Opposition questions the Premier about the Attorney General holding multiple portfolios and perceived failures. The Premier defends the Attorney General's capabilities and achievements.

AnsweredQoN 190Legislative Assembly
Asked
19 May 2005
Portfolio
Premier

QuestionView source ↗

I refer the Premier to the Attorney General’s failure to give his full attention to the Attorney General portfolio, resulting in important laws being stalled in this state. (1) Does the Premier concede that the Attorney General’s ability to cope with his enormous workload as Attorney General and health minister, a portfolio that commands a quarter of the state budget, and his obsession with electoral change and one vote, one value is just too much? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I am sure that the Premier is quite capable of answering the question without their very valuable input. Mr M.J. BIRNEY : To continue - (2) When will the Premier, in the interests of Western Australia, strip the Attorney General of the Attorney General portfolio? Dr G.I. GALLOP

AnswerView source ↗

(1) No. My view is that the Attorney General is well and truly capable of carrying out the functions he has been given. Not only is he well and truly capable of it, but also he is without question - Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Nedlands! Dr G.I. GALLOP : Without question he is an outstanding minister. (2) No, I will not alter his portfolio commitments. He is a minister who has a clear agenda for the people of Western Australia in delivering reform in our health system. Along with the Minister for Police and Emergency Services and the Minister for Justice, he has carried out significant reforms to ensure that the laws of Western Australia properly reflect our community’s views on the severity of particular crimes and, most importantly, to make sure that the needs and interests of victims of crime are properly registered in our justice system.
(1) Does the Premier concede that the Attorney General’s ability to cope with his enormous workload as Attorney General and health minister, a portfolio that commands a quarter of the state budget, and his obsession with electoral change and one vote, one value is just too much? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I am sure that the Premier is quite capable of answering the question without their very valuable input. Mr M.J. BIRNEY : To continue - (2) When will the Premier, in the interests of Western Australia, strip the Attorney General of the Attorney General portfolio? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1) No. My view is that the Attorney General is well and truly capable of carrying out the functions he has been given. Not only is he well and truly capable of it, but also he is without question - Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Nedlands! Dr G.I. GALLOP : Without question he is an outstanding minister. (2) No, I will not alter his portfolio commitments. He is a minister who has a clear agenda for the people of Western Australia in delivering reform in our health system. Along with the Minister for Police and Emergency Services and the Minister for Justice, he has carried out significant reforms to ensure that the laws of Western Australia properly reflect our community’s views on the severity of particular crimes and, most importantly, to make sure that the needs and interests of victims of crime are properly registered in our justice system.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I am sure that the Premier is quite capable of answering the question without their very valuable input. Mr M.J. BIRNEY : To continue - (2) When will the Premier, in the interests of Western Australia, strip the Attorney General of the Attorney General portfolio? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1) No. My view is that the Attorney General is well and truly capable of carrying out the functions he has been given. Not only is he well and truly capable of it, but also he is without question - Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Nedlands! Dr G.I. GALLOP : Without question he is an outstanding minister. (2) No, I will not alter his portfolio commitments. He is a minister who has a clear agenda for the people of Western Australia in delivering reform in our health system. Along with the Minister for Police and Emergency Services and the Minister for Justice, he has carried out significant reforms to ensure that the laws of Western Australia properly reflect our community’s views on the severity of particular crimes and, most importantly, to make sure that the needs and interests of victims of crime are properly registered in our justice system.
The SPEAKER : Order, members! I am sure that the Premier is quite capable of answering the question without their very valuable input. Mr M.J. BIRNEY : To continue - (2) When will the Premier, in the interests of Western Australia, strip the Attorney General of the Attorney General portfolio? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1) No. My view is that the Attorney General is well and truly capable of carrying out the functions he has been given. Not only is he well and truly capable of it, but also he is without question - Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Nedlands! Dr G.I. GALLOP : Without question he is an outstanding minister. (2) No, I will not alter his portfolio commitments. He is a minister who has a clear agenda for the people of Western Australia in delivering reform in our health system. Along with the Minister for Police and Emergency Services and the Minister for Justice, he has carried out significant reforms to ensure that the laws of Western Australia properly reflect our community’s views on the severity of particular crimes and, most importantly, to make sure that the needs and interests of victims of crime are properly registered in our justice system.
Mr M.J. BIRNEY : To continue - (2) When will the Premier, in the interests of Western Australia, strip the Attorney General of the Attorney General portfolio? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1) No. My view is that the Attorney General is well and truly capable of carrying out the functions he has been given. Not only is he well and truly capable of it, but also he is without question - Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Nedlands! Dr G.I. GALLOP : Without question he is an outstanding minister. (2) No, I will not alter his portfolio commitments. He is a minister who has a clear agenda for the people of Western Australia in delivering reform in our health system. Along with the Minister for Police and Emergency Services and the Minister for Justice, he has carried out significant reforms to ensure that the laws of Western Australia properly reflect our community’s views on the severity of particular crimes and, most importantly, to make sure that the needs and interests of victims of crime are properly registered in our justice system.
(2) When will the Premier, in the interests of Western Australia, strip the Attorney General of the Attorney General portfolio? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1) No. My view is that the Attorney General is well and truly capable of carrying out the functions he has been given. Not only is he well and truly capable of it, but also he is without question - Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Nedlands! Dr G.I. GALLOP : Without question he is an outstanding minister. (2) No, I will not alter his portfolio commitments. He is a minister who has a clear agenda for the people of Western Australia in delivering reform in our health system. Along with the Minister for Police and Emergency Services and the Minister for Justice, he has carried out significant reforms to ensure that the laws of Western Australia properly reflect our community’s views on the severity of particular crimes and, most importantly, to make sure that the needs and interests of victims of crime are properly registered in our justice system.
Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1) No. My view is that the Attorney General is well and truly capable of carrying out the functions he has been given. Not only is he well and truly capable of it, but also he is without question - Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Nedlands! Dr G.I. GALLOP : Without question he is an outstanding minister. (2) No, I will not alter his portfolio commitments. He is a minister who has a clear agenda for the people of Western Australia in delivering reform in our health system. Along with the Minister for Police and Emergency Services and the Minister for Justice, he has carried out significant reforms to ensure that the laws of Western Australia properly reflect our community’s views on the severity of particular crimes and, most importantly, to make sure that the needs and interests of victims of crime are properly registered in our justice system.
(1) No. My view is that the Attorney General is well and truly capable of carrying out the functions he has been given. Not only is he well and truly capable of it, but also he is without question - Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Nedlands! Dr G.I. GALLOP : Without question he is an outstanding minister. (2) No, I will not alter his portfolio commitments. He is a minister who has a clear agenda for the people of Western Australia in delivering reform in our health system. Along with the Minister for Police and Emergency Services and the Minister for Justice, he has carried out significant reforms to ensure that the laws of Western Australia properly reflect our community’s views on the severity of particular crimes and, most importantly, to make sure that the needs and interests of victims of crime are properly registered in our justice system.
Ms S.E. Walker interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Nedlands! Dr G.I. GALLOP : Without question he is an outstanding minister. (2) No, I will not alter his portfolio commitments. He is a minister who has a clear agenda for the people of Western Australia in delivering reform in our health system. Along with the Minister for Police and Emergency Services and the Minister for Justice, he has carried out significant reforms to ensure that the laws of Western Australia properly reflect our community’s views on the severity of particular crimes and, most importantly, to make sure that the needs and interests of victims of crime are properly registered in our justice system.
The SPEAKER : Order, member for Nedlands! Dr G.I. GALLOP : Without question he is an outstanding minister. (2) No, I will not alter his portfolio commitments. He is a minister who has a clear agenda for the people of Western Australia in delivering reform in our health system. Along with the Minister for Police and Emergency Services and the Minister for Justice, he has carried out significant reforms to ensure that the laws of Western Australia properly reflect our community’s views on the severity of particular crimes and, most importantly, to make sure that the needs and interests of victims of crime are properly registered in our justice system.
Dr G.I. GALLOP : Without question he is an outstanding minister. (2) No, I will not alter his portfolio commitments. He is a minister who has a clear agenda for the people of Western Australia in delivering reform in our health system. Along with the Minister for Police and Emergency Services and the Minister for Justice, he has carried out significant reforms to ensure that the laws of Western Australia properly reflect our community’s views on the severity of particular crimes and, most importantly, to make sure that the needs and interests of victims of crime are properly registered in our justice system.
(2) No, I will not alter his portfolio commitments. He is a minister who has a clear agenda for the people of Western Australia in delivering reform in our health system. Along with the Minister for Police and Emergency Services and the Minister for Justice, he has carried out significant reforms to ensure that the laws of Western Australia properly reflect our community’s views on the severity of particular crimes and, most importantly, to make sure that the needs and interests of victims of crime are properly registered in our justice system.

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