❓ Opposition MP Norman Moore questions the Minister for Health's authority to restrict communication between opposition members and public sector employees. The Minister clarifies that no such denial exists, but outlines procedures for communication as per the Public Sector Management Act.
AnsweredQoN 42Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
OPPOSITION MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT — RIGHT TO SPEAK TO PUBLIC SECTOR EMPLOYEES
(1) Under what authority can the minister deny an opposition member of Parliament the right to speak to employees of agencies under the minister’s jurisdiction? (2) Does this prohibition apply to government members of Parliament; and, if not, why not? Hon SUE ELLERY
(1) Under what authority can the minister deny an opposition member of Parliament the right to speak to employees of agencies under the minister’s jurisdiction? (2) Does this prohibition apply to government members of Parliament; and, if not, why not? Hon SUE ELLERY
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(2) The Minister for Health has not denied opposition members of Parliament the right to communicate with employees in agencies under his jurisdiction. The Public Sector Management Act 1994, introduced by the Court Liberal government, requires arrangements to be set out in writing for communication between agency employees and non-government members of Parliament. The Minister for Health’s arrangement for non-government members of Parliament, in place since 2001, states — In circumstances where non-Government members of the Parliament contact agency staff for information or to arrange a meeting, the approval of the Chief Executive Officer or delegated officer is required. Requests by non-Government members of Parliament to the Chief Executive Officer should include the information being sought or issues to be discussed. Agencies are to provide non-Government members of Parliament with all factual information and “matters-on-the-record”. Discussions with agency staff are not to be for the purposes of debating the merits of Government policy. Consistent with the Freedom of Information Act , personal information about a third party is not to be given to a non-Government (or Government) member of Parliament without the agency advising and consulting with the individual affected. I seek leave to table the attached document from which I have just quoted. Leave granted. [See paper 3688.]
(2) Does this prohibition apply to government members of Parliament; and, if not, why not? Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(2) The Minister for Health has not denied opposition members of Parliament the right to communicate with employees in agencies under his jurisdiction. The Public Sector Management Act 1994, introduced by the Court Liberal government, requires arrangements to be set out in writing for communication between agency employees and non-government members of Parliament. The Minister for Health’s arrangement for non-government members of Parliament, in place since 2001, states — In circumstances where non-Government members of the Parliament contact agency staff for information or to arrange a meeting, the approval of the Chief Executive Officer or delegated officer is required. Requests by non-Government members of Parliament to the Chief Executive Officer should include the information being sought or issues to be discussed. Agencies are to provide non-Government members of Parliament with all factual information and “matters-on-the-record”. Discussions with agency staff are not to be for the purposes of debating the merits of Government policy. Consistent with the Freedom of Information Act , personal information about a third party is not to be given to a non-Government (or Government) member of Parliament without the agency advising and consulting with the individual affected. I seek leave to table the attached document from which I have just quoted. Leave granted. [See paper 3688.]
Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(2) The Minister for Health has not denied opposition members of Parliament the right to communicate with employees in agencies under his jurisdiction. The Public Sector Management Act 1994, introduced by the Court Liberal government, requires arrangements to be set out in writing for communication between agency employees and non-government members of Parliament. The Minister for Health’s arrangement for non-government members of Parliament, in place since 2001, states — In circumstances where non-Government members of the Parliament contact agency staff for information or to arrange a meeting, the approval of the Chief Executive Officer or delegated officer is required. Requests by non-Government members of Parliament to the Chief Executive Officer should include the information being sought or issues to be discussed. Agencies are to provide non-Government members of Parliament with all factual information and “matters-on-the-record”. Discussions with agency staff are not to be for the purposes of debating the merits of Government policy. Consistent with the Freedom of Information Act , personal information about a third party is not to be given to a non-Government (or Government) member of Parliament without the agency advising and consulting with the individual affected. I seek leave to table the attached document from which I have just quoted. Leave granted. [See paper 3688.]
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(2) The Minister for Health has not denied opposition members of Parliament the right to communicate with employees in agencies under his jurisdiction. The Public Sector Management Act 1994, introduced by the Court Liberal government, requires arrangements to be set out in writing for communication between agency employees and non-government members of Parliament. The Minister for Health’s arrangement for non-government members of Parliament, in place since 2001, states — In circumstances where non-Government members of the Parliament contact agency staff for information or to arrange a meeting, the approval of the Chief Executive Officer or delegated officer is required. Requests by non-Government members of Parliament to the Chief Executive Officer should include the information being sought or issues to be discussed. Agencies are to provide non-Government members of Parliament with all factual information and “matters-on-the-record”. Discussions with agency staff are not to be for the purposes of debating the merits of Government policy. Consistent with the Freedom of Information Act , personal information about a third party is not to be given to a non-Government (or Government) member of Parliament without the agency advising and consulting with the individual affected. I seek leave to table the attached document from which I have just quoted. Leave granted. [See paper 3688.]
(1)-(2) The Minister for Health has not denied opposition members of Parliament the right to communicate with employees in agencies under his jurisdiction. The Public Sector Management Act 1994, introduced by the Court Liberal government, requires arrangements to be set out in writing for communication between agency employees and non-government members of Parliament. The Minister for Health’s arrangement for non-government members of Parliament, in place since 2001, states — In circumstances where non-Government members of the Parliament contact agency staff for information or to arrange a meeting, the approval of the Chief Executive Officer or delegated officer is required. Requests by non-Government members of Parliament to the Chief Executive Officer should include the information being sought or issues to be discussed. Agencies are to provide non-Government members of Parliament with all factual information and “matters-on-the-record”. Discussions with agency staff are not to be for the purposes of debating the merits of Government policy. Consistent with the Freedom of Information Act , personal information about a third party is not to be given to a non-Government (or Government) member of Parliament without the agency advising and consulting with the individual affected. I seek leave to table the attached document from which I have just quoted. Leave granted. [See paper 3688.]
The Minister for Health’s arrangement for non-government members of Parliament, in place since 2001, states — In circumstances where non-Government members of the Parliament contact agency staff for information or to arrange a meeting, the approval of the Chief Executive Officer or delegated officer is required. Requests by non-Government members of Parliament to the Chief Executive Officer should include the information being sought or issues to be discussed. Agencies are to provide non-Government members of Parliament with all factual information and “matters-on-the-record”. Discussions with agency staff are not to be for the purposes of debating the merits of Government policy. Consistent with the Freedom of Information Act , personal information about a third party is not to be given to a non-Government (or Government) member of Parliament without the agency advising and consulting with the individual affected.
Requests by non-Government members of Parliament to the Chief Executive Officer should include the information being sought or issues to be discussed. Agencies are to provide non-Government members of Parliament with all factual information and “matters-on-the-record”. Discussions with agency staff are not to be for the purposes of debating the merits of Government policy. Consistent with the Freedom of Information Act , personal information about a third party is not to be given to a non-Government (or Government) member of Parliament without the agency advising and consulting with the individual affected.
Discussions with agency staff are not to be for the purposes of debating the merits of Government policy. Consistent with the Freedom of Information Act , personal information about a third party is not to be given to a non-Government (or Government) member of Parliament without the agency advising and consulting with the individual affected.
Leave granted. [See paper 3688.]
[See paper 3688.]
(2) Does this prohibition apply to government members of Parliament; and, if not, why not? Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(2) The Minister for Health has not denied opposition members of Parliament the right to communicate with employees in agencies under his jurisdiction. The Public Sector Management Act 1994, introduced by the Court Liberal government, requires arrangements to be set out in writing for communication between agency employees and non-government members of Parliament. The Minister for Health’s arrangement for non-government members of Parliament, in place since 2001, states — In circumstances where non-Government members of the Parliament contact agency staff for information or to arrange a meeting, the approval of the Chief Executive Officer or delegated officer is required. Requests by non-Government members of Parliament to the Chief Executive Officer should include the information being sought or issues to be discussed. Agencies are to provide non-Government members of Parliament with all factual information and “matters-on-the-record”. Discussions with agency staff are not to be for the purposes of debating the merits of Government policy. Consistent with the Freedom of Information Act , personal information about a third party is not to be given to a non-Government (or Government) member of Parliament without the agency advising and consulting with the individual affected. I seek leave to table the attached document from which I have just quoted. Leave granted. [See paper 3688.]
Hon SUE ELLERY replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(2) The Minister for Health has not denied opposition members of Parliament the right to communicate with employees in agencies under his jurisdiction. The Public Sector Management Act 1994, introduced by the Court Liberal government, requires arrangements to be set out in writing for communication between agency employees and non-government members of Parliament. The Minister for Health’s arrangement for non-government members of Parliament, in place since 2001, states — In circumstances where non-Government members of the Parliament contact agency staff for information or to arrange a meeting, the approval of the Chief Executive Officer or delegated officer is required. Requests by non-Government members of Parliament to the Chief Executive Officer should include the information being sought or issues to be discussed. Agencies are to provide non-Government members of Parliament with all factual information and “matters-on-the-record”. Discussions with agency staff are not to be for the purposes of debating the merits of Government policy. Consistent with the Freedom of Information Act , personal information about a third party is not to be given to a non-Government (or Government) member of Parliament without the agency advising and consulting with the individual affected. I seek leave to table the attached document from which I have just quoted. Leave granted. [See paper 3688.]
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1)-(2) The Minister for Health has not denied opposition members of Parliament the right to communicate with employees in agencies under his jurisdiction. The Public Sector Management Act 1994, introduced by the Court Liberal government, requires arrangements to be set out in writing for communication between agency employees and non-government members of Parliament. The Minister for Health’s arrangement for non-government members of Parliament, in place since 2001, states — In circumstances where non-Government members of the Parliament contact agency staff for information or to arrange a meeting, the approval of the Chief Executive Officer or delegated officer is required. Requests by non-Government members of Parliament to the Chief Executive Officer should include the information being sought or issues to be discussed. Agencies are to provide non-Government members of Parliament with all factual information and “matters-on-the-record”. Discussions with agency staff are not to be for the purposes of debating the merits of Government policy. Consistent with the Freedom of Information Act , personal information about a third party is not to be given to a non-Government (or Government) member of Parliament without the agency advising and consulting with the individual affected. I seek leave to table the attached document from which I have just quoted. Leave granted. [See paper 3688.]
(1)-(2) The Minister for Health has not denied opposition members of Parliament the right to communicate with employees in agencies under his jurisdiction. The Public Sector Management Act 1994, introduced by the Court Liberal government, requires arrangements to be set out in writing for communication between agency employees and non-government members of Parliament. The Minister for Health’s arrangement for non-government members of Parliament, in place since 2001, states — In circumstances where non-Government members of the Parliament contact agency staff for information or to arrange a meeting, the approval of the Chief Executive Officer or delegated officer is required. Requests by non-Government members of Parliament to the Chief Executive Officer should include the information being sought or issues to be discussed. Agencies are to provide non-Government members of Parliament with all factual information and “matters-on-the-record”. Discussions with agency staff are not to be for the purposes of debating the merits of Government policy. Consistent with the Freedom of Information Act , personal information about a third party is not to be given to a non-Government (or Government) member of Parliament without the agency advising and consulting with the individual affected. I seek leave to table the attached document from which I have just quoted. Leave granted. [See paper 3688.]
The Minister for Health’s arrangement for non-government members of Parliament, in place since 2001, states — In circumstances where non-Government members of the Parliament contact agency staff for information or to arrange a meeting, the approval of the Chief Executive Officer or delegated officer is required. Requests by non-Government members of Parliament to the Chief Executive Officer should include the information being sought or issues to be discussed. Agencies are to provide non-Government members of Parliament with all factual information and “matters-on-the-record”. Discussions with agency staff are not to be for the purposes of debating the merits of Government policy. Consistent with the Freedom of Information Act , personal information about a third party is not to be given to a non-Government (or Government) member of Parliament without the agency advising and consulting with the individual affected.
Requests by non-Government members of Parliament to the Chief Executive Officer should include the information being sought or issues to be discussed. Agencies are to provide non-Government members of Parliament with all factual information and “matters-on-the-record”. Discussions with agency staff are not to be for the purposes of debating the merits of Government policy. Consistent with the Freedom of Information Act , personal information about a third party is not to be given to a non-Government (or Government) member of Parliament without the agency advising and consulting with the individual affected.
Discussions with agency staff are not to be for the purposes of debating the merits of Government policy. Consistent with the Freedom of Information Act , personal information about a third party is not to be given to a non-Government (or Government) member of Parliament without the agency advising and consulting with the individual affected.
Leave granted. [See paper 3688.]
[See paper 3688.]
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