Office Upgrade, Department of the Premier and Cabinet

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (14:28): I seek leave to make an explanation prior to directing a question to the minister representing the Premier on the subject of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet office upgrade.

Leave granted.

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS: Members would be aware of the controversial appointment made by Premier Weatherill of Mr Kym Winter-Dewhirst, a former Labor Party staffer, as the new Chief Executive Officer of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet. Some of the issues that attracted controversy, Mr President, as you would be aware, were that he was given a pay increase of $125,000 for his job and subsequently it was ascertained that that did not include the $35,000 motor vehicle lease and two weeks' extra paid professional development leave that had been offered in a side deal to Mr Winter-Dewhirst and not included in the contract of employment.

In recent months, there has been further controversy about expenditure on the renovations Mr Winter-Dewhirst and Premier Weatherill have ordered for the 16^th floor of the State Admin Centre, the Department of the Premier and Cabinet building. This comes after the last three CEOs have all engaged in renovations of the same 16^th floor: Mr Warren McCann spent $187,000 and Mr Chris Eccles spent $59,000 when he did not like the office layout for Mr McCann. When Mr Hallion arrived, he didn't like the office layout from Mr Eccles and Mr McCann, so he spent $157,000, and when Mr Winter-Dewhirst arrived he didn't like the office layout of Mr Hallion, Mr Eccles or Mr McCann and he said he was spending $500,000 on a renovation of the 16^th floor of the State Admin Building.

Government insiders have indicated that that particular budget has blown out. Certainly information provided to the opposition indicates that, at least on one estimate from a source within the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure, that estimate is now somewhere between $600,000 and $800,000.

In addition to that there has been concern expressed by government insiders about a new policy that Mr Winter-Dewhirst has implemented where he has, according to this particular source, banned staff on the 16^th floor from having a tissue box on their desk or a bin, in which they can throw rubbish, at their particular desks. He is requiring on the 16^th floor—one would assume supported by Premier Weatherill—that there will be one wellness station for all the 100 staff on the floor and that each time a staff member needs to blow his or her nose they are to go to the tissue box at the wellness station and deposit the tissue in the bin at the wellness station.

Staff who have contacted the opposition indicate that those who suffer from hay fever at this particular time of the year or who have a runny nose due to a cold are expressing significant concern at the prospect of the new policy. My questions to the Premier are:

1. Has the cost of the renovation of the 16^th floor of the State Admin Building blown out above the claimed $500,000 total cost and, if so, what is the latest estimate of that blowout and the total cost of the renovation?

2. Is it correct that staff on the 16^th floor have been told that they are not allowed to have tissues or bins at their desks and that if they require the use of a tissue they have to go to the single wellness station on the 16^th floor?

3. Given that Mr Winter-Dewhirst has said that this renovation on the 16^th floor is to be the model for renovation upgrades for the whole building, is it also the CEO's and the Premier's intention that this particular policy and flow-on costs are to be rolled out to all other floors in the building?

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! Minister.

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) (14:32): I thank the member for his very strange question, indeed, his very creative question. We see the Hon. Rob Lucas coming to this place time and time again making up very creative statements. We know how creative he can be and I have no doubt he is being very creative again here today. I will pass those very creative questions on to the Premier in another place and bring back a response.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! Mr McLachlan has the floor.