❓ Opposition questions the Minister about Sam Walsh's media silence regarding the Perth Mint investigation. The Minister defends Walsh and accuses the previous government of non-compliance.
AnsweredQoN 154Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
GOLD CORPORATION — SAM WALSH
154. Ms L. METTAM to the Minister for Mines and Petroleum:
I
refer to Mr Sam Walsh, a taxpayer-funded government appointee as chair of Gold
Corporation, and the Four Corners investigation into the Perth
Mint.
(1) Why did it take so long for Mr
Walsh to front the media?
(2) Did the
government advise Mr Walsh to avoid media questions and scrutiny out of fear of
exposing what the government and the Premier knew, and when?
154. Ms L. METTAM to the Minister for Mines and Petroleum:
I
refer to Mr Sam Walsh, a taxpayer-funded government appointee as chair of Gold
Corporation, and the Four Corners investigation into the Perth
Mint.
(1) Why did it take so long for Mr
Walsh to front the media?
(2) Did the
government advise Mr Walsh to avoid media questions and scrutiny out of fear of
exposing what the government and the Premier knew, and when?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) In
respect of the last question, I was in Canada last week watching question time —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : — and
I saw the Premier answering questions on his knowledge of matters. I am not
quite sure; I must be expected to be a mind reader, but how I would know what
Sam Walsh thinks about what the Premier said? I think I am a reasonably
intelligent person, but it is not actually possible for me to answer that. Let
me make it clear: the Premier has been completely transparent every step of the
way on these matters. I know that that comes as
a surprise, because we know that that has not been the case in the past, but I just
want to emphasise that it is true that
when we came to government, we thought that the Perth Mint was complying with
the law. It came as a surprise to us to discover that under the former
government, apparently, the Perth Mint was allowed to not comply with the law.
But we are determined to get it back into the right place. That is why we are
investing $34 million into our anti–money
laundering and counterterrorism financing fix. That is why we are getting it to
comply with its obligations under the United States code. That is why we
are fixing all the problems that were left to us. What I can say about Sam
Walsh is this: I was also in Japan recently and I met with the senior
leadership of Mitsui. They hold Mr Walsh in great high regard. He is one of
those leaders of business in Western Australia whom so many people have respect
for. He is the sort of business leader Western Australia produces. If the
Liberal Party and the National Party want to run down a fine outstanding
Australian like Sam Walsh, that is up to them.
respect of the last question, I was in Canada last week watching question time —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : — and
I saw the Premier answering questions on his knowledge of matters. I am not
quite sure; I must be expected to be a mind reader, but how I would know what
Sam Walsh thinks about what the Premier said? I think I am a reasonably
intelligent person, but it is not actually possible for me to answer that. Let
me make it clear: the Premier has been completely transparent every step of the
way on these matters. I know that that comes as
a surprise, because we know that that has not been the case in the past, but I just
want to emphasise that it is true that
when we came to government, we thought that the Perth Mint was complying with
the law. It came as a surprise to us to discover that under the former
government, apparently, the Perth Mint was allowed to not comply with the law.
But we are determined to get it back into the right place. That is why we are
investing $34 million into our anti–money
laundering and counterterrorism financing fix. That is why we are getting it to
comply with its obligations under the United States code. That is why we
are fixing all the problems that were left to us. What I can say about Sam
Walsh is this: I was also in Japan recently and I met with the senior
leadership of Mitsui. They hold Mr Walsh in great high regard. He is one of
those leaders of business in Western Australia whom so many people have respect
for. He is the sort of business leader Western Australia produces. If the
Liberal Party and the National Party want to run down a fine outstanding
Australian like Sam Walsh, that is up to them.
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