Mr EDE - 1994-10-13
The Chief Minister said in his personal explanation on Tuesday that he had had plenty of opportunities over the years to use taxpayers' dollars to benefit Aquascene, a theme that he revisited on ABC radio yesterday. Given that the Chief Minister maintains that there would be nothing wrong with receiving these benefits, I ask him to explain where he draws the line. Does he concede that there is a need for a code of conduct for ministers which governs the circumstances under which they may receive direct discretionary benefits from the government?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, in fact, the Leader of the Opposition draws rather more from my personal explanation than I actually said. If I recall rightly, and the words are recorded in Hansard, I said that, over a long period of years - I think about 15 years - there were probably occasions when, if I had been prepared to act improperly, I could have mentioned to politician colleagues or public servants that they might give a little more emphasis to a business that I am associated with which would have favoured that business unduly. I went on to say that, in that 15 years, I have never done so and, of course, it would have been highly improper for me to have done so.
The Leader of the Opposition should not draw any more from it than that. If he reads the transcript - which I have done since I made the statement to ensure that it was recorded correctly, and it is - then no more can be drawn from it than exactly those words that I repeat to him today.
Mr Ede: You said there was nothing wrong with what he did for you.
Mr PERRON: Mr Speaker, I do not think there is anything that anyone can do to remove the opportunity that exists for someone in a supervisory position to attempt to influence improperly, particularly verbally, someone who is in a subordinate position.
Mr Ede: Of course, you can.
Mr Stirling: How about a code of conduct so that it is specified?
Mr Ede: What about a code of conduct? What about whistleblowers' legislation? What about FOI legislation?
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr PERRON: Mr Speaker, the absurdity of the Leader of the Opposition's interjection is that, if you write a code of conduct ...
Mr Ede: You would have been caught out, that is the reality.
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Mr PERRON: ... it will keep any person who might otherwise be a crook from being a crook ...
Mr Ede: That is why you have whistleblowers' legislation.
Mr PERRON: ... is a load of nonsense, because if that were the case, we would not need a police force because everybody would simply abide by the law.
Mr Ede: That is why you have whistleblowers' legislation.
Mr Bailey: However, you still have laws.
Mr PERRON: What a load of nonsense.
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr PERRON: Mr Speaker, we could have a code of conduct reinforced every year. If a person is a crook, they are a crook and no set of words on a piece of paper will make any difference to an individual improperly exercising his or her authority.
Mr Ede: You are talking nonsense, Marshall. That is nonsense.
Mr PERRON: I have not improperly exercised my authority.
Mr Ede: I asked you where you draw the line.
Mr PERRON: At this stage, members opposite may have implied that I have, but they have stopped short of saying that I have acted improperly during my time in office and I think ...
Mr Bailey: Did the former member for Casuarina ...
Mr Ede: He said that he would have approved it whether he knew it or not.
Mr PERRON: That is a different Question.
Mr Ede: No. I said that you said that ...
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The Leader of the Opposition has the opportunity to ask further Questions.
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ANSWER
Mr Speaker, in fact, the Leader of the Opposition draws rather more from my personal explanation than I actually said. If I recall rightly, and the words are recorded in Hansard, I said that, over a long period of years - I think about 15 years - there were probably occasions when, if I had been prepared to act improperly, I could have mentioned to politician colleagues or public servants that they might give a little more emphasis to a business that I am associated with which would have favoured that business unduly. I went on to say that, in that 15 years, I have never done so and, of course, it would have been highly improper for me to have done so.
The Leader of the Opposition should not draw any more from it than that. If he reads the transcript - which I have done since I made the statement to ensure that it was recorded correctly, and it is - then no more can be drawn from it than exactly those words that I repeat to him today.
Mr Ede: You said there was nothing wrong with what he did for you.
Mr PERRON: Mr Speaker, I do not think there is anything that anyone can do to remove the opportunity that exists for someone in a supervisory position to attempt to influence improperly, particularly verbally, someone who is in a subordinate position.
Mr Ede: Of course, you can.
Mr Stirling: How about a code of conduct so that it is specified?
Mr Ede: What about a code of conduct? What about whistleblowers' legislation? What about FOI legislation?
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr PERRON: Mr Speaker, the absurdity of the Leader of the Opposition's interjection is that, if you write a code of conduct ...
Mr Ede: You would have been caught out, that is the reality.
Page 239
Mr PERRON: ... it will keep any person who might otherwise be a crook from being a crook ...
Mr Ede: That is why you have whistleblowers' legislation.
Mr PERRON: ... is a load of nonsense, because if that were the case, we would not need a police force because everybody would simply abide by the law.
Mr Ede: That is why you have whistleblowers' legislation.
Mr Bailey: However, you still have laws.
Mr PERRON: What a load of nonsense.
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr PERRON: Mr Speaker, we could have a code of conduct reinforced every year. If a person is a crook, they are a crook and no set of words on a piece of paper will make any difference to an individual improperly exercising his or her authority.
Mr Ede: You are talking nonsense, Marshall. That is nonsense.
Mr PERRON: I have not improperly exercised my authority.
Mr Ede: I asked you where you draw the line.
Mr PERRON: At this stage, members opposite may have implied that I have, but they have stopped short of saying that I have acted improperly during my time in office and I think ...
Mr Bailey: Did the former member for Casuarina ...
Mr Ede: He said that he would have approved it whether he knew it or not.
Mr PERRON: That is a different Question.
Mr Ede: No. I said that you said that ...
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The Leader of the Opposition has the opportunity to ask further Questions.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016