Consumer and Business Services, Workplace Culture

The Hon. H.M. GIROLAMO (Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (14:46): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector on departmental workplace culture.

Leave granted.

The Hon. H.M. GIROLAMO: The review identifies leadership behaviours within CBS, described as favouritism, cliques and decision-making based on personality and relationships rather than merit. My question to the minister is: will the government initiate a whole of public sector independent review into workplace culture and leadership accountability?

The Hon. I.K. Hunter interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Hunter obviously wants to answer the question.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! The Hon. Mr Hunter, it's not chat time; it's question time. Stop the chatting.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector, Special Minister of State) (14:47): I am happy to answer the question, but I will just note, before I do, that clearly the state opposition in the Legislative Council miss their former deputy leader, who would not have ever asked almost the identical question to the leader following on. They obviously don't compare notes. While it's an almost identical question, I am happy to largely repeat a previous answer. When there have been issues identified—and each department obviously has different issues identified—action can be, and often is, taken. As I have said, Ms Rosslyn Cox, who did the review in relation to CBS, also did a review I think about a year ago in relation to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

I think what the honourable member is suggesting is: are all departments absolutely identical, and should you do exactly the same thing in each one? I think that's a fundamental reason and a mistake that would be made. But in relation to the question she has asked, almost identical to one of her leader's questions, when there are problems identified or concerns raised, of course action is taken, and that is shown on the reviews that have occurred.