Hon. Tjorn Sibma questions the Minister for Community Services regarding actions taken after corruption allegations against Paul Whyte, referencing concerns raised by the current Treasurer in 2016. The Minister deflects, stating the previous government was responsible for investigating.

AnsweredQoN 1569Legislative Council
Asked
5 December 2019
Portfolio
Community Services

QuestionView source ↗

DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITIES
— PAUL WHYTE —MEMBER FOR VICTORIA PARK'S COMMENTS
1569. Hon TJORN SIBMA to the Leader of the House
representing the Minister for Community Services:
I refer to corruption allegations
made against Mr Paul Whyte, lately of the Department of Communities, and the
concerns the current Treasurer had about Mr Whyte back in 2016 in Public
Accounts Committee reporting on the Housing Authority. Given that eight months
later, the Labor Party won the state election, I ask the following.
(1) Did the
minister make any inquiries to determine whether measures had been put in place
by the previous government to address the concerns the current Treasurer had
about Mr Whyte?
(2) If no to (1),
why not?
(3) Given the
concerns expressed by the now Treasurer about Mr Whyte in the Public Accounts
Committee report on the Housing Authority, has the minister read the report?
(4) If no to (3),
why not?
(5) If yes to
(3), what action did the minister take to ensure the concerns of the current
Treasurer were being addressed?

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question.
(1)–(2) The
now Treasurer, in opposition, raised concerns for the former Liberal–National
government to investigate. Given that the former Liberal–National
government trusted Mr Whyte to provide the formal response to the concerns
raised by the Public Accounts Committee, it was assumed that the former Liberal–National
government had examined the matters raised.
(3) No.
(4) See answer (1)–(2).
(5) Not applicable.

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