Home›Questions on Notice›QoN 2161

❓ Shadow Treasurer McGowan questions the Treasurer on the Department of Treasury's decision not to maintain a register of unaccepted gifts and benefits, highlighting potential inconsistencies with other agencies. The Treasurer defends the decision based on a risk assessment and indicates a policy review is scheduled.

AnsweredQoN 2161Legislative Assembly

Asked

9 April 2014

Member

Mr M. McGowan

Portfolio

Treasurer

QuestionView source ↗

I refer to Question on Notice 1488 in relation to the maintenance of a register of gifts and benefits offered to employees but not accepted, and ask: (a) does the Treasurer believe it is acceptable for the Department of Treasury not to maintain such a register; (b) does the Treasurer believe contradictions exist with Treasury not maintaining such a register when many other public sector agencies involved in financial negotiations do maintain such a register; and (c) does the Department of Treasurer have any plans to initiate such a register?

AnswerView source ↗

Answered

6 May 2014

Response time

27 days

(a) The Integrity Coordinating Group's 'Gifts, benefits and hospitality: a guide to good practice' states that individual agencies may decide to maintain a register of gifts, benefits and hospitality offered but not accepted, if the risks to the organisation are considered frequent or high. In this regard, the Department of Treasury has assessed the risks to the organisation and determined that these risks are low.
(b) No.
(c) The Department of Treasury is scheduled to review its internal gifts and benefits policy by December 2014. The assessment as to whether the gift registry is still fit for purpose in terms of the organisation's exposure to risk, will be made at that time.

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