A parliamentary question reveals the Minister for Police and Emergency Services released figures without prior advice from the Police Commissioner, responding to a claim made by the Leader of the Opposition. Advice was sought after a newspaper article highlighted Section 83 of the Police Act.

AnsweredQoN 259Legislative Assembly
Asked
2 June 2005
Portfolio
Police and Emergency Services

QuestionView source ↗

I have a supplementary question. Is it not true that, at the time the minister released this information, not even the police commissioner, let alone the minister, had received the advice, given that he did not even request it until late that evening? Mrs M.H. ROBERTS

AnswerView source ↗

I have never suggested otherwise. When I released that figure it followed the Leader of the Opposition’s release of another figure that he claimed was the correct figure, so I corrected that on radio. No, I had not sought advice beforehand. I did not claim that I had sought advice. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : Afterwards, on, I think, Tuesday morning, The West Australian ran an article in which reference was made to section 83 of the Police Act. I understand that the commissioner sought advice after that and subsequently gave the advice to me.
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied: I have never suggested otherwise. When I released that figure it followed the Leader of the Opposition’s release of another figure that he claimed was the correct figure, so I corrected that on radio. No, I had not sought advice beforehand. I did not claim that I had sought advice. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : Afterwards, on, I think, Tuesday morning, The West Australian ran an article in which reference was made to section 83 of the Police Act. I understand that the commissioner sought advice after that and subsequently gave the advice to me.
I have never suggested otherwise. When I released that figure it followed the Leader of the Opposition’s release of another figure that he claimed was the correct figure, so I corrected that on radio. No, I had not sought advice beforehand. I did not claim that I had sought advice. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : Afterwards, on, I think, Tuesday morning, The West Australian ran an article in which reference was made to section 83 of the Police Act. I understand that the commissioner sought advice after that and subsequently gave the advice to me.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : Afterwards, on, I think, Tuesday morning, The West Australian ran an article in which reference was made to section 83 of the Police Act. I understand that the commissioner sought advice after that and subsequently gave the advice to me.
The SPEAKER : Order! Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : Afterwards, on, I think, Tuesday morning, The West Australian ran an article in which reference was made to section 83 of the Police Act. I understand that the commissioner sought advice after that and subsequently gave the advice to me.
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS : Afterwards, on, I think, Tuesday morning, The West Australian ran an article in which reference was made to section 83 of the Police Act. I understand that the commissioner sought advice after that and subsequently gave the advice to me.

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