House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2019-07-31 Daily Xml

Contents

Ministers' Interests

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN (Lee) (14:50): My question is to the Premier. Will the Auditor-General be reviewing all declarations of ministers' interests following the interests of the Minister for Environment and the Minister for Human Services, as outlined in the Ministerial Code of Conduct?

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General) (14:50): The member has raised the question as to what the Auditor-General investigates. All the members are aware of the responsibility that the Auditor-General has to report to the parliament annually or as he sees fit in relation to any matters which he considers, within his remit, the government is failing to properly undertake, whether that be financial application, protocols, guidelines, etc.

If the member has a matter of concern in relation to that, or wishes to seek some further inquiry of the Auditor-General, there is no impediment on him referring a matter for consideration. It's up to the Auditor-General, of course, as to whether he undertakes any further assessment or investigation of the matter. I can remember being in his position and writing quite often to the Auditor-General, actually, about areas of concern that I had in respect of the previous government. It is entirely open to the member to raise these matters and ask for that inquiry.

He may or may not be aware, but the Auditor-General isn't accountable to him or me or any other individual member of parliament. The Auditor-General, if he sees fit to investigate a matter, will of course in due course report that matter to the parliament either as part of his annual report or as an individual report. He is not obliged to give any response back to the member, but I invite the member to put that reference to him.