❓ Mr. Love questions the Minister regarding the WA Electoral Commission's leadership and stability, particularly concerning the acting commissioner's performance and the substantive commissioner's absence. The Minister defends the acting commissioner and outlines ongoing efforts to improve the WAEC following a special inquiry.
AnsweredQoN 472Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WA Electoral Commission
472. Mr Shane Love to
the Minister for Electoral Affairs:
I refer to the
Community Development and Justice Standing Committee's public hearings last
week into the WA Electoral Commissioner when the acting commissioner repeatedly
struggled to answer questions on the planning and conduct of the state
election.
(1) Will the substantive Electoral Commissioner
himself appear before the committee to give evidence at any future hearings?
(2) Given that the Electoral Commissioner is
currently on leave, how can the minister be satisfied that the Western
Australian Electoral Commission has the leadership and stability it needs into
the future to fulfil its many roles?
472. Mr Shane Love to
the Minister for Electoral Affairs:
I refer to the
Community Development and Justice Standing Committee's public hearings last
week into the WA Electoral Commissioner when the acting commissioner repeatedly
struggled to answer questions on the planning and conduct of the state
election.
(1) Will the substantive Electoral Commissioner
himself appear before the committee to give evidence at any future hearings?
(2) Given that the Electoral Commissioner is
currently on leave, how can the minister be satisfied that the Western
Australian Electoral Commission has the leadership and stability it needs into
the future to fulfil its many roles?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I thank the member for the
question. I had a look at the transcript of what the member speaks of, and I do
not agree with the premise of the member's question. I think the acting
commissioner answered those questions quite well. We know that he and his team
at the Western Australian Electoral Commission are working very hard at the
moment on the local government elections. I think ballot papers have started to
hit letterboxes, and I encourage all Western Australians to have their say in
their local communities.
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt, that is not
required.
Mr David Michael: We continue to support the acting
commissioner in his role in uplifting the capacity of the WAEC. Obviously, the
state election had some well-publicised failures, and that is why the Premier
called a special inquiry into the WAEC and the conduct of the state election.
We tabled that report in this place not long ago, and the WAEC and the acting
commissioner have undertaken to produce an implementation plan for those
recommendations by Mr McCusker. We will continue to support him in the work he
does to make sure our democracy is strong.
The commissioner, Mr
Kennedy, as the member knows, is currently on leave until the end of the year
as part of his leave entitlements. As we approach the end of the acting commissioner's
appointment, the circumstances will be assessed and an appropriate decision
will be made at that time.
question. I had a look at the transcript of what the member speaks of, and I do
not agree with the premise of the member's question. I think the acting
commissioner answered those questions quite well. We know that he and his team
at the Western Australian Electoral Commission are working very hard at the
moment on the local government elections. I think ballot papers have started to
hit letterboxes, and I encourage all Western Australians to have their say in
their local communities.
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt, that is not
required.
Mr David Michael: We continue to support the acting
commissioner in his role in uplifting the capacity of the WAEC. Obviously, the
state election had some well-publicised failures, and that is why the Premier
called a special inquiry into the WAEC and the conduct of the state election.
We tabled that report in this place not long ago, and the WAEC and the acting
commissioner have undertaken to produce an implementation plan for those
recommendations by Mr McCusker. We will continue to support him in the work he
does to make sure our democracy is strong.
The commissioner, Mr
Kennedy, as the member knows, is currently on leave until the end of the year
as part of his leave entitlements. As we approach the end of the acting commissioner's
appointment, the circumstances will be assessed and an appropriate decision
will be made at that time.
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