❓ Mr. Love questions the justification of using taxpayer funds for electorate officer training for election purposes. The Premier defends the training as necessary for officers to support their member's re-election and community representation, while also emphasizing integrity and acknowledging the demanding nature of the role.
AnsweredQoN 824Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CORRUPTION AND CRIME
COMMISSION REPORT — ELECTORATE OFFICERS
824. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. Does the Premier believe it
is justified to spend taxpayer funds on staff training for election purposes?
COMMISSION REPORT — ELECTORATE OFFICERS
824. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. Does the Premier believe it
is justified to spend taxpayer funds on staff training for election purposes?
AnswerView source ↗
I think it is important that all our electorate officers are
equipped with the means they need to enable their member to get re-elected and
to represent the community. That is what they are there for. It is appropriate
that even though they have these
expectations on them, there is also an expectation that electorate officers
will act with integrity and work in the best interests of the community
and the state. As is the standard, we will review the findings of the report
and respond in due course.
I just remind the member to be careful before he starts
throwing stones because we know that there is some grey in relation to this
area. We demand a lot from our staff. We demand that they work on weekends and
late hours. They are on call pretty much 24/7. They do a terrific job on behalf
of the community that we represent, so I admire them. As a former electorate
officer myself, I know just how hard that role is. It is important that we
support them. Usually, with the Speaker's indulgence, I would go
through my vast notes here that point out the role of the electorate officers
in the member for Cottesloe's office, what was stated in the Liberal
Party election review, what took place in the member for Central Wheatbelt's
office and other things, but I do not think this should be a matter of
political pointscoring. We will respond to the report in due course and provide
the government's position then.
The SPEAKER : I remind members that we have a very hard
and fast time of 3.00 pm today to move to private members' business, so
if members can just keep that in mind as we attempt to get through the regular
number of questions and answers.
equipped with the means they need to enable their member to get re-elected and
to represent the community. That is what they are there for. It is appropriate
that even though they have these
expectations on them, there is also an expectation that electorate officers
will act with integrity and work in the best interests of the community
and the state. As is the standard, we will review the findings of the report
and respond in due course.
I just remind the member to be careful before he starts
throwing stones because we know that there is some grey in relation to this
area. We demand a lot from our staff. We demand that they work on weekends and
late hours. They are on call pretty much 24/7. They do a terrific job on behalf
of the community that we represent, so I admire them. As a former electorate
officer myself, I know just how hard that role is. It is important that we
support them. Usually, with the Speaker's indulgence, I would go
through my vast notes here that point out the role of the electorate officers
in the member for Cottesloe's office, what was stated in the Liberal
Party election review, what took place in the member for Central Wheatbelt's
office and other things, but I do not think this should be a matter of
political pointscoring. We will respond to the report in due course and provide
the government's position then.
The SPEAKER : I remind members that we have a very hard
and fast time of 3.00 pm today to move to private members' business, so
if members can just keep that in mind as we attempt to get through the regular
number of questions and answers.
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