LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE OF CONDUCT

The Hon. S.G. WADE (14:36): A supplementary question. I ask the minister: if an elected mayor was to use a ratepayer funded mobile phone to send a text under the circumstances that the Leader of the Opposition has highlighted, would it be contrary to his mandated code of conduct that he released yesterday?

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for State/Local Government Relations) (14:36): The mandated code of conduct will depend on the policies of the councils, and various councils have different policies, so it will depend on the policy of the council. As I said, this has only just arisen. It's not unusual for the opposition to start throwing allegations around the place that have no substance, so I'm not going to engage in a debate on the issue.