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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2020-12-03 Daily Xml
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Ministerial Code of Conduct

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS (15:12): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before addressing a question to the Treasurer, representing the Premier, on the topic of the Ministerial Code of Conduct.

Leave granted.

The Hon. T.A. FRANKS: Item 2.3 of the general standards of conduct under the Marshall Liberal government's Ministerial Code of Conduct reads:

Reputation

In the discharge of his or her public duties, a Minister shall not dishonestly or wantonly and recklessly attack the reputation of any other person.

The document, of course, lays out processes for which the Premier shall oversee any breaches of the Ministerial Code of Conduct. In my role as an advocate and serving those in my community, I have spoken up online and publicly for an animal welfare organisation in previous days, as have two other members at least of this parliament in the other place.

In response, we have all received from the Minister for Environment and Water, the member for Black, David Speirs, communications which I would say go straight to a breach of 2.3, reputation, and indeed wantonly and recklessly have attacked the people of this organisation, with no procedural fairness or due process.

In the course of my inquiries, many of the claims the minister has made to us have been proven to be patently false. My question to the Premier is: what procedural fairness do you offer those whose reputations are attacked by ministers of your cabinet, and what redress for those who have their reputation damaged by ministers of the Marshall Liberal government cabinet will be afforded?

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (Treasurer) (15:14): I am happy to refer the honourable member's question to the Premier and bring back a reply, but I must say that I have every confidence in my ministerial colleague the Hon. Mr Speirs. I think he has been and continues to be an outstanding Minister for the Environment who has done outstanding work for the portfolio and the area and has done outstanding work on behalf of the Marshall Liberal government in relation to environmental issues.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. I.K. Hunter: He calls them up on the phone and threatens them.

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS: I will stand in this chamber and absolutely—

The Hon. T.A. Franks: He makes false claims.

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS: —defend my ministerial colleague, but I am happy, given that this is a question that the member has asked to be directed to the Premier, to refer the question to the Premier, but I would be stunned if the Premier didn't share my views about Minister Speirs.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Wortley has the call. I am sorry, was there a supplementary?

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