Cross Border Commissioner

The Hon. H.M. GIROLAMO (14:59): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before directing a question to the Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development regarding the Cross Border Commissioner.

Leave granted.

The Hon. H.M. GIROLAMO: Ms McKinnon was appointed by the government to the role of Cross Border Commissioner in December 2022 and started in the role in April 2023. Twelve months after being appointed and some eight months after beginning the role, Ms McKinnon resigned in December 2023. My questions to the minister are:

1. Why did Ms McKinnon resign less than one year into the role?

2. When will a new Cross Border Commissioner be appointed?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:59): I thank the honourable member for her question. I think it's worth noting here that the commissioner is not a political role. Privacy around people's reasons for changing jobs I think should be respected. People change jobs for all sorts of reasons all the time. I think people change their jobs because of family reasons or because of health reasons. They change because of a particular affinity for a particular industry or they change for any number of reasons. I don't think it's appropriate that the former commissioner's personal circumstances should be the subject of scrutiny in this place.