GAMING AND WAGERING COMMISSION — CHAIR —
DUNCAN ORD
86. Mr P.J. RUNDLE to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question.
Given the annual report tabled by the previous Minister for Racing and Gaming
states unequivocally that ''As a result of the 1 July 2017 Machinery of
Government changes, Mr Barry Sargeant will stand down as the Chairman of the
Commission'', was it the Premier or his minister who tabled this report
in Parliament who was wrong?
Mr M.
McGOWAN replied:
Mr Sargeant was heading towards
retirement in 2017. I will explain it to the member again. I was very fond of
Mr Sargeant, and still am. He sat on the Salaries and Allowances Tribunal, and
I think a couple of other bodies for government,
because he is very technically knowledgeable in a range of areas, but he was
heading towards retirement. I said to him, ''I would like you to
take on this role.'' He said, ''I want to retire, but I recommend
Mr Ord.'' That is what he said to me. I am sure he would verify that.
We have subsequently set up the
Perth Casino Royal Commission into events that occurred in respect of Crown
casino over many years, including when members opposite were in government! We
did that. We set up the royal commission.
The royal commission is now taking evidence and hearing matters, and the like.
The idea that somehow a public servant is responsible for what people
inside an organisation have done is a misunderstanding of the role of the
public sector. If anyone has behaved inappropriately or wrongly inside a gambling
organisation or a casino or what have you, well, that person is responsible for
what they do. In terms of the royal commission, of course, it will come down with recommendations. We will let
it do its work and undertake its duties and hear its evidence and so
forth. It is all in public, because we are open, accountable and transparent,
and we have done something that you never did in your eight and a half years in
office.