❓ Question regarding the understanding of ministerial responsibility for the Insurance Commission of Western Australia (formerly SGIC). The answer deflects, accusing the opposition leader of hypocrisy regarding ministerial responsibility, citing past actions and statements.
AnsweredQoN 129Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Does the minister responsible for the Insurance Commission of Western Australia, formerly known as the SGIC, have any information regarding the understanding of ministerial responsibility for the SGIC which was enunciated by his predecessors? Mr KIERATH
AnswerView source ↗
As members are aware, when the Labor Party was in power, the current Leader of the Opposition was the responsible minister at the time that some disgraceful deals were done with its mates; the very people who funded the Labor Party’s re-election campaign. In response to an article in The West Australian that stated that the SGIC was the pawn of Government, the then minister's response was very interesting. I am sure members would be interested in hearing what he said because it is a different tune from the tune he has been singing in the past week. The Leader of the Opposition said that the SGIC had a board structure, and the legislation outlined what the relationship would be between the board and the Government. The Government was responsible for making policies clear to the board, but that matter was separate from the investment decisions made by the SGIC board on a day-to-day basis with the advice of its management. In other words, each minister's responsibility ends with making his or her board aware of the particular policy and does not cover the day-to-day running of the organisation. The Leader of the Opposition went on to say that the day-to-day running of the organisation has nothing to do with the minister. That tune is different from the tune he has been singing in the past week concerning my colleague the member for Alfred Cove. The Leader of the Opposition has been saying that when the coalition is in Government, the minister is responsible for every single thing that happens. The problem with the Labor Party is that it thinks when it is in Government it is responsible for only the policy and all of the other responsibilities lie with the boards and agencies. The Labor Party has still not learned the lessons from the past. While it continues with that attitude it will remain in opposition where it belongs.
Mr KIERATH replied: As members are aware, when the Labor Party was in power, the current Leader of the Opposition was the responsible minister at the time that some disgraceful deals were done with its mates; the very people who funded the Labor Party’s re-election campaign. In response to an article in The West Australian that stated that the SGIC was the pawn of Government, the then minister's response was very interesting. I am sure members would be interested in hearing what he said because it is a different tune from the tune he has been singing in the past week. The Leader of the Opposition said that the SGIC had a board structure, and the legislation outlined what the relationship would be between the board and the Government. The Government was responsible for making policies clear to the board, but that matter was separate from the investment decisions made by the SGIC board on a day-to-day basis with the advice of its management. In other words, each minister's responsibility ends with making his or her board aware of the particular policy and does not cover the day-to-day running of the organisation. The Leader of the Opposition went on to say that the day-to-day running of the organisation has nothing to do with the minister. That tune is different from the tune he has been singing in the past week concerning my colleague the member for Alfred Cove. The Leader of the Opposition has been saying that when the coalition is in Government, the minister is responsible for every single thing that happens. The problem with the Labor Party is that it thinks when it is in Government it is responsible for only the policy and all of the other responsibilities lie with the boards and agencies. The Labor Party has still not learned the lessons from the past. While it continues with that attitude it will remain in opposition where it belongs.
As members are aware, when the Labor Party was in power, the current Leader of the Opposition was the responsible minister at the time that some disgraceful deals were done with its mates; the very people who funded the Labor Party’s re-election campaign. In response to an article in The West Australian that stated that the SGIC was the pawn of Government, the then minister's response was very interesting. I am sure members would be interested in hearing what he said because it is a different tune from the tune he has been singing in the past week. The Leader of the Opposition said that the SGIC had a board structure, and the legislation outlined what the relationship would be between the board and the Government. The Government was responsible for making policies clear to the board, but that matter was separate from the investment decisions made by the SGIC board on a day-to-day basis with the advice of its management. In other words, each minister's responsibility ends with making his or her board aware of the particular policy and does not cover the day-to-day running of the organisation. The Leader of the Opposition went on to say that the day-to-day running of the organisation has nothing to do with the minister. That tune is different from the tune he has been singing in the past week concerning my colleague the member for Alfred Cove. The Leader of the Opposition has been saying that when the coalition is in Government, the minister is responsible for every single thing that happens. The problem with the Labor Party is that it thinks when it is in Government it is responsible for only the policy and all of the other responsibilities lie with the boards and agencies. The Labor Party has still not learned the lessons from the past. While it continues with that attitude it will remain in opposition where it belongs.
The Leader of the Opposition went on to say that the day-to-day running of the organisation has nothing to do with the minister. That tune is different from the tune he has been singing in the past week concerning my colleague the member for Alfred Cove. The Leader of the Opposition has been saying that when the coalition is in Government, the minister is responsible for every single thing that happens. The problem with the Labor Party is that it thinks when it is in Government it is responsible for only the policy and all of the other responsibilities lie with the boards and agencies. The Labor Party has still not learned the lessons from the past. While it continues with that attitude it will remain in opposition where it belongs.
Mr KIERATH replied: As members are aware, when the Labor Party was in power, the current Leader of the Opposition was the responsible minister at the time that some disgraceful deals were done with its mates; the very people who funded the Labor Party’s re-election campaign. In response to an article in The West Australian that stated that the SGIC was the pawn of Government, the then minister's response was very interesting. I am sure members would be interested in hearing what he said because it is a different tune from the tune he has been singing in the past week. The Leader of the Opposition said that the SGIC had a board structure, and the legislation outlined what the relationship would be between the board and the Government. The Government was responsible for making policies clear to the board, but that matter was separate from the investment decisions made by the SGIC board on a day-to-day basis with the advice of its management. In other words, each minister's responsibility ends with making his or her board aware of the particular policy and does not cover the day-to-day running of the organisation. The Leader of the Opposition went on to say that the day-to-day running of the organisation has nothing to do with the minister. That tune is different from the tune he has been singing in the past week concerning my colleague the member for Alfred Cove. The Leader of the Opposition has been saying that when the coalition is in Government, the minister is responsible for every single thing that happens. The problem with the Labor Party is that it thinks when it is in Government it is responsible for only the policy and all of the other responsibilities lie with the boards and agencies. The Labor Party has still not learned the lessons from the past. While it continues with that attitude it will remain in opposition where it belongs.
As members are aware, when the Labor Party was in power, the current Leader of the Opposition was the responsible minister at the time that some disgraceful deals were done with its mates; the very people who funded the Labor Party’s re-election campaign. In response to an article in The West Australian that stated that the SGIC was the pawn of Government, the then minister's response was very interesting. I am sure members would be interested in hearing what he said because it is a different tune from the tune he has been singing in the past week. The Leader of the Opposition said that the SGIC had a board structure, and the legislation outlined what the relationship would be between the board and the Government. The Government was responsible for making policies clear to the board, but that matter was separate from the investment decisions made by the SGIC board on a day-to-day basis with the advice of its management. In other words, each minister's responsibility ends with making his or her board aware of the particular policy and does not cover the day-to-day running of the organisation. The Leader of the Opposition went on to say that the day-to-day running of the organisation has nothing to do with the minister. That tune is different from the tune he has been singing in the past week concerning my colleague the member for Alfred Cove. The Leader of the Opposition has been saying that when the coalition is in Government, the minister is responsible for every single thing that happens. The problem with the Labor Party is that it thinks when it is in Government it is responsible for only the policy and all of the other responsibilities lie with the boards and agencies. The Labor Party has still not learned the lessons from the past. While it continues with that attitude it will remain in opposition where it belongs.
The Leader of the Opposition went on to say that the day-to-day running of the organisation has nothing to do with the minister. That tune is different from the tune he has been singing in the past week concerning my colleague the member for Alfred Cove. The Leader of the Opposition has been saying that when the coalition is in Government, the minister is responsible for every single thing that happens. The problem with the Labor Party is that it thinks when it is in Government it is responsible for only the policy and all of the other responsibilities lie with the boards and agencies. The Labor Party has still not learned the lessons from the past. While it continues with that attitude it will remain in opposition where it belongs.
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