Public Sector Employment

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (14:40): My question is to the Leader of the Government. Does the leader agree that it is unacceptable that a senior executive in the Public Service can be sacked and paid a termination payment of about $300,000 and then almost immediately be re-employed by the government in another department or agency?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills, Minister for Science and Information Economy, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Business Services and Consumers) (14:40): I thank the honourable member for his question. This government seeks to govern in a highly responsible, open and transparent way. We seek to always use public money in the best way possible to meet the key priority areas that we have identified and the key priority outcomes that have been identified to grow this state and to enable businesses to thrive and, in particular, to grow jobs. We employ a range of different policy practices to ensure that we get the best out of our people and, as I said, we do that in an open and transparent way.