❓ Minister defends Perth Mint reforms, highlighting govt investment in anti-money laundering measures and criticising a Senate inquiry led by Senator Dean Smith as politically motivated and lacking evidence of misconduct.
AnsweredQoN 889Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PERTH MINT — REFORMS
889. Ms M.M. QUIRK to the Minister for Mines and Petroleum:
My succinct question without notice
is to the Minister for Mines and Petroleum. I refer to the Cook Labor
government's $34 million investment to improve management at the Perth
Mint.
(1) Will the
minister outline to the house how this investment is allowing for improved
operations at the Perth Mint?
(2) Will the minister advise the
house whether he is aware of any alternative remediation proposals?
889. Ms M.M. QUIRK to the Minister for Mines and Petroleum:
My succinct question without notice
is to the Minister for Mines and Petroleum. I refer to the Cook Labor
government's $34 million investment to improve management at the Perth
Mint.
(1) Will the
minister outline to the house how this investment is allowing for improved
operations at the Perth Mint?
(2) Will the minister advise the
house whether he is aware of any alternative remediation proposals?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) Thank
you very much. I am very pleased to answer that question. As the member and the
Speaker know, when this government came to power, we did not realise that the
former government had allowed the Perth Mint to not practise appropriate anti–money
laundering and counterterrorism financing arrangements.
Under the leadership of former Premier McGowan, a reform process started. Part
of that reform process was the replacement of the former chair with an
outstanding Western Australian, Sam Walsh, as the chair of the board. I am very
proud to have continued that reform program. That includes a $34 million
investment in updating the Mint's know-your-customer practices. This
plan is delivering. It is showing that it is working through the historical
noncompliance and getting the Mint back on track.
Unfortunately,
of course, there is some political grandstanding going on at the same time led
by the very disappointing Senator
Dean Smith. He chairs a federal inquiry in the Senate, which was extended,
having had three public hearings and not having had a single claim of
illegal conduct at the Perth Mint. This is a
bitter disappointment to the 700 Western Australian voters who work at the Mint
whom he is supposed to represent in the federal Parliament. This inquiry
is investigating three acts of the federal Parliament. Two of the acts in the inquiry's terms of reference—the
Privacy Act and the National Measurement Act — have not even rated a mention at any time in the
hearings. In fact, the Privacy Act does not even apply to the Perth Mint. The matters regarding the
Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act are of course being dealt with by the Australian
Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre, an independent regulatory
authority. The idea that this committee wants to politically interfere in
AUSTRAC's investigation is appalling.
There
has been no evidence of any misconduct by the government. In fact, the evidence
presented to the committee includes the following. The Auditor General
told the committee, ''the Perth Mint today is in much better shape than it was five years ago.'' She also said,
''I found the Premier''—that being Premier McGowan
—''very attentive to listening to the concerns.'' She
said that the chair of Gold Corporation, Sam Walsh, was ''part of the
solution, not part of the problem, in solving these issues''. She also
said, ''as auditor I have not seen any evidence of money laundering at
the Perth Mint.'' She also said —
�
if I'd had a view that a $1 billion penalty was likely, I would have
made sure that the disclosures in the annual report were appropriately
reflective of that. But I cannot speak for AUSTRAC.
The point is that in her view there
was no chance of a $1 billion fine.
Mr R.S. Love interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : When Ms
Spencer was asked whether she had briefed Premier Roger Cook, she said —
I
haven't briefed him on Perth Mint. In my view, that issue is now well
in hand of the board and the entity.
In fact, she said something nice
about me. She said —
Again, he was very engaged. When
risks were being raised, I thought he handled that information appropriately,
in terms of wanting to know more �
There is no evidence before this
inquiry that shows any misconduct by the current Labor government. Of course, it exposes Dean Smith, who worked for Richard
Court when he was the minister relevant to the Mint. Dean Smith would
not explain his relationship with the former leadership, the chair of the
board, that Premier McGowan sacked. Dean Smith worked at Richard Court's
office when that man, the former chair, was the chief executive officer. Dean
Smith has never outlined his relationship with that man. There are things to be
known, but not about this government, not about the current Mint leadership,
but about the dishonesty we have seen in that Senate inquiry.
I turn to the shambles of evidence
from the Leader of the Opposition and the member for Cottesloe, who could not
put a single allegation of misconduct by anyone in government, anyone at the
Mint—not a single allegation of misconduct—and no evidence of
any illegal activity. In fact, both of them acknowledge that there have never
been money laundering allegations involving the Mint and they both acknowledge
that there has never been any breach of either of the other two acts that are being
investigated. It is a shambles, it is a political witch-hunt, it is a disgrace
and it should stop now.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order please,
members! This is becoming a very lengthy question time.
you very much. I am very pleased to answer that question. As the member and the
Speaker know, when this government came to power, we did not realise that the
former government had allowed the Perth Mint to not practise appropriate anti–money
laundering and counterterrorism financing arrangements.
Under the leadership of former Premier McGowan, a reform process started. Part
of that reform process was the replacement of the former chair with an
outstanding Western Australian, Sam Walsh, as the chair of the board. I am very
proud to have continued that reform program. That includes a $34 million
investment in updating the Mint's know-your-customer practices. This
plan is delivering. It is showing that it is working through the historical
noncompliance and getting the Mint back on track.
Unfortunately,
of course, there is some political grandstanding going on at the same time led
by the very disappointing Senator
Dean Smith. He chairs a federal inquiry in the Senate, which was extended,
having had three public hearings and not having had a single claim of
illegal conduct at the Perth Mint. This is a
bitter disappointment to the 700 Western Australian voters who work at the Mint
whom he is supposed to represent in the federal Parliament. This inquiry
is investigating three acts of the federal Parliament. Two of the acts in the inquiry's terms of reference—the
Privacy Act and the National Measurement Act — have not even rated a mention at any time in the
hearings. In fact, the Privacy Act does not even apply to the Perth Mint. The matters regarding the
Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act are of course being dealt with by the Australian
Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre, an independent regulatory
authority. The idea that this committee wants to politically interfere in
AUSTRAC's investigation is appalling.
There
has been no evidence of any misconduct by the government. In fact, the evidence
presented to the committee includes the following. The Auditor General
told the committee, ''the Perth Mint today is in much better shape than it was five years ago.'' She also said,
''I found the Premier''—that being Premier McGowan
—''very attentive to listening to the concerns.'' She
said that the chair of Gold Corporation, Sam Walsh, was ''part of the
solution, not part of the problem, in solving these issues''. She also
said, ''as auditor I have not seen any evidence of money laundering at
the Perth Mint.'' She also said —
�
if I'd had a view that a $1 billion penalty was likely, I would have
made sure that the disclosures in the annual report were appropriately
reflective of that. But I cannot speak for AUSTRAC.
The point is that in her view there
was no chance of a $1 billion fine.
Mr R.S. Love interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : When Ms
Spencer was asked whether she had briefed Premier Roger Cook, she said —
I
haven't briefed him on Perth Mint. In my view, that issue is now well
in hand of the board and the entity.
In fact, she said something nice
about me. She said —
Again, he was very engaged. When
risks were being raised, I thought he handled that information appropriately,
in terms of wanting to know more �
There is no evidence before this
inquiry that shows any misconduct by the current Labor government. Of course, it exposes Dean Smith, who worked for Richard
Court when he was the minister relevant to the Mint. Dean Smith would
not explain his relationship with the former leadership, the chair of the
board, that Premier McGowan sacked. Dean Smith worked at Richard Court's
office when that man, the former chair, was the chief executive officer. Dean
Smith has never outlined his relationship with that man. There are things to be
known, but not about this government, not about the current Mint leadership,
but about the dishonesty we have seen in that Senate inquiry.
I turn to the shambles of evidence
from the Leader of the Opposition and the member for Cottesloe, who could not
put a single allegation of misconduct by anyone in government, anyone at the
Mint—not a single allegation of misconduct—and no evidence of
any illegal activity. In fact, both of them acknowledge that there have never
been money laundering allegations involving the Mint and they both acknowledge
that there has never been any breach of either of the other two acts that are being
investigated. It is a shambles, it is a political witch-hunt, it is a disgrace
and it should stop now.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order please,
members! This is becoming a very lengthy question time.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.