❓ Hon. Kate Doust asks the Minister for Small Business to commit to publicly releasing the Small Business Commissioner's investigation into construction subcontractor complaints, and to provide a government response before caretaker mode. The Minister declines to guarantee full release due to potential sensitive content, but assures a timely response.
AnsweredQoN 926Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
SMALL BUSINESS COMMISSIONER — CONSTRUCTION
SUBCONTRACTOR COMPLAINTS — INVESTIGATION
926. Hon KATE DOUST to the Minister for Small Business:
I refer to the letter of 8 November 2012 from the Small
Business Commissioner to members advising that representations and advice about
the commissioner's investigation of complaints from construction
subcontractors will be provided to the Minister for Small Business on or before
21 December 2012.
(1) Given that
Parliament will have risen by 21 December 2012, will the minister give an
undertaking to make public the full results of the Small Business Commissioner's
investigation as soon as he receives it; and, if not, why not?
(2) If no to
(1), will the minister commit to releasing the report and any recommendations
in full; and, if so, when will he release the report?
(3) Will the
minister provide a government response to the report and any recommendations
prior to the government going into caretaker mode; and, if not, why not?
SUBCONTRACTOR COMPLAINTS — INVESTIGATION
926. Hon KATE DOUST to the Minister for Small Business:
I refer to the letter of 8 November 2012 from the Small
Business Commissioner to members advising that representations and advice about
the commissioner's investigation of complaints from construction
subcontractors will be provided to the Minister for Small Business on or before
21 December 2012.
(1) Given that
Parliament will have risen by 21 December 2012, will the minister give an
undertaking to make public the full results of the Small Business Commissioner's
investigation as soon as he receives it; and, if not, why not?
(2) If no to
(1), will the minister commit to releasing the report and any recommendations
in full; and, if so, when will he release the report?
(3) Will the
minister provide a government response to the report and any recommendations
prior to the government going into caretaker mode; and, if not, why not?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for some notice of this
question.
(1)–(3)
The date has nothing to do with parliamentary sitting dates and, given the
likely scope of the task, is a tight time frame. An early date was chosen
because of the high priority that I place on this issue. The member may rest
assured that consideration of the report will receive a similar priority so
that a response may be provided as soon as possible. Obviously, given that the report
may contain reference to disciplinary, criminal or commercially sensitive
matters, I will not give a blanket guarantee to its full release before it is
written.
Hon
Ken Travers : Cover-up!
Hon
SIMON O'BRIEN : I
beg your pardon ? We're having an inquiry; that's not a
cover-up!
The PRESIDENT : Order!
Hon
Sue Ellery interjected.
The
PRESIDENT : Order! I think
we've finished that question and answer.
question.
(1)–(3)
The date has nothing to do with parliamentary sitting dates and, given the
likely scope of the task, is a tight time frame. An early date was chosen
because of the high priority that I place on this issue. The member may rest
assured that consideration of the report will receive a similar priority so
that a response may be provided as soon as possible. Obviously, given that the report
may contain reference to disciplinary, criminal or commercially sensitive
matters, I will not give a blanket guarantee to its full release before it is
written.
Hon
Ken Travers : Cover-up!
Hon
SIMON O'BRIEN : I
beg your pardon ? We're having an inquiry; that's not a
cover-up!
The PRESIDENT : Order!
Hon
Sue Ellery interjected.
The
PRESIDENT : Order! I think
we've finished that question and answer.
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