❓ Mr. Trenorden questions the Premier about the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure's intervention in Dampier and Bunbury ports, referencing potential hypocrisy. The Premier defends ministerial responsibility and the right to give directions to corporatised bodies.
AnsweredQoN 459Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
DAMPIER AND BUNBURY PORTS 459. Mr TRENORDEN to the Premier: Perhaps I should ask the Premier whether he did the preference arrangements for the National Party for the Senate, but I will not. I refer to the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure’s direct intervention in the administrative matters of both the Dampier and Bunbury ports. (1) Given the Premier’s role as Minister for Public Sector Management and his criticism of such interference when he was in opposition, has the Premier sought to correct the minister’s behaviour? (2) If not, has the Government changed its policy on the accountability of ministers? Dr GALLOP
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(2) It would have been much better had the Leader of the National Party indicated precisely what interventions he is talking about. However, I will say in general terms, because the question was not specific, that we have a system of ministerial responsibility; and with regard to the relationship between a corporatised body and a minister, there is provision under our system of government for directions to be given to boards of corporatised bodies. Of course, as the Burt Commission on Accountability said clearly when it brought out its report - which then fed into the Commission on Government report - there must be ministerial responsibility, because it is through the minister to the Parliament to the people that we have accountability. Directions are possible under the system; indeed, they should be because we have ministerial accountability.
DAMPIER AND BUNBURY PORTS
Perhaps I should ask the Premier whether he did the preference arrangements for the National Party for the Senate, but I will not. I refer to the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure’s direct intervention in the administrative matters of both the Dampier and Bunbury ports. (1) Given the Premier’s role as Minister for Public Sector Management and his criticism of such interference when he was in opposition, has the Premier sought to correct the minister’s behaviour? (2) If not, has the Government changed its policy on the accountability of ministers? Dr GALLOP replied: (1)-(2) It would have been much better had the Leader of the National Party indicated precisely what interventions he is talking about. However, I will say in general terms, because the question was not specific, that we have a system of ministerial responsibility; and with regard to the relationship between a corporatised body and a minister, there is provision under our system of government for directions to be given to boards of corporatised bodies. Of course, as the Burt Commission on Accountability said clearly when it brought out its report - which then fed into the Commission on Government report - there must be ministerial responsibility, because it is through the minister to the Parliament to the people that we have accountability. Directions are possible under the system; indeed, they should be because we have ministerial accountability.
(1) Given the Premier’s role as Minister for Public Sector Management and his criticism of such interference when he was in opposition, has the Premier sought to correct the minister’s behaviour? (2) If not, has the Government changed its policy on the accountability of ministers? Dr GALLOP replied: (1)-(2) It would have been much better had the Leader of the National Party indicated precisely what interventions he is talking about. However, I will say in general terms, because the question was not specific, that we have a system of ministerial responsibility; and with regard to the relationship between a corporatised body and a minister, there is provision under our system of government for directions to be given to boards of corporatised bodies. Of course, as the Burt Commission on Accountability said clearly when it brought out its report - which then fed into the Commission on Government report - there must be ministerial responsibility, because it is through the minister to the Parliament to the people that we have accountability. Directions are possible under the system; indeed, they should be because we have ministerial accountability.
(2) If not, has the Government changed its policy on the accountability of ministers? Dr GALLOP replied: (1)-(2) It would have been much better had the Leader of the National Party indicated precisely what interventions he is talking about. However, I will say in general terms, because the question was not specific, that we have a system of ministerial responsibility; and with regard to the relationship between a corporatised body and a minister, there is provision under our system of government for directions to be given to boards of corporatised bodies. Of course, as the Burt Commission on Accountability said clearly when it brought out its report - which then fed into the Commission on Government report - there must be ministerial responsibility, because it is through the minister to the Parliament to the people that we have accountability. Directions are possible under the system; indeed, they should be because we have ministerial accountability.
Dr GALLOP replied: (1)-(2) It would have been much better had the Leader of the National Party indicated precisely what interventions he is talking about. However, I will say in general terms, because the question was not specific, that we have a system of ministerial responsibility; and with regard to the relationship between a corporatised body and a minister, there is provision under our system of government for directions to be given to boards of corporatised bodies. Of course, as the Burt Commission on Accountability said clearly when it brought out its report - which then fed into the Commission on Government report - there must be ministerial responsibility, because it is through the minister to the Parliament to the people that we have accountability. Directions are possible under the system; indeed, they should be because we have ministerial accountability.
(1)-(2) It would have been much better had the Leader of the National Party indicated precisely what interventions he is talking about. However, I will say in general terms, because the question was not specific, that we have a system of ministerial responsibility; and with regard to the relationship between a corporatised body and a minister, there is provision under our system of government for directions to be given to boards of corporatised bodies. Of course, as the Burt Commission on Accountability said clearly when it brought out its report - which then fed into the Commission on Government report - there must be ministerial responsibility, because it is through the minister to the Parliament to the people that we have accountability. Directions are possible under the system; indeed, they should be because we have ministerial accountability.
DAMPIER AND BUNBURY PORTS
Perhaps I should ask the Premier whether he did the preference arrangements for the National Party for the Senate, but I will not. I refer to the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure’s direct intervention in the administrative matters of both the Dampier and Bunbury ports. (1) Given the Premier’s role as Minister for Public Sector Management and his criticism of such interference when he was in opposition, has the Premier sought to correct the minister’s behaviour? (2) If not, has the Government changed its policy on the accountability of ministers? Dr GALLOP replied: (1)-(2) It would have been much better had the Leader of the National Party indicated precisely what interventions he is talking about. However, I will say in general terms, because the question was not specific, that we have a system of ministerial responsibility; and with regard to the relationship between a corporatised body and a minister, there is provision under our system of government for directions to be given to boards of corporatised bodies. Of course, as the Burt Commission on Accountability said clearly when it brought out its report - which then fed into the Commission on Government report - there must be ministerial responsibility, because it is through the minister to the Parliament to the people that we have accountability. Directions are possible under the system; indeed, they should be because we have ministerial accountability.
(1) Given the Premier’s role as Minister for Public Sector Management and his criticism of such interference when he was in opposition, has the Premier sought to correct the minister’s behaviour? (2) If not, has the Government changed its policy on the accountability of ministers? Dr GALLOP replied: (1)-(2) It would have been much better had the Leader of the National Party indicated precisely what interventions he is talking about. However, I will say in general terms, because the question was not specific, that we have a system of ministerial responsibility; and with regard to the relationship between a corporatised body and a minister, there is provision under our system of government for directions to be given to boards of corporatised bodies. Of course, as the Burt Commission on Accountability said clearly when it brought out its report - which then fed into the Commission on Government report - there must be ministerial responsibility, because it is through the minister to the Parliament to the people that we have accountability. Directions are possible under the system; indeed, they should be because we have ministerial accountability.
(2) If not, has the Government changed its policy on the accountability of ministers? Dr GALLOP replied: (1)-(2) It would have been much better had the Leader of the National Party indicated precisely what interventions he is talking about. However, I will say in general terms, because the question was not specific, that we have a system of ministerial responsibility; and with regard to the relationship between a corporatised body and a minister, there is provision under our system of government for directions to be given to boards of corporatised bodies. Of course, as the Burt Commission on Accountability said clearly when it brought out its report - which then fed into the Commission on Government report - there must be ministerial responsibility, because it is through the minister to the Parliament to the people that we have accountability. Directions are possible under the system; indeed, they should be because we have ministerial accountability.
Dr GALLOP replied: (1)-(2) It would have been much better had the Leader of the National Party indicated precisely what interventions he is talking about. However, I will say in general terms, because the question was not specific, that we have a system of ministerial responsibility; and with regard to the relationship between a corporatised body and a minister, there is provision under our system of government for directions to be given to boards of corporatised bodies. Of course, as the Burt Commission on Accountability said clearly when it brought out its report - which then fed into the Commission on Government report - there must be ministerial responsibility, because it is through the minister to the Parliament to the people that we have accountability. Directions are possible under the system; indeed, they should be because we have ministerial accountability.
(1)-(2) It would have been much better had the Leader of the National Party indicated precisely what interventions he is talking about. However, I will say in general terms, because the question was not specific, that we have a system of ministerial responsibility; and with regard to the relationship between a corporatised body and a minister, there is provision under our system of government for directions to be given to boards of corporatised bodies. Of course, as the Burt Commission on Accountability said clearly when it brought out its report - which then fed into the Commission on Government report - there must be ministerial responsibility, because it is through the minister to the Parliament to the people that we have accountability. Directions are possible under the system; indeed, they should be because we have ministerial accountability.
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