House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Second Session (51-2)
2008-07-24 Daily Xml

Contents

EASLING, MR T.

The Hon. I.F. EVANS (Davenport) (15:02): Can the Minister for Families and Communities explain why a diary note of a senior officer of the Department for Family and Communities, dated 23 July 2004, some eight days before Tom Easling's arrest, refers to a media plan regarding the arrest of Tom Easling? This officer, one of the investigators into the Easling matter, was told of Easling's imminent arrest on 28 July, three days before his arrest.

The Hon. J.M. RANKINE (Wright—Minister for Families and Communities, Minister for Northern Suburbs, Minister for Housing, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Disability) (15:03): I thank the member for his question. Clearly, the member is delivering these questions with, as the Premier said, a degree of passion and commitment for a very serious matter. No, I cannot explain it. As the member would understand, I have been the minister responsible for this area for only a few hours. Certainly, the government is taking the issues raised by the member for Davenport seriously. The Attorney-General advised this house only the other day that he is asking for another report from the Director of Public Prosecutions. This matter will be looked into, and we will report back to the member.