Skip to main content
Home
  • The Legislative Assembly meets on 16/04/2024 (01:00 PM)
    Assembly sit 16/04/2024
  • The Legislative Council meets on 16/04/2024 (01:00 PM)
    Council sit 16/04/2024
  • The Public Administration meets on 08/04/2024 (10:00 AM)
    Committee meet 08/04/2024

Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 1532 asked in the Legislative Council on 3 December 2019 by Hon Tjorn Sibma

Parliament: 40 Session: 1

DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITIES — PAUL WHYTE

1532. Hon TJORN SIBMA to the Leader of the House representing the Minister for Community Services:

I refer to corruption allegations made against Mr Paul Whyte, a former senior public servant in the Department of Communities, and the concerns that the current Treasurer had about Mr Whyte back in 2016.

(1) Did the Treasurer raise with the Minister for Community Services any concerns he had about Mr Whyte's appointment as acting director general of the Department of Communities?

(2) If yes to (1), when?

(3) Did the Minister for Community Services at any time receive advice from the Treasurer about concerns he had with Mr Paul Whyte about any probity or non-probity issues?

(4) If yes to (3), when?

Hon SUE ELLERY replied:

I thank the member for the question.

(1)–(4) No, acting appointments are not typically discussed between ministers. Under the Public Sector Management Act 1994, the former director general, Mr Grahame Searle, delegated his duties to Mr Paul Whyte at his discretion. The minister accepted Mr Searle's advice on this occasion, given Mr Whyte's previous periods of acting as director general for the Department of Regional Development and for the Housing Authority between 2014 and 2017.