REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT COMMISSIONS
868. Hon MARTIN ALDRIDGE to the Minister for Regional Development:
I refer to a plan to streamline
regional development commissions released by the Minister for Regional
Development under a freedom of information request 295 days after the initial
application was received.
(1) When was the
minister or her office first briefed on the proposal to streamline the regional
development portfolio?
(2) Has the
proposal, or any aspects of the proposal, been endorsed by the minister or the
state government?
(3) If yes to (2), what plans have
been put in place to proceed with implementing the proposal?
(4) Has the state
government instructed Parliamentary Counsel to commence drafting a bill to
repeal or amend the Regional Development Commissions Act 1993?
Hon DARREN
WEST replied:
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question. On behalf of the Minister for Regional
Development, I provide the following answer.
(1) As would be
expected following a change of government, the minister was briefed shortly
after the election on the structure of the regional development portfolio and
opportunities for improvement. The proposal the member is referring to was
prepared by the former Department of Regional Development in May 2017 and
discussed with the minister's office around that time.
(2) The proposal
referred to by the member was not endorsed by the minister or the state
government. However, it should be noted that as part of the 2017
machinery-of-government changes, the staff of the regional development
commissions were transferred to the Department of Primary Industries and
Regional Development to enhance integration of the regional development effort.
The minister has also reduced the size of the regional development commission
boards from 10 members to seven to enhance effectiveness.
(3) Not applicable.
(4) No, and there is no intention to
do so.