❓ Question regarding potential conflict of interest for a minister involved in the Westrail freight sale process due to his Wesfarmers shares. The minister's answer is evasive regarding the exact timing and destination of the shares.
AnsweredQoN 435Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the minister’s answer yesterday to my question regarding Wesfarmers Ltd shares. (1) When did the minister become aware that Wesfarmers was to become involved in the Westrail freight sale process? (2) When did the minister relinquish his Wesfarmers shares? (3) Were the shares relinquished to any legal entity associated with the minister or any member of his family or to any member of his family? Hon M.J. CRIDDLE
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(3) Four short-listed companies were identified; that is when I made the decision to relinquish my shares. Hon N.D. Griffiths: When? Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: The details are in the office at my farm. If the member wants me to get that information, I will speak to him directly when I find it. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich: About when? Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: It was immediately after the announcement was made, whenever that was. It was well before the recommendation came to me regarding the purchaser. Many of my family and friends have shares in Wesfarmers, and the company has something like 20 000 shareholders in Western Australia. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich: Where did yours go? The PRESIDENT: Order! This is not a cross-examination in court. The minister will answer interjections and later, when members read the questions and answers in Hansard , someone may say that he misled Parliament because he answered a part of the question one way and another part another way. The minister is answering about six questions because of interjections. Let the minister answer the question. Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: There are about 20 000 Wesfarmers shareholders in Western Australia. I know that my family and friends have shares. The crucial point raised was whether I have shares and, as I said, I relinquished them at the appropriate time.
(1) When did the minister become aware that Wesfarmers was to become involved in the Westrail freight sale process? (2) When did the minister relinquish his Wesfarmers shares? (3) Were the shares relinquished to any legal entity associated with the minister or any member of his family or to any member of his family? Hon M.J. CRIDDLE replied: (1)-(3) Four short-listed companies were identified; that is when I made the decision to relinquish my shares. Hon N.D. Griffiths: When? Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: The details are in the office at my farm. If the member wants me to get that information, I will speak to him directly when I find it. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich: About when? Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: It was immediately after the announcement was made, whenever that was. It was well before the recommendation came to me regarding the purchaser. Many of my family and friends have shares in Wesfarmers, and the company has something like 20 000 shareholders in Western Australia. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich: Where did yours go? The PRESIDENT: Order! This is not a cross-examination in court. The minister will answer interjections and later, when members read the questions and answers in Hansard , someone may say that he misled Parliament because he answered a part of the question one way and another part another way. The minister is answering about six questions because of interjections. Let the minister answer the question. Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: There are about 20 000 Wesfarmers shareholders in Western Australia. I know that my family and friends have shares. The crucial point raised was whether I have shares and, as I said, I relinquished them at the appropriate time.
(2) When did the minister relinquish his Wesfarmers shares? (3) Were the shares relinquished to any legal entity associated with the minister or any member of his family or to any member of his family? Hon M.J. CRIDDLE replied: (1)-(3) Four short-listed companies were identified; that is when I made the decision to relinquish my shares. Hon N.D. Griffiths: When? Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: The details are in the office at my farm. If the member wants me to get that information, I will speak to him directly when I find it. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich: About when? Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: It was immediately after the announcement was made, whenever that was. It was well before the recommendation came to me regarding the purchaser. Many of my family and friends have shares in Wesfarmers, and the company has something like 20 000 shareholders in Western Australia. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich: Where did yours go? The PRESIDENT: Order! This is not a cross-examination in court. The minister will answer interjections and later, when members read the questions and answers in Hansard , someone may say that he misled Parliament because he answered a part of the question one way and another part another way. The minister is answering about six questions because of interjections. Let the minister answer the question. Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: There are about 20 000 Wesfarmers shareholders in Western Australia. I know that my family and friends have shares. The crucial point raised was whether I have shares and, as I said, I relinquished them at the appropriate time.
(3) Were the shares relinquished to any legal entity associated with the minister or any member of his family or to any member of his family? Hon M.J. CRIDDLE replied: (1)-(3) Four short-listed companies were identified; that is when I made the decision to relinquish my shares. Hon N.D. Griffiths: When? Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: The details are in the office at my farm. If the member wants me to get that information, I will speak to him directly when I find it. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich: About when? Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: It was immediately after the announcement was made, whenever that was. It was well before the recommendation came to me regarding the purchaser. Many of my family and friends have shares in Wesfarmers, and the company has something like 20 000 shareholders in Western Australia. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich: Where did yours go? The PRESIDENT: Order! This is not a cross-examination in court. The minister will answer interjections and later, when members read the questions and answers in Hansard , someone may say that he misled Parliament because he answered a part of the question one way and another part another way. The minister is answering about six questions because of interjections. Let the minister answer the question. Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: There are about 20 000 Wesfarmers shareholders in Western Australia. I know that my family and friends have shares. The crucial point raised was whether I have shares and, as I said, I relinquished them at the appropriate time.
Hon M.J. CRIDDLE replied: (1)-(3) Four short-listed companies were identified; that is when I made the decision to relinquish my shares. Hon N.D. Griffiths: When? Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: The details are in the office at my farm. If the member wants me to get that information, I will speak to him directly when I find it. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich: About when? Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: It was immediately after the announcement was made, whenever that was. It was well before the recommendation came to me regarding the purchaser. Many of my family and friends have shares in Wesfarmers, and the company has something like 20 000 shareholders in Western Australia. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich: Where did yours go? The PRESIDENT: Order! This is not a cross-examination in court. The minister will answer interjections and later, when members read the questions and answers in Hansard , someone may say that he misled Parliament because he answered a part of the question one way and another part another way. The minister is answering about six questions because of interjections. Let the minister answer the question. Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: There are about 20 000 Wesfarmers shareholders in Western Australia. I know that my family and friends have shares. The crucial point raised was whether I have shares and, as I said, I relinquished them at the appropriate time.
(1)-(3) Four short-listed companies were identified; that is when I made the decision to relinquish my shares. Hon N.D. Griffiths: When? Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: The details are in the office at my farm. If the member wants me to get that information, I will speak to him directly when I find it. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich: About when? Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: It was immediately after the announcement was made, whenever that was. It was well before the recommendation came to me regarding the purchaser. Many of my family and friends have shares in Wesfarmers, and the company has something like 20 000 shareholders in Western Australia. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich: Where did yours go? The PRESIDENT: Order! This is not a cross-examination in court. The minister will answer interjections and later, when members read the questions and answers in Hansard , someone may say that he misled Parliament because he answered a part of the question one way and another part another way. The minister is answering about six questions because of interjections. Let the minister answer the question. Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: There are about 20 000 Wesfarmers shareholders in Western Australia. I know that my family and friends have shares. The crucial point raised was whether I have shares and, as I said, I relinquished them at the appropriate time.
Hon N.D. Griffiths: When? Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: The details are in the office at my farm. If the member wants me to get that information, I will speak to him directly when I find it. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich: About when? Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: It was immediately after the announcement was made, whenever that was. It was well before the recommendation came to me regarding the purchaser. Many of my family and friends have shares in Wesfarmers, and the company has something like 20 000 shareholders in Western Australia. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich: Where did yours go? The PRESIDENT: Order! This is not a cross-examination in court. The minister will answer interjections and later, when members read the questions and answers in Hansard , someone may say that he misled Parliament because he answered a part of the question one way and another part another way. The minister is answering about six questions because of interjections. Let the minister answer the question. Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: There are about 20 000 Wesfarmers shareholders in Western Australia. I know that my family and friends have shares. The crucial point raised was whether I have shares and, as I said, I relinquished them at the appropriate time.
Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: The details are in the office at my farm. If the member wants me to get that information, I will speak to him directly when I find it. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich: About when? Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: It was immediately after the announcement was made, whenever that was. It was well before the recommendation came to me regarding the purchaser. Many of my family and friends have shares in Wesfarmers, and the company has something like 20 000 shareholders in Western Australia. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich: Where did yours go? The PRESIDENT: Order! This is not a cross-examination in court. The minister will answer interjections and later, when members read the questions and answers in Hansard , someone may say that he misled Parliament because he answered a part of the question one way and another part another way. The minister is answering about six questions because of interjections. Let the minister answer the question. Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: There are about 20 000 Wesfarmers shareholders in Western Australia. I know that my family and friends have shares. The crucial point raised was whether I have shares and, as I said, I relinquished them at the appropriate time.
Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich: About when? Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: It was immediately after the announcement was made, whenever that was. It was well before the recommendation came to me regarding the purchaser. Many of my family and friends have shares in Wesfarmers, and the company has something like 20 000 shareholders in Western Australia. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich: Where did yours go? The PRESIDENT: Order! This is not a cross-examination in court. The minister will answer interjections and later, when members read the questions and answers in Hansard , someone may say that he misled Parliament because he answered a part of the question one way and another part another way. The minister is answering about six questions because of interjections. Let the minister answer the question. Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: There are about 20 000 Wesfarmers shareholders in Western Australia. I know that my family and friends have shares. The crucial point raised was whether I have shares and, as I said, I relinquished them at the appropriate time.
Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: It was immediately after the announcement was made, whenever that was. It was well before the recommendation came to me regarding the purchaser. Many of my family and friends have shares in Wesfarmers, and the company has something like 20 000 shareholders in Western Australia. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich: Where did yours go? The PRESIDENT: Order! This is not a cross-examination in court. The minister will answer interjections and later, when members read the questions and answers in Hansard , someone may say that he misled Parliament because he answered a part of the question one way and another part another way. The minister is answering about six questions because of interjections. Let the minister answer the question. Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: There are about 20 000 Wesfarmers shareholders in Western Australia. I know that my family and friends have shares. The crucial point raised was whether I have shares and, as I said, I relinquished them at the appropriate time.
Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich: Where did yours go? The PRESIDENT: Order! This is not a cross-examination in court. The minister will answer interjections and later, when members read the questions and answers in Hansard , someone may say that he misled Parliament because he answered a part of the question one way and another part another way. The minister is answering about six questions because of interjections. Let the minister answer the question. Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: There are about 20 000 Wesfarmers shareholders in Western Australia. I know that my family and friends have shares. The crucial point raised was whether I have shares and, as I said, I relinquished them at the appropriate time.
The PRESIDENT: Order! This is not a cross-examination in court. The minister will answer interjections and later, when members read the questions and answers in Hansard , someone may say that he misled Parliament because he answered a part of the question one way and another part another way. The minister is answering about six questions because of interjections. Let the minister answer the question. Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: There are about 20 000 Wesfarmers shareholders in Western Australia. I know that my family and friends have shares. The crucial point raised was whether I have shares and, as I said, I relinquished them at the appropriate time.
Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: There are about 20 000 Wesfarmers shareholders in Western Australia. I know that my family and friends have shares. The crucial point raised was whether I have shares and, as I said, I relinquished them at the appropriate time.
(1) When did the minister become aware that Wesfarmers was to become involved in the Westrail freight sale process? (2) When did the minister relinquish his Wesfarmers shares? (3) Were the shares relinquished to any legal entity associated with the minister or any member of his family or to any member of his family? Hon M.J. CRIDDLE replied: (1)-(3) Four short-listed companies were identified; that is when I made the decision to relinquish my shares. Hon N.D. Griffiths: When? Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: The details are in the office at my farm. If the member wants me to get that information, I will speak to him directly when I find it. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich: About when? Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: It was immediately after the announcement was made, whenever that was. It was well before the recommendation came to me regarding the purchaser. Many of my family and friends have shares in Wesfarmers, and the company has something like 20 000 shareholders in Western Australia. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich: Where did yours go? The PRESIDENT: Order! This is not a cross-examination in court. The minister will answer interjections and later, when members read the questions and answers in Hansard , someone may say that he misled Parliament because he answered a part of the question one way and another part another way. The minister is answering about six questions because of interjections. Let the minister answer the question. Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: There are about 20 000 Wesfarmers shareholders in Western Australia. I know that my family and friends have shares. The crucial point raised was whether I have shares and, as I said, I relinquished them at the appropriate time.
(2) When did the minister relinquish his Wesfarmers shares? (3) Were the shares relinquished to any legal entity associated with the minister or any member of his family or to any member of his family? Hon M.J. CRIDDLE replied: (1)-(3) Four short-listed companies were identified; that is when I made the decision to relinquish my shares. Hon N.D. Griffiths: When? Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: The details are in the office at my farm. If the member wants me to get that information, I will speak to him directly when I find it. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich: About when? Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: It was immediately after the announcement was made, whenever that was. It was well before the recommendation came to me regarding the purchaser. Many of my family and friends have shares in Wesfarmers, and the company has something like 20 000 shareholders in Western Australia. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich: Where did yours go? The PRESIDENT: Order! This is not a cross-examination in court. The minister will answer interjections and later, when members read the questions and answers in Hansard , someone may say that he misled Parliament because he answered a part of the question one way and another part another way. The minister is answering about six questions because of interjections. Let the minister answer the question. Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: There are about 20 000 Wesfarmers shareholders in Western Australia. I know that my family and friends have shares. The crucial point raised was whether I have shares and, as I said, I relinquished them at the appropriate time.
(3) Were the shares relinquished to any legal entity associated with the minister or any member of his family or to any member of his family? Hon M.J. CRIDDLE replied: (1)-(3) Four short-listed companies were identified; that is when I made the decision to relinquish my shares. Hon N.D. Griffiths: When? Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: The details are in the office at my farm. If the member wants me to get that information, I will speak to him directly when I find it. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich: About when? Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: It was immediately after the announcement was made, whenever that was. It was well before the recommendation came to me regarding the purchaser. Many of my family and friends have shares in Wesfarmers, and the company has something like 20 000 shareholders in Western Australia. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich: Where did yours go? The PRESIDENT: Order! This is not a cross-examination in court. The minister will answer interjections and later, when members read the questions and answers in Hansard , someone may say that he misled Parliament because he answered a part of the question one way and another part another way. The minister is answering about six questions because of interjections. Let the minister answer the question. Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: There are about 20 000 Wesfarmers shareholders in Western Australia. I know that my family and friends have shares. The crucial point raised was whether I have shares and, as I said, I relinquished them at the appropriate time.
Hon M.J. CRIDDLE replied: (1)-(3) Four short-listed companies were identified; that is when I made the decision to relinquish my shares. Hon N.D. Griffiths: When? Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: The details are in the office at my farm. If the member wants me to get that information, I will speak to him directly when I find it. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich: About when? Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: It was immediately after the announcement was made, whenever that was. It was well before the recommendation came to me regarding the purchaser. Many of my family and friends have shares in Wesfarmers, and the company has something like 20 000 shareholders in Western Australia. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich: Where did yours go? The PRESIDENT: Order! This is not a cross-examination in court. The minister will answer interjections and later, when members read the questions and answers in Hansard , someone may say that he misled Parliament because he answered a part of the question one way and another part another way. The minister is answering about six questions because of interjections. Let the minister answer the question. Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: There are about 20 000 Wesfarmers shareholders in Western Australia. I know that my family and friends have shares. The crucial point raised was whether I have shares and, as I said, I relinquished them at the appropriate time.
(1)-(3) Four short-listed companies were identified; that is when I made the decision to relinquish my shares. Hon N.D. Griffiths: When? Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: The details are in the office at my farm. If the member wants me to get that information, I will speak to him directly when I find it. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich: About when? Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: It was immediately after the announcement was made, whenever that was. It was well before the recommendation came to me regarding the purchaser. Many of my family and friends have shares in Wesfarmers, and the company has something like 20 000 shareholders in Western Australia. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich: Where did yours go? The PRESIDENT: Order! This is not a cross-examination in court. The minister will answer interjections and later, when members read the questions and answers in Hansard , someone may say that he misled Parliament because he answered a part of the question one way and another part another way. The minister is answering about six questions because of interjections. Let the minister answer the question. Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: There are about 20 000 Wesfarmers shareholders in Western Australia. I know that my family and friends have shares. The crucial point raised was whether I have shares and, as I said, I relinquished them at the appropriate time.
Hon N.D. Griffiths: When? Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: The details are in the office at my farm. If the member wants me to get that information, I will speak to him directly when I find it. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich: About when? Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: It was immediately after the announcement was made, whenever that was. It was well before the recommendation came to me regarding the purchaser. Many of my family and friends have shares in Wesfarmers, and the company has something like 20 000 shareholders in Western Australia. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich: Where did yours go? The PRESIDENT: Order! This is not a cross-examination in court. The minister will answer interjections and later, when members read the questions and answers in Hansard , someone may say that he misled Parliament because he answered a part of the question one way and another part another way. The minister is answering about six questions because of interjections. Let the minister answer the question. Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: There are about 20 000 Wesfarmers shareholders in Western Australia. I know that my family and friends have shares. The crucial point raised was whether I have shares and, as I said, I relinquished them at the appropriate time.
Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: The details are in the office at my farm. If the member wants me to get that information, I will speak to him directly when I find it. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich: About when? Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: It was immediately after the announcement was made, whenever that was. It was well before the recommendation came to me regarding the purchaser. Many of my family and friends have shares in Wesfarmers, and the company has something like 20 000 shareholders in Western Australia. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich: Where did yours go? The PRESIDENT: Order! This is not a cross-examination in court. The minister will answer interjections and later, when members read the questions and answers in Hansard , someone may say that he misled Parliament because he answered a part of the question one way and another part another way. The minister is answering about six questions because of interjections. Let the minister answer the question. Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: There are about 20 000 Wesfarmers shareholders in Western Australia. I know that my family and friends have shares. The crucial point raised was whether I have shares and, as I said, I relinquished them at the appropriate time.
Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich: About when? Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: It was immediately after the announcement was made, whenever that was. It was well before the recommendation came to me regarding the purchaser. Many of my family and friends have shares in Wesfarmers, and the company has something like 20 000 shareholders in Western Australia. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich: Where did yours go? The PRESIDENT: Order! This is not a cross-examination in court. The minister will answer interjections and later, when members read the questions and answers in Hansard , someone may say that he misled Parliament because he answered a part of the question one way and another part another way. The minister is answering about six questions because of interjections. Let the minister answer the question. Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: There are about 20 000 Wesfarmers shareholders in Western Australia. I know that my family and friends have shares. The crucial point raised was whether I have shares and, as I said, I relinquished them at the appropriate time.
Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: It was immediately after the announcement was made, whenever that was. It was well before the recommendation came to me regarding the purchaser. Many of my family and friends have shares in Wesfarmers, and the company has something like 20 000 shareholders in Western Australia. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich: Where did yours go? The PRESIDENT: Order! This is not a cross-examination in court. The minister will answer interjections and later, when members read the questions and answers in Hansard , someone may say that he misled Parliament because he answered a part of the question one way and another part another way. The minister is answering about six questions because of interjections. Let the minister answer the question. Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: There are about 20 000 Wesfarmers shareholders in Western Australia. I know that my family and friends have shares. The crucial point raised was whether I have shares and, as I said, I relinquished them at the appropriate time.
Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich: Where did yours go? The PRESIDENT: Order! This is not a cross-examination in court. The minister will answer interjections and later, when members read the questions and answers in Hansard , someone may say that he misled Parliament because he answered a part of the question one way and another part another way. The minister is answering about six questions because of interjections. Let the minister answer the question. Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: There are about 20 000 Wesfarmers shareholders in Western Australia. I know that my family and friends have shares. The crucial point raised was whether I have shares and, as I said, I relinquished them at the appropriate time.
The PRESIDENT: Order! This is not a cross-examination in court. The minister will answer interjections and later, when members read the questions and answers in Hansard , someone may say that he misled Parliament because he answered a part of the question one way and another part another way. The minister is answering about six questions because of interjections. Let the minister answer the question. Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: There are about 20 000 Wesfarmers shareholders in Western Australia. I know that my family and friends have shares. The crucial point raised was whether I have shares and, as I said, I relinquished them at the appropriate time.
Hon M.J. CRIDDLE: There are about 20 000 Wesfarmers shareholders in Western Australia. I know that my family and friends have shares. The crucial point raised was whether I have shares and, as I said, I relinquished them at the appropriate time.
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