❓ Hon Robin Chapple questions the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs regarding conflicting statements made by Mr. Aaron Rayner concerning legal advice on the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee's need for a specialist anthropologist. The Minister clarifies the source of the legal advice and confirms the importance of truthful testimony before the Standing Committee.
AnsweredQoN 761Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
MR AARON RAYNER — ESTIMATES HEARINGS
761. Hon ROBIN CHAPPLE to the
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs:
I refer to question on notice 5572
of 15 May 2012, question on notice 5113 of 6 March 2012 and question on notice
4628 of 20 September 2011; answers to questions answered by Aaron Rayner in the
estimates hearing of Tuesday, 24 September 2013; and the correction letter of
16 October.
(1) Why did Mr
Rayner state on one occasion on Tuesday, 24 September 2013, that he had legal
advice that no specialist anthropologist is required on the Aboriginal Cultural
Material Committee, and later state that he had crown law advice on the same
matter, when it is now clear that Mr Rayner had no such crown law advice?
(2) Is it an
offence not to be truthful to the best of one's knowledge before the
Standing Committee on Estimates and Financial Operations?
(3) Given that
the issue of the requirement of a specialist anthropologist, as required in
part V, section 28(3) of the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 has been repeatedly
raised in questions before this chamber, why did Mr Rayner proffer the
information that he had crown law advice?
761. Hon ROBIN CHAPPLE to the
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs:
I refer to question on notice 5572
of 15 May 2012, question on notice 5113 of 6 March 2012 and question on notice
4628 of 20 September 2011; answers to questions answered by Aaron Rayner in the
estimates hearing of Tuesday, 24 September 2013; and the correction letter of
16 October.
(1) Why did Mr
Rayner state on one occasion on Tuesday, 24 September 2013, that he had legal
advice that no specialist anthropologist is required on the Aboriginal Cultural
Material Committee, and later state that he had crown law advice on the same
matter, when it is now clear that Mr Rayner had no such crown law advice?
(2) Is it an
offence not to be truthful to the best of one's knowledge before the
Standing Committee on Estimates and Financial Operations?
(3) Given that
the issue of the requirement of a specialist anthropologist, as required in
part V, section 28(3) of the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 has been repeatedly
raised in questions before this chamber, why did Mr Rayner proffer the
information that he had crown law advice?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the
question.
(1) Mr Rayner
had an honest but mistaken belief that the source of the legal advice was from
the State Solicitor's Office. The advice had been given by the
department's principal legal officer and separately by its senior legal
officer. Mr Rayner's answer to the Standing Committee on Estimates and
Financial Operations was corrected by letter dated 16 October 2013, in
accordance with parliamentary procedures.
(2) Yes.
(3) Refer to (1).
question.
(1) Mr Rayner
had an honest but mistaken belief that the source of the legal advice was from
the State Solicitor's Office. The advice had been given by the
department's principal legal officer and separately by its senior legal
officer. Mr Rayner's answer to the Standing Committee on Estimates and
Financial Operations was corrected by letter dated 16 October 2013, in
accordance with parliamentary procedures.
(2) Yes.
(3) Refer to (1).
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