Ms CARNEY - 2005-08-23
There is a fundamental difference between clerical errors and rorting the system. Claiming travel allowance when on leave, or claiming and receiving a higher rate than an entitlement provides, amounts to rorting. Why will you not name the ministers who have made false or suspect claims? Can you advise whether the money has been paid back and, finally, why shouldn’t those ministers lose their jobs based on political precedent in this country?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I refer the Opposition Leader to the Auditor-General’s report. I am not making things up here. I refer the Opposition Leader, who prides herself on her legal ability and her corporate procedures, to page 18 of the report where the Auditor-General refers to ‘errors’ is what the Auditor-General talks about. He says: ‘
What they are saying is that these are done automatically. They are not done …
Dr Lim: The minister has to sign off.
Ms Carney: The minister signs for them.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Ms MARTIN: They were clerical errors, and the Auditor-General says that. What I am saying is that there were inaccuracies. My department has taken full responsibility. That is included, because the department has commented. These are errors that happened. They will be sorted through and they will not happen again. Errors will happen,; we hope these will not happen again.
Madam Speaker, I say again, if there had been rorting of the system, I would have actioned it very quickly. I will not be part of a government where there areis rorting of athe system by ministers taking advantage of travel allowances. I am confident that ministers - , and the then Opposition Leader, the member for Blain was part of this too - , and that he wereas not rorting the system either.
There were some administrative errors. They will be cleared up. I say to the Opposition Leader: keep a perspective on this. Just because you have found a document that you are trying to misinterpret does not mean it is fact. The Opposition Leader does this often,: claims a fact, then blows it up and says the place is imploding, forgetting that you have to get your facts right. We saw that in the waterfront debate this morning, and we will probably see it again. Get your facts right.
Ms CARNEY: A supplementary question, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: No, there is no supplementary question.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I refer the Opposition Leader to the Auditor-General’s report. I am not making things up here. I refer the Opposition Leader, who prides herself on her legal ability and her corporate procedures, to page 18 of the report where the Auditor-General refers to ‘errors’ is what the Auditor-General talks about. He says: ‘
- ∙ one instance where travel allowance was paid notwithstanding that the Claimant was on leave;
∙ payment of full travel allowance being made even though the Claimant did not use …’
What they are saying is that these are done automatically. They are not done …
Dr Lim: The minister has to sign off.
Ms Carney: The minister signs for them.
Madam SPEAKER: Order, order!
Ms MARTIN: They were clerical errors, and the Auditor-General says that. What I am saying is that there were inaccuracies. My department has taken full responsibility. That is included, because the department has commented. These are errors that happened. They will be sorted through and they will not happen again. Errors will happen,; we hope these will not happen again.
Madam Speaker, I say again, if there had been rorting of the system, I would have actioned it very quickly. I will not be part of a government where there areis rorting of athe system by ministers taking advantage of travel allowances. I am confident that ministers - , and the then Opposition Leader, the member for Blain was part of this too - , and that he wereas not rorting the system either.
There were some administrative errors. They will be cleared up. I say to the Opposition Leader: keep a perspective on this. Just because you have found a document that you are trying to misinterpret does not mean it is fact. The Opposition Leader does this often,: claims a fact, then blows it up and says the place is imploding, forgetting that you have to get your facts right. We saw that in the waterfront debate this morning, and we will probably see it again. Get your facts right.
Ms CARNEY: A supplementary question, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: No, there is no supplementary question.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016