Question Time

Public Sector Integrity

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (14:34): I seek leave to provide a brief explanation before asking a question of the Attorney-General on the topic of integrity.

Leave granted.

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI: Last week, a private and confidential job application and CV that was sent to the Attorney's office when he was shadow attorney was distributed to the media. It has been confirmed by the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport in the other place that the distribution came from the Labor Party, reportedly saying that the job application, and I quote, 'has obviously come from our side of politics—of course it has.' My questions to the Attorney-General are:

1. Did the Attorney-General or his staff, either current or previous, release a job application which was received by his office to the media?

2. If not, did the Attorney-General have any knowledge that the job application and CV was being provided to the media prior to the publishing of the Advertiser article on 1 March?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (14:35): Certainly, I am on the public record as saying, no, I didn't release any such thing to the media. However, I can understand why the Liberal Party would want to try to distract from the current problems they are facing, some very, very big problems they are facing in their Dunstan campaign themselves—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: —some very, very big problems.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: For example, after some questions were asked about a directorship of a company, the Liberal candidate for Dunstan, Dr Finizio, said that she was—and I will quote because this is exceptionally important and I can understand why the opposition would want to try to distract from these sorts of quotes—the Liberal candidate for Dunstan said, and I quote, that she was—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: The direct quote is—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! The honourable Leader of the Opposition! The Hon. Mr Hood!

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: The direct quote is:

[A] director on paper and I had no involvement…so that's why I wouldn't put something on my CV that I actually wasn't properly involved in.

The candidate for Dunstan from the Liberal Party believes there is such a thing as a director on paper. That is a company director who doesn't have to have and, in fact, has no involvement in the company itself. On one level—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: —I can understand the Liberal Party thinking—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: —you can be involved in something but not take any active part: they had Steven Marshall as their Premier on paper. But the corporations law is very clear: a director of a corporation above all else must discharge their duties with care and diligence.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: According to the Liberal candidate for Dunstan, care and diligence means, 'I was only on paper and I had no involvement whatsoever in it.' This is completely at odds with what directors' duties involve.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: I have to say, if there is a candidate who believes you can be a director on paper, have a duty to act diligently in their exercise and not do it—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: —what hope does anyone have that such a person might act diligently in the discharge of their duties as a member of parliament?