❓ A parliamentary question regarding a Director General allegedly breaching the Public Sector Management Act. The Premier responds, indicating a lack of prior knowledge and outlining actions taken after becoming aware of the issue.
AnsweredQoN 315Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the recent decision by the full bench of the Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission against the appeal by Mr Alan Piper. (1) When and how did the Premier first become aware that the Director General of the Department of Justice had breached sections of the Public Sector Management Act 1994? (2) Did Alan Piper seek the permission of the Premier, as minister with gazetted responsibility for the Public Sector Management Act, to commence that appeal? (3) Can the Premier advise the house what is the protocol for chief executive officers taking such action? (4) What was the cost of both actions and was the cost borne by the taxpayers of Western Australia? Dr G.I. GALLOP
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(4) I first became aware of this issue yesterday. Members would have read in the newspaper the decisions I have made in respect of it. We have directed Mr Piper to take leave and have sought an explanation from him, as we are required to do under the Public Sector Management Act. I was unaware of the appeal. There is the issue of jurisdiction, of course; that is, whether the Industrial Relations Commission has jurisdiction over matters such as this or whether it is a matter for the Commissioner for Public Sector Standards. It has been a longstanding issue in government in Western Australia, and it remains an issue. My colleague the Leader of the House commissioned a report on the matter a year or two ago. Some recommendations were made. We are still talking through those issues with the Civil Service Association. I am unaware of what the costs are, but if the member is interested in the matter, I will find out what the costs might have been. As for the protocols in this matter, all I can say is that this issue was serious enough, I would have thought, for a chief executive officer to have informed his minister and certainly to have informed the government that this was happening. That did not happen in this case. I have made it clear to government officials that it should happen in the future.
(1) When and how did the Premier first become aware that the Director General of the Department of Justice had breached sections of the Public Sector Management Act 1994? (2) Did Alan Piper seek the permission of the Premier, as minister with gazetted responsibility for the Public Sector Management Act, to commence that appeal? (3) Can the Premier advise the house what is the protocol for chief executive officers taking such action? (4) What was the cost of both actions and was the cost borne by the taxpayers of Western Australia? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(4) I first became aware of this issue yesterday. Members would have read in the newspaper the decisions I have made in respect of it. We have directed Mr Piper to take leave and have sought an explanation from him, as we are required to do under the Public Sector Management Act. I was unaware of the appeal. There is the issue of jurisdiction, of course; that is, whether the Industrial Relations Commission has jurisdiction over matters such as this or whether it is a matter for the Commissioner for Public Sector Standards. It has been a longstanding issue in government in Western Australia, and it remains an issue. My colleague the Leader of the House commissioned a report on the matter a year or two ago. Some recommendations were made. We are still talking through those issues with the Civil Service Association. I am unaware of what the costs are, but if the member is interested in the matter, I will find out what the costs might have been. As for the protocols in this matter, all I can say is that this issue was serious enough, I would have thought, for a chief executive officer to have informed his minister and certainly to have informed the government that this was happening. That did not happen in this case. I have made it clear to government officials that it should happen in the future.
(2) Did Alan Piper seek the permission of the Premier, as minister with gazetted responsibility for the Public Sector Management Act, to commence that appeal? (3) Can the Premier advise the house what is the protocol for chief executive officers taking such action? (4) What was the cost of both actions and was the cost borne by the taxpayers of Western Australia? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(4) I first became aware of this issue yesterday. Members would have read in the newspaper the decisions I have made in respect of it. We have directed Mr Piper to take leave and have sought an explanation from him, as we are required to do under the Public Sector Management Act. I was unaware of the appeal. There is the issue of jurisdiction, of course; that is, whether the Industrial Relations Commission has jurisdiction over matters such as this or whether it is a matter for the Commissioner for Public Sector Standards. It has been a longstanding issue in government in Western Australia, and it remains an issue. My colleague the Leader of the House commissioned a report on the matter a year or two ago. Some recommendations were made. We are still talking through those issues with the Civil Service Association. I am unaware of what the costs are, but if the member is interested in the matter, I will find out what the costs might have been. As for the protocols in this matter, all I can say is that this issue was serious enough, I would have thought, for a chief executive officer to have informed his minister and certainly to have informed the government that this was happening. That did not happen in this case. I have made it clear to government officials that it should happen in the future.
(3) Can the Premier advise the house what is the protocol for chief executive officers taking such action? (4) What was the cost of both actions and was the cost borne by the taxpayers of Western Australia? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(4) I first became aware of this issue yesterday. Members would have read in the newspaper the decisions I have made in respect of it. We have directed Mr Piper to take leave and have sought an explanation from him, as we are required to do under the Public Sector Management Act. I was unaware of the appeal. There is the issue of jurisdiction, of course; that is, whether the Industrial Relations Commission has jurisdiction over matters such as this or whether it is a matter for the Commissioner for Public Sector Standards. It has been a longstanding issue in government in Western Australia, and it remains an issue. My colleague the Leader of the House commissioned a report on the matter a year or two ago. Some recommendations were made. We are still talking through those issues with the Civil Service Association. I am unaware of what the costs are, but if the member is interested in the matter, I will find out what the costs might have been. As for the protocols in this matter, all I can say is that this issue was serious enough, I would have thought, for a chief executive officer to have informed his minister and certainly to have informed the government that this was happening. That did not happen in this case. I have made it clear to government officials that it should happen in the future.
(4) What was the cost of both actions and was the cost borne by the taxpayers of Western Australia? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(4) I first became aware of this issue yesterday. Members would have read in the newspaper the decisions I have made in respect of it. We have directed Mr Piper to take leave and have sought an explanation from him, as we are required to do under the Public Sector Management Act. I was unaware of the appeal. There is the issue of jurisdiction, of course; that is, whether the Industrial Relations Commission has jurisdiction over matters such as this or whether it is a matter for the Commissioner for Public Sector Standards. It has been a longstanding issue in government in Western Australia, and it remains an issue. My colleague the Leader of the House commissioned a report on the matter a year or two ago. Some recommendations were made. We are still talking through those issues with the Civil Service Association. I am unaware of what the costs are, but if the member is interested in the matter, I will find out what the costs might have been. As for the protocols in this matter, all I can say is that this issue was serious enough, I would have thought, for a chief executive officer to have informed his minister and certainly to have informed the government that this was happening. That did not happen in this case. I have made it clear to government officials that it should happen in the future.
Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(4) I first became aware of this issue yesterday. Members would have read in the newspaper the decisions I have made in respect of it. We have directed Mr Piper to take leave and have sought an explanation from him, as we are required to do under the Public Sector Management Act. I was unaware of the appeal. There is the issue of jurisdiction, of course; that is, whether the Industrial Relations Commission has jurisdiction over matters such as this or whether it is a matter for the Commissioner for Public Sector Standards. It has been a longstanding issue in government in Western Australia, and it remains an issue. My colleague the Leader of the House commissioned a report on the matter a year or two ago. Some recommendations were made. We are still talking through those issues with the Civil Service Association. I am unaware of what the costs are, but if the member is interested in the matter, I will find out what the costs might have been. As for the protocols in this matter, all I can say is that this issue was serious enough, I would have thought, for a chief executive officer to have informed his minister and certainly to have informed the government that this was happening. That did not happen in this case. I have made it clear to government officials that it should happen in the future.
(1)-(4) I first became aware of this issue yesterday. Members would have read in the newspaper the decisions I have made in respect of it. We have directed Mr Piper to take leave and have sought an explanation from him, as we are required to do under the Public Sector Management Act. I was unaware of the appeal. There is the issue of jurisdiction, of course; that is, whether the Industrial Relations Commission has jurisdiction over matters such as this or whether it is a matter for the Commissioner for Public Sector Standards. It has been a longstanding issue in government in Western Australia, and it remains an issue. My colleague the Leader of the House commissioned a report on the matter a year or two ago. Some recommendations were made. We are still talking through those issues with the Civil Service Association. I am unaware of what the costs are, but if the member is interested in the matter, I will find out what the costs might have been. As for the protocols in this matter, all I can say is that this issue was serious enough, I would have thought, for a chief executive officer to have informed his minister and certainly to have informed the government that this was happening. That did not happen in this case. I have made it clear to government officials that it should happen in the future.
(1) When and how did the Premier first become aware that the Director General of the Department of Justice had breached sections of the Public Sector Management Act 1994? (2) Did Alan Piper seek the permission of the Premier, as minister with gazetted responsibility for the Public Sector Management Act, to commence that appeal? (3) Can the Premier advise the house what is the protocol for chief executive officers taking such action? (4) What was the cost of both actions and was the cost borne by the taxpayers of Western Australia? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(4) I first became aware of this issue yesterday. Members would have read in the newspaper the decisions I have made in respect of it. We have directed Mr Piper to take leave and have sought an explanation from him, as we are required to do under the Public Sector Management Act. I was unaware of the appeal. There is the issue of jurisdiction, of course; that is, whether the Industrial Relations Commission has jurisdiction over matters such as this or whether it is a matter for the Commissioner for Public Sector Standards. It has been a longstanding issue in government in Western Australia, and it remains an issue. My colleague the Leader of the House commissioned a report on the matter a year or two ago. Some recommendations were made. We are still talking through those issues with the Civil Service Association. I am unaware of what the costs are, but if the member is interested in the matter, I will find out what the costs might have been. As for the protocols in this matter, all I can say is that this issue was serious enough, I would have thought, for a chief executive officer to have informed his minister and certainly to have informed the government that this was happening. That did not happen in this case. I have made it clear to government officials that it should happen in the future.
(2) Did Alan Piper seek the permission of the Premier, as minister with gazetted responsibility for the Public Sector Management Act, to commence that appeal? (3) Can the Premier advise the house what is the protocol for chief executive officers taking such action? (4) What was the cost of both actions and was the cost borne by the taxpayers of Western Australia? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(4) I first became aware of this issue yesterday. Members would have read in the newspaper the decisions I have made in respect of it. We have directed Mr Piper to take leave and have sought an explanation from him, as we are required to do under the Public Sector Management Act. I was unaware of the appeal. There is the issue of jurisdiction, of course; that is, whether the Industrial Relations Commission has jurisdiction over matters such as this or whether it is a matter for the Commissioner for Public Sector Standards. It has been a longstanding issue in government in Western Australia, and it remains an issue. My colleague the Leader of the House commissioned a report on the matter a year or two ago. Some recommendations were made. We are still talking through those issues with the Civil Service Association. I am unaware of what the costs are, but if the member is interested in the matter, I will find out what the costs might have been. As for the protocols in this matter, all I can say is that this issue was serious enough, I would have thought, for a chief executive officer to have informed his minister and certainly to have informed the government that this was happening. That did not happen in this case. I have made it clear to government officials that it should happen in the future.
(3) Can the Premier advise the house what is the protocol for chief executive officers taking such action? (4) What was the cost of both actions and was the cost borne by the taxpayers of Western Australia? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(4) I first became aware of this issue yesterday. Members would have read in the newspaper the decisions I have made in respect of it. We have directed Mr Piper to take leave and have sought an explanation from him, as we are required to do under the Public Sector Management Act. I was unaware of the appeal. There is the issue of jurisdiction, of course; that is, whether the Industrial Relations Commission has jurisdiction over matters such as this or whether it is a matter for the Commissioner for Public Sector Standards. It has been a longstanding issue in government in Western Australia, and it remains an issue. My colleague the Leader of the House commissioned a report on the matter a year or two ago. Some recommendations were made. We are still talking through those issues with the Civil Service Association. I am unaware of what the costs are, but if the member is interested in the matter, I will find out what the costs might have been. As for the protocols in this matter, all I can say is that this issue was serious enough, I would have thought, for a chief executive officer to have informed his minister and certainly to have informed the government that this was happening. That did not happen in this case. I have made it clear to government officials that it should happen in the future.
(4) What was the cost of both actions and was the cost borne by the taxpayers of Western Australia? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(4) I first became aware of this issue yesterday. Members would have read in the newspaper the decisions I have made in respect of it. We have directed Mr Piper to take leave and have sought an explanation from him, as we are required to do under the Public Sector Management Act. I was unaware of the appeal. There is the issue of jurisdiction, of course; that is, whether the Industrial Relations Commission has jurisdiction over matters such as this or whether it is a matter for the Commissioner for Public Sector Standards. It has been a longstanding issue in government in Western Australia, and it remains an issue. My colleague the Leader of the House commissioned a report on the matter a year or two ago. Some recommendations were made. We are still talking through those issues with the Civil Service Association. I am unaware of what the costs are, but if the member is interested in the matter, I will find out what the costs might have been. As for the protocols in this matter, all I can say is that this issue was serious enough, I would have thought, for a chief executive officer to have informed his minister and certainly to have informed the government that this was happening. That did not happen in this case. I have made it clear to government officials that it should happen in the future.
Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(4) I first became aware of this issue yesterday. Members would have read in the newspaper the decisions I have made in respect of it. We have directed Mr Piper to take leave and have sought an explanation from him, as we are required to do under the Public Sector Management Act. I was unaware of the appeal. There is the issue of jurisdiction, of course; that is, whether the Industrial Relations Commission has jurisdiction over matters such as this or whether it is a matter for the Commissioner for Public Sector Standards. It has been a longstanding issue in government in Western Australia, and it remains an issue. My colleague the Leader of the House commissioned a report on the matter a year or two ago. Some recommendations were made. We are still talking through those issues with the Civil Service Association. I am unaware of what the costs are, but if the member is interested in the matter, I will find out what the costs might have been. As for the protocols in this matter, all I can say is that this issue was serious enough, I would have thought, for a chief executive officer to have informed his minister and certainly to have informed the government that this was happening. That did not happen in this case. I have made it clear to government officials that it should happen in the future.
(1)-(4) I first became aware of this issue yesterday. Members would have read in the newspaper the decisions I have made in respect of it. We have directed Mr Piper to take leave and have sought an explanation from him, as we are required to do under the Public Sector Management Act. I was unaware of the appeal. There is the issue of jurisdiction, of course; that is, whether the Industrial Relations Commission has jurisdiction over matters such as this or whether it is a matter for the Commissioner for Public Sector Standards. It has been a longstanding issue in government in Western Australia, and it remains an issue. My colleague the Leader of the House commissioned a report on the matter a year or two ago. Some recommendations were made. We are still talking through those issues with the Civil Service Association. I am unaware of what the costs are, but if the member is interested in the matter, I will find out what the costs might have been. As for the protocols in this matter, all I can say is that this issue was serious enough, I would have thought, for a chief executive officer to have informed his minister and certainly to have informed the government that this was happening. That did not happen in this case. I have made it clear to government officials that it should happen in the future.
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