❓ Mr. Ripper questions the Premier regarding a potential conflict of interest involving the Minister for Local Government and a water license issued to Koorian Olives. The Premier defends the Minister, stating decisions were made prior to his involvement.
AnsweredQoN 208Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
KOORIAN OLIVES, WATER LICENCE
I refer to the issuing of a water licence by the Water and Rivers Commission for use by the Koorian Olives project at Gingin, of which the Minister for Local Government is chairman and director. (1) Can the Premier confirm that the minister did not declare his interest in the matter when the Cabinet considered amendments to the Rights in Water and Irrigation Act, which provides for increased security for licence holders and tradeable water entitlements? (2) Is the minister correct when he states that he did not need to declare an interest because the licence was issued prior to him becoming chairman? Mr COURT
I refer to the issuing of a water licence by the Water and Rivers Commission for use by the Koorian Olives project at Gingin, of which the Minister for Local Government is chairman and director. (1) Can the Premier confirm that the minister did not declare his interest in the matter when the Cabinet considered amendments to the Rights in Water and Irrigation Act, which provides for increased security for licence holders and tradeable water entitlements? (2) Is the minister correct when he states that he did not need to declare an interest because the licence was issued prior to him becoming chairman? Mr COURT
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(2) I would have appreciated some notice of this question. I will answer the question to the best of my knowledge. The minister’s interests are declared in his statement to Parliament. The decisions in relation to the property were made prior to the minister becoming involved in the proposal. The water rights are not owned by the body that the minister is involved with, but by the owner of the land. As I understand it, the minister has an interest in the project of one-third of an acre. Like many members of Parliament, the minister also has a property on which there are dams and these are involved in water storage. Is the member implying there is a conflict of interest with the minister over this legislation? Mr Ripper: I am not implying it. The facts speak for themselves. Mr COURT: No they do not. The minister has said that the decisions were made before he was involved and before the matters were considered. I will provide more details in answer to the member’s question later.
(1) Can the Premier confirm that the minister did not declare his interest in the matter when the Cabinet considered amendments to the Rights in Water and Irrigation Act, which provides for increased security for licence holders and tradeable water entitlements? (2) Is the minister correct when he states that he did not need to declare an interest because the licence was issued prior to him becoming chairman? Mr COURT replied: (1)-(2) I would have appreciated some notice of this question. I will answer the question to the best of my knowledge. The minister’s interests are declared in his statement to Parliament. The decisions in relation to the property were made prior to the minister becoming involved in the proposal. The water rights are not owned by the body that the minister is involved with, but by the owner of the land. As I understand it, the minister has an interest in the project of one-third of an acre. Like many members of Parliament, the minister also has a property on which there are dams and these are involved in water storage. Is the member implying there is a conflict of interest with the minister over this legislation? Mr Ripper: I am not implying it. The facts speak for themselves. Mr COURT: No they do not. The minister has said that the decisions were made before he was involved and before the matters were considered. I will provide more details in answer to the member’s question later.
(2) Is the minister correct when he states that he did not need to declare an interest because the licence was issued prior to him becoming chairman? Mr COURT replied: (1)-(2) I would have appreciated some notice of this question. I will answer the question to the best of my knowledge. The minister’s interests are declared in his statement to Parliament. The decisions in relation to the property were made prior to the minister becoming involved in the proposal. The water rights are not owned by the body that the minister is involved with, but by the owner of the land. As I understand it, the minister has an interest in the project of one-third of an acre. Like many members of Parliament, the minister also has a property on which there are dams and these are involved in water storage. Is the member implying there is a conflict of interest with the minister over this legislation? Mr Ripper: I am not implying it. The facts speak for themselves. Mr COURT: No they do not. The minister has said that the decisions were made before he was involved and before the matters were considered. I will provide more details in answer to the member’s question later.
Mr COURT replied: (1)-(2) I would have appreciated some notice of this question. I will answer the question to the best of my knowledge. The minister’s interests are declared in his statement to Parliament. The decisions in relation to the property were made prior to the minister becoming involved in the proposal. The water rights are not owned by the body that the minister is involved with, but by the owner of the land. As I understand it, the minister has an interest in the project of one-third of an acre. Like many members of Parliament, the minister also has a property on which there are dams and these are involved in water storage. Is the member implying there is a conflict of interest with the minister over this legislation? Mr Ripper: I am not implying it. The facts speak for themselves. Mr COURT: No they do not. The minister has said that the decisions were made before he was involved and before the matters were considered. I will provide more details in answer to the member’s question later.
(1)-(2) I would have appreciated some notice of this question. I will answer the question to the best of my knowledge. The minister’s interests are declared in his statement to Parliament. The decisions in relation to the property were made prior to the minister becoming involved in the proposal. The water rights are not owned by the body that the minister is involved with, but by the owner of the land. As I understand it, the minister has an interest in the project of one-third of an acre. Like many members of Parliament, the minister also has a property on which there are dams and these are involved in water storage. Is the member implying there is a conflict of interest with the minister over this legislation? Mr Ripper: I am not implying it. The facts speak for themselves. Mr COURT: No they do not. The minister has said that the decisions were made before he was involved and before the matters were considered. I will provide more details in answer to the member’s question later.
Mr Ripper: I am not implying it. The facts speak for themselves. Mr COURT: No they do not. The minister has said that the decisions were made before he was involved and before the matters were considered. I will provide more details in answer to the member’s question later.
Mr COURT: No they do not. The minister has said that the decisions were made before he was involved and before the matters were considered. I will provide more details in answer to the member’s question later.
(1) Can the Premier confirm that the minister did not declare his interest in the matter when the Cabinet considered amendments to the Rights in Water and Irrigation Act, which provides for increased security for licence holders and tradeable water entitlements? (2) Is the minister correct when he states that he did not need to declare an interest because the licence was issued prior to him becoming chairman? Mr COURT replied: (1)-(2) I would have appreciated some notice of this question. I will answer the question to the best of my knowledge. The minister’s interests are declared in his statement to Parliament. The decisions in relation to the property were made prior to the minister becoming involved in the proposal. The water rights are not owned by the body that the minister is involved with, but by the owner of the land. As I understand it, the minister has an interest in the project of one-third of an acre. Like many members of Parliament, the minister also has a property on which there are dams and these are involved in water storage. Is the member implying there is a conflict of interest with the minister over this legislation? Mr Ripper: I am not implying it. The facts speak for themselves. Mr COURT: No they do not. The minister has said that the decisions were made before he was involved and before the matters were considered. I will provide more details in answer to the member’s question later.
(2) Is the minister correct when he states that he did not need to declare an interest because the licence was issued prior to him becoming chairman? Mr COURT replied: (1)-(2) I would have appreciated some notice of this question. I will answer the question to the best of my knowledge. The minister’s interests are declared in his statement to Parliament. The decisions in relation to the property were made prior to the minister becoming involved in the proposal. The water rights are not owned by the body that the minister is involved with, but by the owner of the land. As I understand it, the minister has an interest in the project of one-third of an acre. Like many members of Parliament, the minister also has a property on which there are dams and these are involved in water storage. Is the member implying there is a conflict of interest with the minister over this legislation? Mr Ripper: I am not implying it. The facts speak for themselves. Mr COURT: No they do not. The minister has said that the decisions were made before he was involved and before the matters were considered. I will provide more details in answer to the member’s question later.
Mr COURT replied: (1)-(2) I would have appreciated some notice of this question. I will answer the question to the best of my knowledge. The minister’s interests are declared in his statement to Parliament. The decisions in relation to the property were made prior to the minister becoming involved in the proposal. The water rights are not owned by the body that the minister is involved with, but by the owner of the land. As I understand it, the minister has an interest in the project of one-third of an acre. Like many members of Parliament, the minister also has a property on which there are dams and these are involved in water storage. Is the member implying there is a conflict of interest with the minister over this legislation? Mr Ripper: I am not implying it. The facts speak for themselves. Mr COURT: No they do not. The minister has said that the decisions were made before he was involved and before the matters were considered. I will provide more details in answer to the member’s question later.
(1)-(2) I would have appreciated some notice of this question. I will answer the question to the best of my knowledge. The minister’s interests are declared in his statement to Parliament. The decisions in relation to the property were made prior to the minister becoming involved in the proposal. The water rights are not owned by the body that the minister is involved with, but by the owner of the land. As I understand it, the minister has an interest in the project of one-third of an acre. Like many members of Parliament, the minister also has a property on which there are dams and these are involved in water storage. Is the member implying there is a conflict of interest with the minister over this legislation? Mr Ripper: I am not implying it. The facts speak for themselves. Mr COURT: No they do not. The minister has said that the decisions were made before he was involved and before the matters were considered. I will provide more details in answer to the member’s question later.
Mr Ripper: I am not implying it. The facts speak for themselves. Mr COURT: No they do not. The minister has said that the decisions were made before he was involved and before the matters were considered. I will provide more details in answer to the member’s question later.
Mr COURT: No they do not. The minister has said that the decisions were made before he was involved and before the matters were considered. I will provide more details in answer to the member’s question later.
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