A WA parliamentary question on notice regarding a City of Bayswater council meeting held in an unusual location and without recording, raising concerns about transparency and potential corruption, especially given the timing after Corruption and Crime Commission testimony.

AnsweredQoN 21Legislative Council
Asked
15 March 2006
Portfolio
Local Government and Regional Development

QuestionView source ↗

BAYSWATER CITY COUNCIL
I refer to the Bayswater City Council. (1) Is the minister aware that on 22 June 2005 a council meeting was held in the reception area of the administration centre instead of in the council chamber, and that the proceedings were not recorded? (2) Does the minister accept that it is unusual for a meeting to be held in a reception area when a perfectly good council chamber is left empty? (3) Why would this council need to have a secret meeting? (4) This meeting was called eight days after the Corruption and Crime Commission testimony was given in the so-called “Godfather” affair to discuss legal representation relating to the Corruption and Crime Commission hearing. Will the minister investigate the reasons that this council did not want this meeting to take place in the council chamber? (5) Is the Bayswater City Council under investigation at present; and, if so, will the minister detail what is being investigated and why? (6) Is the minister aware that the mover of the motion that the meeting be held in the reception area and that the proceedings not be recorded was a Gallop ministerial staffer? Hon KIM CHANCE

AnswerView source ↗

On behalf of the Minister for Local Government and Regional Development, I thank Hon Robyn McSweeney for some notice of the question. I understand that the Corruption and Crime Commission is currently investigating the City of Bayswater and that, upon completion of its investigation, it will table a report before Parliament. It would be inappropriate, therefore, to comment until after that report has been considered.
(1) Is the minister aware that on 22 June 2005 a council meeting was held in the reception area of the administration centre instead of in the council chamber, and that the proceedings were not recorded? (2) Does the minister accept that it is unusual for a meeting to be held in a reception area when a perfectly good council chamber is left empty? (3) Why would this council need to have a secret meeting? (4) This meeting was called eight days after the Corruption and Crime Commission testimony was given in the so-called “Godfather” affair to discuss legal representation relating to the Corruption and Crime Commission hearing. Will the minister investigate the reasons that this council did not want this meeting to take place in the council chamber? (5) Is the Bayswater City Council under investigation at present; and, if so, will the minister detail what is being investigated and why? (6) Is the minister aware that the mover of the motion that the meeting be held in the reception area and that the proceedings not be recorded was a Gallop ministerial staffer? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: On behalf of the Minister for Local Government and Regional Development, I thank Hon Robyn McSweeney for some notice of the question. I understand that the Corruption and Crime Commission is currently investigating the City of Bayswater and that, upon completion of its investigation, it will table a report before Parliament. It would be inappropriate, therefore, to comment until after that report has been considered.
(2) Does the minister accept that it is unusual for a meeting to be held in a reception area when a perfectly good council chamber is left empty? (3) Why would this council need to have a secret meeting? (4) This meeting was called eight days after the Corruption and Crime Commission testimony was given in the so-called “Godfather” affair to discuss legal representation relating to the Corruption and Crime Commission hearing. Will the minister investigate the reasons that this council did not want this meeting to take place in the council chamber? (5) Is the Bayswater City Council under investigation at present; and, if so, will the minister detail what is being investigated and why? (6) Is the minister aware that the mover of the motion that the meeting be held in the reception area and that the proceedings not be recorded was a Gallop ministerial staffer? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: On behalf of the Minister for Local Government and Regional Development, I thank Hon Robyn McSweeney for some notice of the question. I understand that the Corruption and Crime Commission is currently investigating the City of Bayswater and that, upon completion of its investigation, it will table a report before Parliament. It would be inappropriate, therefore, to comment until after that report has been considered.
(3) Why would this council need to have a secret meeting? (4) This meeting was called eight days after the Corruption and Crime Commission testimony was given in the so-called “Godfather” affair to discuss legal representation relating to the Corruption and Crime Commission hearing. Will the minister investigate the reasons that this council did not want this meeting to take place in the council chamber? (5) Is the Bayswater City Council under investigation at present; and, if so, will the minister detail what is being investigated and why? (6) Is the minister aware that the mover of the motion that the meeting be held in the reception area and that the proceedings not be recorded was a Gallop ministerial staffer? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: On behalf of the Minister for Local Government and Regional Development, I thank Hon Robyn McSweeney for some notice of the question. I understand that the Corruption and Crime Commission is currently investigating the City of Bayswater and that, upon completion of its investigation, it will table a report before Parliament. It would be inappropriate, therefore, to comment until after that report has been considered.
(4) This meeting was called eight days after the Corruption and Crime Commission testimony was given in the so-called “Godfather” affair to discuss legal representation relating to the Corruption and Crime Commission hearing. Will the minister investigate the reasons that this council did not want this meeting to take place in the council chamber? (5) Is the Bayswater City Council under investigation at present; and, if so, will the minister detail what is being investigated and why? (6) Is the minister aware that the mover of the motion that the meeting be held in the reception area and that the proceedings not be recorded was a Gallop ministerial staffer? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: On behalf of the Minister for Local Government and Regional Development, I thank Hon Robyn McSweeney for some notice of the question. I understand that the Corruption and Crime Commission is currently investigating the City of Bayswater and that, upon completion of its investigation, it will table a report before Parliament. It would be inappropriate, therefore, to comment until after that report has been considered.
(5) Is the Bayswater City Council under investigation at present; and, if so, will the minister detail what is being investigated and why? (6) Is the minister aware that the mover of the motion that the meeting be held in the reception area and that the proceedings not be recorded was a Gallop ministerial staffer? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: On behalf of the Minister for Local Government and Regional Development, I thank Hon Robyn McSweeney for some notice of the question. I understand that the Corruption and Crime Commission is currently investigating the City of Bayswater and that, upon completion of its investigation, it will table a report before Parliament. It would be inappropriate, therefore, to comment until after that report has been considered.
(6) Is the minister aware that the mover of the motion that the meeting be held in the reception area and that the proceedings not be recorded was a Gallop ministerial staffer? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: On behalf of the Minister for Local Government and Regional Development, I thank Hon Robyn McSweeney for some notice of the question. I understand that the Corruption and Crime Commission is currently investigating the City of Bayswater and that, upon completion of its investigation, it will table a report before Parliament. It would be inappropriate, therefore, to comment until after that report has been considered.
Hon KIM CHANCE replied: On behalf of the Minister for Local Government and Regional Development, I thank Hon Robyn McSweeney for some notice of the question. I understand that the Corruption and Crime Commission is currently investigating the City of Bayswater and that, upon completion of its investigation, it will table a report before Parliament. It would be inappropriate, therefore, to comment until after that report has been considered.
On behalf of the Minister for Local Government and Regional Development, I thank Hon Robyn McSweeney for some notice of the question. I understand that the Corruption and Crime Commission is currently investigating the City of Bayswater and that, upon completion of its investigation, it will table a report before Parliament. It would be inappropriate, therefore, to comment until after that report has been considered.

Explore WA Government Data

Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.

Explore more