❓ Ms. Mettam questions the Premier about the short appointment of the Agent General, suggesting it's a political maneuver. The Premier denies this, citing a need to review the role and aligning it with community expectations and DFAT standards.
AnsweredQoN 615Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
AGENT GENERAL — APPOINTMENT
615. Ms L. METTAM to the Premier:
I refer to the recent appointment
of Angela Kelly as Agent General for a notably short nine-month term.
(1) Is the real reason for this short appointment to allow
the Premier to appoint a current member of Parliament to the role of
Agent General, if the Labor Party wins the March election, as a reward for
vacating —
Several members interjected.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER : Members!
Mr J.R. Quigley : Conceding
again?
The DEPUTY SPEAKER : Attorney
General! Start again, Leader of the Liberal Party.
Ms L. METTAM : I refer to the
recent appointment of Angela Kelly as Agent General for a notably short nine-month
term.
(1) Is the real reason for this short appointment to
allow the Premier to appoint a current member of Parliament to the role
of Agent General, if the Labor Party wins the March election, as a reward for
vacating their current position?
(2) Can the
Premier assure the public that this key diplomatic post will not be used as a political
reward for internal party negotiations?
615. Ms L. METTAM to the Premier:
I refer to the recent appointment
of Angela Kelly as Agent General for a notably short nine-month term.
(1) Is the real reason for this short appointment to allow
the Premier to appoint a current member of Parliament to the role of
Agent General, if the Labor Party wins the March election, as a reward for
vacating —
Several members interjected.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER : Members!
Mr J.R. Quigley : Conceding
again?
The DEPUTY SPEAKER : Attorney
General! Start again, Leader of the Liberal Party.
Ms L. METTAM : I refer to the
recent appointment of Angela Kelly as Agent General for a notably short nine-month
term.
(1) Is the real reason for this short appointment to
allow the Premier to appoint a current member of Parliament to the role
of Agent General, if the Labor Party wins the March election, as a reward for
vacating their current position?
(2) Can the
Premier assure the public that this key diplomatic post will not be used as a political
reward for internal party negotiations?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I
note that standing order 77(1)(b) suggests that questions should not contain
hypothetical matter, suppositions, epithets, ironical expressions, allegations
or arguments. We might also add to the standing orders that questions should
also not contain conspiracy theories! I want to place on the record, because I think
I know where we are going here, that I do not believe that any immigrants in Western
Australia eat their cats or their dogs! We should just clarify that right now,
Deputy Speaker, because I think that is where the Leader of the Liberal Party
is taking us. I think we can see the little tunnel that the Liberal Party is
burrowing down into, getting deeper and deeper into this stuff.
Once
again, the other side has done two things. It has provided a hypothetical
situation on the basis that I will provide an appointment in the event that my
side is re-elected in March 2025 in relation to the Agent General's
position. I want to place on the record that I have absolute respect for the
people of Western Australia. It is they who will decide who will be making the
decisions on these matters after the election, not a presumptive administration
such as a new WA Labor government, as the Leader of the Liberal Party seems so
keen to herald. Despite the concession in relation to the matter, I just want
to say that I think the Agent General has done an amazing job for Western Australia
by ensuring that we play our part as part of the AUKUS partnership, making sure
that we continue to see new trade opportunities as they grow in Europe and
making sure that we can continue to have important opportunities for import and
export business relationships, which will ensure that we can continue to see
our economy grow.
I
thought it appropriate to appoint for a nine-month period, because although
Angela Kelly is a great career public servant who has done an amazing
job for Western Australia, I want to review that role to make sure that it is
more in keeping with community expectations and similar levels of seniority as
we see in the Department of Foreign Affairs
and Trade, and be guided by those standards and arrangements that are already in place. I think that is what people would expect. On that basis, I did
not see it as appropriate to appoint Ms Kelly for the full length of that
contract until that work can be undertaken. That is the reason I appointed her
for a nine-month period. I know that she will do an amazing and incredible job
on behalf of the people of Western Australia, as John Langoulant has done. They
all do us proud and we are very grateful for and respectful of the work that
they do.
note that standing order 77(1)(b) suggests that questions should not contain
hypothetical matter, suppositions, epithets, ironical expressions, allegations
or arguments. We might also add to the standing orders that questions should
also not contain conspiracy theories! I want to place on the record, because I think
I know where we are going here, that I do not believe that any immigrants in Western
Australia eat their cats or their dogs! We should just clarify that right now,
Deputy Speaker, because I think that is where the Leader of the Liberal Party
is taking us. I think we can see the little tunnel that the Liberal Party is
burrowing down into, getting deeper and deeper into this stuff.
Once
again, the other side has done two things. It has provided a hypothetical
situation on the basis that I will provide an appointment in the event that my
side is re-elected in March 2025 in relation to the Agent General's
position. I want to place on the record that I have absolute respect for the
people of Western Australia. It is they who will decide who will be making the
decisions on these matters after the election, not a presumptive administration
such as a new WA Labor government, as the Leader of the Liberal Party seems so
keen to herald. Despite the concession in relation to the matter, I just want
to say that I think the Agent General has done an amazing job for Western Australia
by ensuring that we play our part as part of the AUKUS partnership, making sure
that we continue to see new trade opportunities as they grow in Europe and
making sure that we can continue to have important opportunities for import and
export business relationships, which will ensure that we can continue to see
our economy grow.
I
thought it appropriate to appoint for a nine-month period, because although
Angela Kelly is a great career public servant who has done an amazing
job for Western Australia, I want to review that role to make sure that it is
more in keeping with community expectations and similar levels of seniority as
we see in the Department of Foreign Affairs
and Trade, and be guided by those standards and arrangements that are already in place. I think that is what people would expect. On that basis, I did
not see it as appropriate to appoint Ms Kelly for the full length of that
contract until that work can be undertaken. That is the reason I appointed her
for a nine-month period. I know that she will do an amazing and incredible job
on behalf of the people of Western Australia, as John Langoulant has done. They
all do us proud and we are very grateful for and respectful of the work that
they do.
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