PRINTER CARTRIDGE SCAM

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (14:29): I seek leave to make a brief explanation prior to directing a question to the minister representing the Minister for Finance on the subject of 'cartridgegate'.

Leave granted.

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS: In the evidence taken at the Budget and Finance Committee earlier this month, the chief executive of the Department of Further Education, Employment, Science and Technology (DFEEST) confirmed that an officer in the ministerial office of Mr Caica, who at the time was the minister responsible for DFEEST, had purchased up to $20,000 worth of computer printer cartridges from the suspect companies whilst employed within minister Caica's office. Mr Garrand, who is the CEO, went on to confirm that there were ongoing inquiries in relation to those particular purchases and into that particular officer.

Information available to the Liberal Party indicates that the officer in minister Caica's office whilst he was the minister for DFEEST from 2006 to 2009 also transferred with minister Caica in early 2009, when minister Caica became minister for the environment and was transferred out of the DFEEST portfolio. In March 2009, minister O'Brien was in fact appointed the new minister for DFEEST. The Liberal Party understands that, when minister O'Brien took over the ministerial office of minister Caica in early 2009, some or all of these $20,000 worth of printer cartridges were still in the ministerial office and available for the use of minister O'Brien and his staff. My questions to the minister are:

1. When did minister O'Brien and Treasurer Snelling first become aware that the 'cartridgegate' scandal had extended to the office of their ministerial colleague Paul Caica?

2. Did either minister O'Brien or Treasurer Snelling discuss this issue with minister Caica? If so, what was the nature of those discussions with minister Caica?

3. When minister O'Brien took over as minister for DFEEST in March 2009 from minister Caica, did he or any of his staff at the time become aware of up to $20,000 worth of printer cartridges in cupboards in his ministerial office? If so, what action was taken by his staff, or by the minister, when they became aware of that fact?

4. Does the minister's reported figure from the procurement working group report of $1,205,000 of purchases from suspect suppliers include this figure of about $20,000 of purchases from a staff member in minister Caica's ministerial office?

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for State/Local Government Relations) (14:33): I would like to thank the honourable member for his questions. I will refer them to the Minister for Finance in another place and get an answer as soon as possible.