : He admitted theft? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Yes. Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member ought to go and have a look; I did, on the Sunday morning, first thing. The important thing is that we can always learn from these matters, and there are always lessons on how things can be tightened further to protect public interest. Mr P.D. Omodei : Did the journalist steal the computer, or not? Mr J.A. McGINTY : He admitted to the Royal Perth Hospital people on the Saturday that he did. Yes, is the answer to that question. Mr C.C. Porter : He admitted theft? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Yes. Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member ought to go and have a look; I did, on the Sunday morning, first thing. The important thing is that we can always learn from these matters, and there are always lessons on how things can be tightened further to protect public interest. Mr P.D. Omodei : Did the journalist steal the computer, or not? Mr J.A. McGINTY : He admitted to the Royal Perth Hospital people on the Saturday that he did. Yes, is the answer to that question. Mr C.C. Porter : He admitted theft? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Yes. Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Mr P.D. Omodei : Did the journalist steal the computer, or not? Mr J.A. McGINTY : He admitted to the Royal Perth Hospital people on the Saturday that he did. Yes, is the answer to that question. Mr C.C. Porter : He admitted theft? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Yes. Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : He admitted to the Royal Perth Hospital people on the Saturday that he did. Yes, is the answer to that question. Mr C.C. Porter : He admitted theft? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Yes. Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Mr C.C. Porter : He admitted theft? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Yes. Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : Yes. Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Mr C.C. Porter : Did he admit that he stole it? Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : If a person takes someone else’s property with the intention to deprive him of it, that is theft, my friend. Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Mr C.C. Porter : Not from a tip! If you take something that is completely unowned, it cannot constitute theft. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : I simply make the point that this occurred in the heart of the hospital in a place that the public had no access to. Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Mr C.C. Porter : Was it laneway or heart? Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : Sorry? Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Mr C.C. Porter : Laneway or heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : It was a courtyard in the heart of the hospital. Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Mr C.C. Porter : A courtyard in the heart of the hospital? Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : The journalist concerned made certain concessions to hospital staff on the Saturday. I was made aware of it when I came out of the Subiaco Oval after a great Fremantle Dockers win, and I arranged for the editor of the Sunday Times to be rung and told that one of his journalists had entered hospital property—arguably a trespass—and taken property that did not belong to him, which is arguably burglary, and I would have thought certainly theft if he has admitted that. The matter was then reported to the police.
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