BURNSIDE CITY COUNCIL

The Hon. S.G. WADE (15:01): As a supplementary question, is the minister advising the council that she believes it was appropriate that the letter be considered in an in-confidence meeting but that it was inappropriate for the gallery to be cleared by police?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises, Minister Assisting the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Energy) (15:02): I have already clarified what I believe in relation to the issue to do with the clearing of the gallery and the bringing in of the police. In relation to the discussion in respect of the correspondence, what I requested and what I believe was proper is that any matter pertaining to those issues raised in the letter that would have dealt with individual and personal divulging of information should have been treated in a confidential way.

If there were general discussions or general statements to be made about the council's response, I imagine there would be a number of examples where it would have been appropriate for the council to engage with members of the public in the gallery. For instance, providing a reasonable explanation to the gallery as to what process the council had intended to adopt in providing a response and how it needed to go about doing that would not have breached the confidentiality of the letter. That could have addressed some of those matters, and I think it would have been a very helpful way to proceed.