❓ Opposition questions the Premier regarding potential misconduct by public servants in relation to the Keelty Report and the government's response. The Premier defends the government's approach, highlighting the independence of the Public Sector Commission.
AnsweredQoN 559Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
KEELTY REPORT — FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES AUTHORITY RESPONSE
I refer to the Keelty inquiry and the Fire and Emergency Services Authority’s response. (1) Is it not an inescapable conclusion that senior public servants have lied either to the Keelty inquiry or to the Public Sector Commissioner? (2) Does such behaviour not amount to misconduct? (3) Is it the Premier’s policy, as minister for public sector management, to accept such misconduct without taking any action? Mr C.J. BARNETT
I refer to the Keelty inquiry and the Fire and Emergency Services Authority’s response. (1) Is it not an inescapable conclusion that senior public servants have lied either to the Keelty inquiry or to the Public Sector Commissioner? (2) Does such behaviour not amount to misconduct? (3) Is it the Premier’s policy, as minister for public sector management, to accept such misconduct without taking any action? Mr C.J. BARNETT
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3) The Keelty report itself cast doubt on the veracity of evidence given. Indeed, some of that seemed to be repeated in the correspondence that came back to the Public Sector Commission from some of the organisations. However, I remind members opposite of a huge difference between this side of politics and their side. A huge difference is that this government established the Public Sector Commission to deal specifically and independently with matters of conduct by public sector employees. Should anyone within any organisation do the wrong thing, and it is brought to the attention of their CEO or to the Public Sector Commissioner, he will act upon it of his own volition; not via political decision making. That is a difference between this side of the house and the opposition side.
(1) Is it not an inescapable conclusion that senior public servants have lied either to the Keelty inquiry or to the Public Sector Commissioner? (2) Does such behaviour not amount to misconduct? (3) Is it the Premier’s policy, as minister for public sector management, to accept such misconduct without taking any action? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(3) The Keelty report itself cast doubt on the veracity of evidence given. Indeed, some of that seemed to be repeated in the correspondence that came back to the Public Sector Commission from some of the organisations. However, I remind members opposite of a huge difference between this side of politics and their side. A huge difference is that this government established the Public Sector Commission to deal specifically and independently with matters of conduct by public sector employees. Should anyone within any organisation do the wrong thing, and it is brought to the attention of their CEO or to the Public Sector Commissioner, he will act upon it of his own volition; not via political decision making. That is a difference between this side of the house and the opposition side.
(2) Does such behaviour not amount to misconduct? (3) Is it the Premier’s policy, as minister for public sector management, to accept such misconduct without taking any action? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(3) The Keelty report itself cast doubt on the veracity of evidence given. Indeed, some of that seemed to be repeated in the correspondence that came back to the Public Sector Commission from some of the organisations. However, I remind members opposite of a huge difference between this side of politics and their side. A huge difference is that this government established the Public Sector Commission to deal specifically and independently with matters of conduct by public sector employees. Should anyone within any organisation do the wrong thing, and it is brought to the attention of their CEO or to the Public Sector Commissioner, he will act upon it of his own volition; not via political decision making. That is a difference between this side of the house and the opposition side.
(3) Is it the Premier’s policy, as minister for public sector management, to accept such misconduct without taking any action? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(3) The Keelty report itself cast doubt on the veracity of evidence given. Indeed, some of that seemed to be repeated in the correspondence that came back to the Public Sector Commission from some of the organisations. However, I remind members opposite of a huge difference between this side of politics and their side. A huge difference is that this government established the Public Sector Commission to deal specifically and independently with matters of conduct by public sector employees. Should anyone within any organisation do the wrong thing, and it is brought to the attention of their CEO or to the Public Sector Commissioner, he will act upon it of his own volition; not via political decision making. That is a difference between this side of the house and the opposition side.
Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(3) The Keelty report itself cast doubt on the veracity of evidence given. Indeed, some of that seemed to be repeated in the correspondence that came back to the Public Sector Commission from some of the organisations. However, I remind members opposite of a huge difference between this side of politics and their side. A huge difference is that this government established the Public Sector Commission to deal specifically and independently with matters of conduct by public sector employees. Should anyone within any organisation do the wrong thing, and it is brought to the attention of their CEO or to the Public Sector Commissioner, he will act upon it of his own volition; not via political decision making. That is a difference between this side of the house and the opposition side.
(1)–(3) The Keelty report itself cast doubt on the veracity of evidence given. Indeed, some of that seemed to be repeated in the correspondence that came back to the Public Sector Commission from some of the organisations. However, I remind members opposite of a huge difference between this side of politics and their side. A huge difference is that this government established the Public Sector Commission to deal specifically and independently with matters of conduct by public sector employees. Should anyone within any organisation do the wrong thing, and it is brought to the attention of their CEO or to the Public Sector Commissioner, he will act upon it of his own volition; not via political decision making. That is a difference between this side of the house and the opposition side.
(1) Is it not an inescapable conclusion that senior public servants have lied either to the Keelty inquiry or to the Public Sector Commissioner? (2) Does such behaviour not amount to misconduct? (3) Is it the Premier’s policy, as minister for public sector management, to accept such misconduct without taking any action? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(3) The Keelty report itself cast doubt on the veracity of evidence given. Indeed, some of that seemed to be repeated in the correspondence that came back to the Public Sector Commission from some of the organisations. However, I remind members opposite of a huge difference between this side of politics and their side. A huge difference is that this government established the Public Sector Commission to deal specifically and independently with matters of conduct by public sector employees. Should anyone within any organisation do the wrong thing, and it is brought to the attention of their CEO or to the Public Sector Commissioner, he will act upon it of his own volition; not via political decision making. That is a difference between this side of the house and the opposition side.
(2) Does such behaviour not amount to misconduct? (3) Is it the Premier’s policy, as minister for public sector management, to accept such misconduct without taking any action? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(3) The Keelty report itself cast doubt on the veracity of evidence given. Indeed, some of that seemed to be repeated in the correspondence that came back to the Public Sector Commission from some of the organisations. However, I remind members opposite of a huge difference between this side of politics and their side. A huge difference is that this government established the Public Sector Commission to deal specifically and independently with matters of conduct by public sector employees. Should anyone within any organisation do the wrong thing, and it is brought to the attention of their CEO or to the Public Sector Commissioner, he will act upon it of his own volition; not via political decision making. That is a difference between this side of the house and the opposition side.
(3) Is it the Premier’s policy, as minister for public sector management, to accept such misconduct without taking any action? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(3) The Keelty report itself cast doubt on the veracity of evidence given. Indeed, some of that seemed to be repeated in the correspondence that came back to the Public Sector Commission from some of the organisations. However, I remind members opposite of a huge difference between this side of politics and their side. A huge difference is that this government established the Public Sector Commission to deal specifically and independently with matters of conduct by public sector employees. Should anyone within any organisation do the wrong thing, and it is brought to the attention of their CEO or to the Public Sector Commissioner, he will act upon it of his own volition; not via political decision making. That is a difference between this side of the house and the opposition side.
Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(3) The Keelty report itself cast doubt on the veracity of evidence given. Indeed, some of that seemed to be repeated in the correspondence that came back to the Public Sector Commission from some of the organisations. However, I remind members opposite of a huge difference between this side of politics and their side. A huge difference is that this government established the Public Sector Commission to deal specifically and independently with matters of conduct by public sector employees. Should anyone within any organisation do the wrong thing, and it is brought to the attention of their CEO or to the Public Sector Commissioner, he will act upon it of his own volition; not via political decision making. That is a difference between this side of the house and the opposition side.
(1)–(3) The Keelty report itself cast doubt on the veracity of evidence given. Indeed, some of that seemed to be repeated in the correspondence that came back to the Public Sector Commission from some of the organisations. However, I remind members opposite of a huge difference between this side of politics and their side. A huge difference is that this government established the Public Sector Commission to deal specifically and independently with matters of conduct by public sector employees. Should anyone within any organisation do the wrong thing, and it is brought to the attention of their CEO or to the Public Sector Commissioner, he will act upon it of his own volition; not via political decision making. That is a difference between this side of the house and the opposition side.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.