❓ Mr. Papalia questions the Minister for Corrective Services regarding the treatment of a whistleblower, including enforced leave, lack of pay, and contested compensation. The Minister confirms meeting the whistleblower and referring the matter to the Public Sector Commissioner, but avoids direct comment on the ongoing situation.
AnsweredQoN 879Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CORRECTIVE
SERVICES — WHISTLEBLOWER
879. Mr P. PAPALIA to the
Minister for Corrective Services:
I refer to the story
in The West Australian of 6 July this year about a whistleblower in the
Department of Corrective Services being forced to go on indefinite leave
despite her role in bringing corruption and misconduct to the minister's
attention—a fact the minister made much of in the state's media
over a period of months.
(1) Did the minister meet with this
whistleblower in July, as he indicated he would do in the newspaper article?
(2) Did the minister, as he indicated he
would, initiate an investigation by the Public Sector Commissioner of matters surrounding
the treatment of the whistleblower; and, if so, what was the outcome?
(3) Is it true that not only is the
whistleblower still on enforced leave with no pay, but also the department is
contesting her claim for workers' compensation over health issues
arising from her mistreatment in the department?
The SPEAKER : Minister for Corrective Services.
SERVICES — WHISTLEBLOWER
879. Mr P. PAPALIA to the
Minister for Corrective Services:
I refer to the story
in The West Australian of 6 July this year about a whistleblower in the
Department of Corrective Services being forced to go on indefinite leave
despite her role in bringing corruption and misconduct to the minister's
attention—a fact the minister made much of in the state's media
over a period of months.
(1) Did the minister meet with this
whistleblower in July, as he indicated he would do in the newspaper article?
(2) Did the minister, as he indicated he
would, initiate an investigation by the Public Sector Commissioner of matters surrounding
the treatment of the whistleblower; and, if so, what was the outcome?
(3) Is it true that not only is the
whistleblower still on enforced leave with no pay, but also the department is
contesting her claim for workers' compensation over health issues
arising from her mistreatment in the department?
The SPEAKER : Minister for Corrective Services.
AnswerView source ↗
Thank you, Mr
Speaker.
Mr J.R. Quigley : Are you going to show us your graph with
last night's escape on it?
The SPEAKER : Member for Butler, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr J.M. FRANCIS : I would love to, actually; I will just add
one more to it.
The SPEAKER : Minister! The question was about whistleblowers. You are not to bring
any graphs into this chamber without coming and asking me first whether you can
bring graphs into the chamber. I do not think we want to see the graph, so
carry on.
Mr J.M. FRANCIS : Absolutely, Mr Speaker. Let me add one more
to that tally. Let me put on the record that our government's worst
year's record for escapes—a total of 11—is fewer than
half of Labor's best year, with 28 escapes.
The SPEAKER : Just hold on a minute. This question is not on escapees; it is about
a whistleblower. Can you please answer the question on the whistleblower.
Mr J.M. FRANCIS : Absolutely.
Mr P. Papalia interjected.
The SPEAKER : Sorry; no. A question was asked. If you want to ask a supplementary
question, ask a supplementary. Minister, answer the question on the
whistleblower.
Mr P. Papalia : He might be interested to know that she's
watching on live stream.
The SPEAKER : Thank you, member. I do not want to call you; do not interrupt again.
Minister.
Mr J.M. FRANCIS : Thank you, Mr Speaker.
(1)–(2) Going to the member for
Warnbro's questions, if he is referring to a particular person, whose
name I am not going to mention in Hansard , then, yes, I did meet that
person. Yes, I did refer that issue and a number of issues to the Public Sector
Commissioner. Under the Public Sector Management Act, it is illegal and
inappropriate for me to involve myself in issues relating to circumstances such
as those confronted by that staff member of the Department of Corrective
Services. I did what a decent, honest person would do; that is, I referred all
those matters to the Public Sector Commissioner for him to investigate and
consider appropriately.
Mr P. Papalia : Do you know what he has done?
Mr J.M. FRANCIS : Not with that particular one, so far. I can
tell the member that when those stories came out in the media, a significant
number of people—both previous and current employees of the Department
of Corrective Services—approached me with concerns about the way in
which they were treated within the department. I referred every one of them to
the Public Sector Commissioner. What was the last point?
Mr P. Papalia : Are you aware that she is still on enforced
leave but that she now receives no pay, and that your department is challenging
her claim for compensation for her health issues that arose from the matters
she approached you about?
Mr J.M. FRANCIS : I will answer that question.
(3) No. That is a matter for the Department
of Corrective Services and the Public Sector Commissioner. I am not going to
involve myself in those matters.
Speaker.
Mr J.R. Quigley : Are you going to show us your graph with
last night's escape on it?
The SPEAKER : Member for Butler, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr J.M. FRANCIS : I would love to, actually; I will just add
one more to it.
The SPEAKER : Minister! The question was about whistleblowers. You are not to bring
any graphs into this chamber without coming and asking me first whether you can
bring graphs into the chamber. I do not think we want to see the graph, so
carry on.
Mr J.M. FRANCIS : Absolutely, Mr Speaker. Let me add one more
to that tally. Let me put on the record that our government's worst
year's record for escapes—a total of 11—is fewer than
half of Labor's best year, with 28 escapes.
The SPEAKER : Just hold on a minute. This question is not on escapees; it is about
a whistleblower. Can you please answer the question on the whistleblower.
Mr J.M. FRANCIS : Absolutely.
Mr P. Papalia interjected.
The SPEAKER : Sorry; no. A question was asked. If you want to ask a supplementary
question, ask a supplementary. Minister, answer the question on the
whistleblower.
Mr P. Papalia : He might be interested to know that she's
watching on live stream.
The SPEAKER : Thank you, member. I do not want to call you; do not interrupt again.
Minister.
Mr J.M. FRANCIS : Thank you, Mr Speaker.
(1)–(2) Going to the member for
Warnbro's questions, if he is referring to a particular person, whose
name I am not going to mention in Hansard , then, yes, I did meet that
person. Yes, I did refer that issue and a number of issues to the Public Sector
Commissioner. Under the Public Sector Management Act, it is illegal and
inappropriate for me to involve myself in issues relating to circumstances such
as those confronted by that staff member of the Department of Corrective
Services. I did what a decent, honest person would do; that is, I referred all
those matters to the Public Sector Commissioner for him to investigate and
consider appropriately.
Mr P. Papalia : Do you know what he has done?
Mr J.M. FRANCIS : Not with that particular one, so far. I can
tell the member that when those stories came out in the media, a significant
number of people—both previous and current employees of the Department
of Corrective Services—approached me with concerns about the way in
which they were treated within the department. I referred every one of them to
the Public Sector Commissioner. What was the last point?
Mr P. Papalia : Are you aware that she is still on enforced
leave but that she now receives no pay, and that your department is challenging
her claim for compensation for her health issues that arose from the matters
she approached you about?
Mr J.M. FRANCIS : I will answer that question.
(3) No. That is a matter for the Department
of Corrective Services and the Public Sector Commissioner. I am not going to
involve myself in those matters.
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