❓ Mr Watson questions the powers and procedures of the Local Government Standards Panel, particularly regarding requests for further information from complainants and the role of the Presiding Member. The response clarifies the Panel's processes and authority.
AnsweredQoN 2786Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the Local Government Standards Panel and ask: (a) is the Standards Panel a statutory body with statutory powers; (b) does the Standards Panel have any discretionary powers to request complainants to provide further information to substantiate their complaints, and if so, has the Standards Panel delegated this power to the Presiding Member; (c) does the Standards Panel have any procedures and practice guidelines, and if so, what are they; (d) what authorisation does the Presiding Member have to carry out pre-hearing procedures on behalf of the Standards Panel; (e) when carrying out prehearing procedures on behalf of the Standards Panel, does the Presiding Member exercise a discretionary power to request complainants to clarify their complaints and provide information or more information to support them; (f) does the Presiding Member always exercise this power in letters posted to complainants bearing his signature and title, and if not, what alternative procedures does he follow; (g) apart from the Presiding Member are there officers in the Department of Local Government who exercise a discretionary power to request further information from a complainant, and if so, by what authority; and (h) since the inception of the Standards Panel how many complainants have not been local government authority CEO’s and employees, default complaints officers, local government authority appointed complaints officers, or elected members?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
9 September 2014
Responded by
Minister for Local Government
Response time
20 days
(a) Yes.
(b) No. However, such a request has been and may be made by the Department of Local Government and Communities through the Presiding Member's direction, on behalf of the Standards Panel, where procedural fairness appears to require it.
(c) Yes. A copy of them may be obtained by contacting the Department of Local Government and Communities.
(d) Authorisation from the Standards Panel.
(e) No - see (b) above.
(f) Not applicable - see (b) and (e) above.
(g) No.
(h) 45 (as at 20 August 2014).
(b) No. However, such a request has been and may be made by the Department of Local Government and Communities through the Presiding Member's direction, on behalf of the Standards Panel, where procedural fairness appears to require it.
(c) Yes. A copy of them may be obtained by contacting the Department of Local Government and Communities.
(d) Authorisation from the Standards Panel.
(e) No - see (b) above.
(f) Not applicable - see (b) and (e) above.
(g) No.
(h) 45 (as at 20 August 2014).
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