Question Time

MEMBER FOR ELDER

Mr MARSHALL (Norwood—Leader of the Opposition) (14:20): My question is to the Premier. Following revelations that the member for Elder is working three days a week for a law firm, was approval given by the Premier or the Commissioner for Public Sector Employment according to section 7 of the Ministerial Code of Conduct, which restricts employment with any firm in contractual arrangements with the government unless such approval is given?

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier, Treasurer, Minister for State Development, Minister for the Public Sector, Minister for the Arts) (14:21): I thank the honourable member for his question.

Mr Venning: Can't hear you.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Sorry?

Mr VENNING: Can't hear you.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL: Well, if you perhaps stop interjecting, it will be much easier to hear. Members of parliament, of course, are not precluded from being engaged in paid work outside their parliamentary duties. That simple matter seems to have been lost in the debate recently. Former ministers, though, are guided in what activities they may engage in by the Ministerial Code of Conduct, as the Leader of the Opposition points out. The code relevantly provides that former ministers are prevented from taking employment with any organisation with whom they have had official dealings in the last 12 months as a minister. I am advised that the member for Elder is aware of no official dealing with Minter Ellison in the relevant period.

The other relevant part of the code is that ministers are prevented from disclosing any confidential information to which they have access as a minister, or to use that information to obtain a personal advantage or benefit, but the code expressly does not prevent ministers from using general skills and knowledge acquired by them in the course of their period of office. That is in its explicit terms. I am sure that minister Conlon is fully aware of his obligations under the code, and I understand that a copy of the code has been provided to Minter Ellison. I am confident that both of them will conduct themselves in accordance with those obligations.