❓ Hon Steve Martin questions the Minister for Community Services regarding the lack of transparency in providing a detailed list of small election commitments funded under a specific budget line item. The Minister reiterates that election commitments are public record and avoids providing a specific list.
AnsweredQoN 980Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
State budget—Small election commitments
980. Hon Steve Martin to
the Minister for Community Services:
I refer to the minister's
two refusals, once in the Legislative Council budget estimates and again in
question on notice 627, to provide a list of items funded under his portfolio
in budget paper No 2, page 509, "Election Commitments—Small
commitments", with the minister twice now saying that election commitments
are matters of public record.
(1) Will the minister take this third opportunity
to provide a list, or explain what is unreasonable about my request for a list?
(2) In his previous non-answers, is the minister
suggesting that I or my staff review the individual political communications of
Labor Party MPs, guess how a small commitment could be funded, and then ask?
(3) Electorate communications from the member for
Maylands promoting this year's budget lists 13 items under
"Community" as "funded in this year's budget"; are any of
these included under this line item?
(4) Is it the position of this state government
that it is appropriate to force members of the opposition to guess what and how
small election commitments might be funded?
980. Hon Steve Martin to
the Minister for Community Services:
I refer to the minister's
two refusals, once in the Legislative Council budget estimates and again in
question on notice 627, to provide a list of items funded under his portfolio
in budget paper No 2, page 509, "Election Commitments—Small
commitments", with the minister twice now saying that election commitments
are matters of public record.
(1) Will the minister take this third opportunity
to provide a list, or explain what is unreasonable about my request for a list?
(2) In his previous non-answers, is the minister
suggesting that I or my staff review the individual political communications of
Labor Party MPs, guess how a small commitment could be funded, and then ask?
(3) Electorate communications from the member for
Maylands promoting this year's budget lists 13 items under
"Community" as "funded in this year's budget"; are any of
these included under this line item?
(4) Is it the position of this state government
that it is appropriate to force members of the opposition to guess what and how
small election commitments might be funded?
AnswerView source ↗
I
thank the member for some notice of the question. I note that he has asked me
to express a number of opinions, which is not appropriate.
The President: I am sure you will handle that deftly, minister.
Hon Matthew Swinbourn: I am just going to give this
answer.
(1)–(4) Election
commitments, including small commitments, are matters of the public record. It
is standard practice for small election commitments to be consolidated
under a single funding line in the budget papers. Details of individual
commitments are publicly available through election materials and related
announcements.
(Interruption.)
The President: Are you okay there, honourable member?
No injuries? Okay!
Hon Stephen Dawson: I reluctantly ask that the
business of the house be now resumed!
thank the member for some notice of the question. I note that he has asked me
to express a number of opinions, which is not appropriate.
The President: I am sure you will handle that deftly, minister.
Hon Matthew Swinbourn: I am just going to give this
answer.
(1)–(4) Election
commitments, including small commitments, are matters of the public record. It
is standard practice for small election commitments to be consolidated
under a single funding line in the budget papers. Details of individual
commitments are publicly available through election materials and related
announcements.
(Interruption.)
The President: Are you okay there, honourable member?
No injuries? Okay!
Hon Stephen Dawson: I reluctantly ask that the
business of the house be now resumed!
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