❓ The WA Parliament questioned the Minister for Planning about travel expenses incurred by the chair of the Western Australian Planning Commission, Mr. Gary Prattley. The Minister defended the travel as necessary for promoting WA's interests but acknowledged an ongoing review of expenditure.
AnsweredQoN 532Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
GARY PRATTLEY — TRAVEL EXPENSES
532. Mr P.C. TINLEY to the Minister for Planning:
On behalf of the member for West Swan, I welcome the children
from Landsdale Primary School who join us here today.
I refer to the recent spending of $260 000 on travel by the
minister's appointee to the chair of the Western Australian Planning
Commission, Mr Gary Prattley.
(1) Does the
minister support Mr Prattley spending more than $260 000 on world and
interstate travel?
(2) Does Mr
Prattley retain the minister's confidence?
(3) Will Mr
Prattley remain in his current position?
532. Mr P.C. TINLEY to the Minister for Planning:
On behalf of the member for West Swan, I welcome the children
from Landsdale Primary School who join us here today.
I refer to the recent spending of $260 000 on travel by the
minister's appointee to the chair of the Western Australian Planning
Commission, Mr Gary Prattley.
(1) Does the
minister support Mr Prattley spending more than $260 000 on world and
interstate travel?
(2) Does Mr
Prattley retain the minister's confidence?
(3) Will Mr
Prattley remain in his current position?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question.
(1)–(3)
I make the point that Mr Prattley, as chairman of the WA Planning Commission,
is widely regarded as having been very effective in his role as chair, and that
role plays a very important part in the Western Australian planning system. His
travel expenditure received some publicity three or four weeks ago. The
international travel has been in relation to or part of delegations from the
Western Australian government to places such as China, Hong Kong and Singapore
in promoting the state's interests —
Mr B.S. Wyatt : A
three-day conference—he was away for a week.
Ms M.M. Quirk interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members! Member for Girrawheen!
Mr J.H.D. DAY : —
in particular in relation to marketing the Elizabeth Quay development and the
Perth City Link development. These are ones that come to mind at the moment.
Mr B.S. Wyatt :
Marketing Elizabeth Quay; who to—Buckingham Palace?
The SPEAKER :
Member for Victoria Park, I formally call you to order for the first time
today. The question was asked by the member for Willagee.
Mr J.H.D. DAY : It
is also the case that for the first two years of Mr Prattley's time in
the position, family reunion travel back to New South Wales was approved, given
that his family home is in that state and there is a precedent —
Dr A.D. Buti interjected.
Mr J.H.D. DAY : —
for that form of travel in relation to a former senior officer of the
Department of Planning in the previous government's time. However,
towards the end of the 2011–12 financial year —
Dr A.D. Buti interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Armadale!
Mr J.H.D. DAY : If
you would like the answer, I will give it.
Towards the end of the 2011–12 financial year, I
became aware of some general expenditure issues that had been incurred by Mr
Prattley in his role as chair of the Planning Commission. On 1 June this year I
wrote to the Public Sector Commissioner seeking his advice about the applicable
allowances for the position of chair of the WAPC. The commissioner provided me
with some general comments on the associated travel expenses. Based on this
initial assessment, I asked the commissioner to provide further advice on
appropriate expenditure limits for that position. I received some guidance on
those matters from the Public Sector Commissioner recently and I am currently
considering that advice. As I said, the position of chair of the Planning
Commission is a senior role in the Western Australian public service and it
plays a key strategic role in the state's development. It is a role
that, by necessity, involves a significant amount of intrastate as well as some
interstate and international travel. I can advise that the chairman of the
Planning Commission is currently on leave and I understand that further audit
information has been requested from the Planning Commission on this matter to
inform the Public Sector Commissioner.
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
Is that his request or yours?
Mr J.H.D. DAY : The
role of the Public Sector Commissioner, of course, is independent of government
and it is general practice —
Several members interjected.
Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected.
The SPEAKER : Thank
you members! Member for Midland!
Mr J.H.D. DAY : —
to look into matters of public sector expenditure. The chairman of the Planning
Commission is on leave while these matters are being inquired into and
resolved.
(1)–(3)
I make the point that Mr Prattley, as chairman of the WA Planning Commission,
is widely regarded as having been very effective in his role as chair, and that
role plays a very important part in the Western Australian planning system. His
travel expenditure received some publicity three or four weeks ago. The
international travel has been in relation to or part of delegations from the
Western Australian government to places such as China, Hong Kong and Singapore
in promoting the state's interests —
Mr B.S. Wyatt : A
three-day conference—he was away for a week.
Ms M.M. Quirk interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members! Member for Girrawheen!
Mr J.H.D. DAY : —
in particular in relation to marketing the Elizabeth Quay development and the
Perth City Link development. These are ones that come to mind at the moment.
Mr B.S. Wyatt :
Marketing Elizabeth Quay; who to—Buckingham Palace?
The SPEAKER :
Member for Victoria Park, I formally call you to order for the first time
today. The question was asked by the member for Willagee.
Mr J.H.D. DAY : It
is also the case that for the first two years of Mr Prattley's time in
the position, family reunion travel back to New South Wales was approved, given
that his family home is in that state and there is a precedent —
Dr A.D. Buti interjected.
Mr J.H.D. DAY : —
for that form of travel in relation to a former senior officer of the
Department of Planning in the previous government's time. However,
towards the end of the 2011–12 financial year —
Dr A.D. Buti interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Armadale!
Mr J.H.D. DAY : If
you would like the answer, I will give it.
Towards the end of the 2011–12 financial year, I
became aware of some general expenditure issues that had been incurred by Mr
Prattley in his role as chair of the Planning Commission. On 1 June this year I
wrote to the Public Sector Commissioner seeking his advice about the applicable
allowances for the position of chair of the WAPC. The commissioner provided me
with some general comments on the associated travel expenses. Based on this
initial assessment, I asked the commissioner to provide further advice on
appropriate expenditure limits for that position. I received some guidance on
those matters from the Public Sector Commissioner recently and I am currently
considering that advice. As I said, the position of chair of the Planning
Commission is a senior role in the Western Australian public service and it
plays a key strategic role in the state's development. It is a role
that, by necessity, involves a significant amount of intrastate as well as some
interstate and international travel. I can advise that the chairman of the
Planning Commission is currently on leave and I understand that further audit
information has been requested from the Planning Commission on this matter to
inform the Public Sector Commissioner.
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
Is that his request or yours?
Mr J.H.D. DAY : The
role of the Public Sector Commissioner, of course, is independent of government
and it is general practice —
Several members interjected.
Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected.
The SPEAKER : Thank
you members! Member for Midland!
Mr J.H.D. DAY : —
to look into matters of public sector expenditure. The chairman of the Planning
Commission is on leave while these matters are being inquired into and
resolved.
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