Mr BURKE - 2003-08-21
On 29 May, I asked you about the appointment of a Western Australian public servant to a very senior position in the Northern Territory Public Service, when that person was still being investigated for breaches of discipline in Western Australia. You said that the person had been: ‘… completely exonerated prior to his appointment to the Northern Territory Public Service’. In the Western Australian parliament on 26 June, Hon Kim Chance said that the report of the investigation was handed to the Director General of Health on 30 May. I seek leave to table an extract from the Western Australian Legislative Council Hansard.
Leave granted.
Mr BURKE: Minister, the Western Australian parliament was also told on 26 June that the Director of Public Prosecutions had never decided that there was no case to answer, again contradicting what you told this parliament. I seek leave to table that answer from the Western Australian Legislative Council.
Leave granted.
Mr BURKE: I ask again: how was this public servant appointed to a senior position in the Northern Territory Public Service, almost a month before the investigation was completed in Western Australia, and why did you mislead this parliament?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, there has been no misleading of parliament here, intentional or otherwise. I acted and gave response to the questions on the given date that the Opposition Leader has provided, on the advice of a brief provided through the Commissioner of Public Employment. I will have a look at the advice I provided in the House on that day against what the Leader of the Opposition has put in here, and see if there are any inconsistencies; and if there are, I shall report back to the House.
However, on the spur of the moment, with an answer some months ago - and I do not have that brief with me today - I am certainly not putting my hand up to admit to misleading this House when I acted on the advice that was provided to me on that particular day. As I said, I will check my response of the given day in parliament against the statement that the Leader of the Opposition has given today, and I will report back to the House.
Leave granted.
Mr BURKE: Minister, the Western Australian parliament was also told on 26 June that the Director of Public Prosecutions had never decided that there was no case to answer, again contradicting what you told this parliament. I seek leave to table that answer from the Western Australian Legislative Council.
Leave granted.
Mr BURKE: I ask again: how was this public servant appointed to a senior position in the Northern Territory Public Service, almost a month before the investigation was completed in Western Australia, and why did you mislead this parliament?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, there has been no misleading of parliament here, intentional or otherwise. I acted and gave response to the questions on the given date that the Opposition Leader has provided, on the advice of a brief provided through the Commissioner of Public Employment. I will have a look at the advice I provided in the House on that day against what the Leader of the Opposition has put in here, and see if there are any inconsistencies; and if there are, I shall report back to the House.
However, on the spur of the moment, with an answer some months ago - and I do not have that brief with me today - I am certainly not putting my hand up to admit to misleading this House when I acted on the advice that was provided to me on that particular day. As I said, I will check my response of the given day in parliament against the statement that the Leader of the Opposition has given today, and I will report back to the House.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016