Question On Notice No. 272 asked in the Legislative Council on 7 September 2021 by Hon Brad Pettitt
Question Directed to the: Parliamentary Secretary representing the Attorney General
Parliament: 41 Session: 1
Question
I refer to the Perth
Casino Royal Commission, and I ask:
(a) who
first nominated or suggested the Hon Neville Owen as a potential commissioner;
(b) which
Ministers were involved in the selection process;
(c) who
confirmed the selection of the Hon Neville Owen;
(d) what
personal and business interests did the Hon Neville Owen declare, prior to the
start of the Perth Casino Royal Commission, and will the Attorney General table
this conflict of interest declaration;
(e) did
the Hon Neville Owen declare his Directorship role of Clabon Pty Ltd and
Redlake Enterprises as part of his conflict of interest disclosure to the State
Solicitor’s Office (SSO), prior to his selection as Commissioner;
(f) when
did the Hon Neville Owen first disclose his personal and business relationships
with Mr Kerry Stokes to the SSO;
(g) Why
did the SSO not provide the information referred to in (f) to the Attorney
General prior to August 2021;
(h) to
whom has the SSO provided the information referred to in (f), and when was this
provided;
(i) was
the Attorney General aware of the relationships referred to in (f), prior to
being informed by the SSO in August; and
(j) if
the Attorney General was made aware of the Hon Neville Owen’s past and existing
personal and business relationships prior to the start of the Perth Casino
Royal Commission, would the Attorney General still have considered Hon Neville
Own to be a suitable candidate:
(i) if
no to (j), why not; and
(ii) if
yes to (j), why?
Answered on 12 October 2021
(a)- (j) The Hon Neville Owen was appointed by the Governor in Executive Council following a process conducted by the State Solicitor’s office.
The former justice was an obvious choice. He is perhaps the most qualified West Australian for the role, having sat on the HIH Royal Commission following a long career as one of the State’s most senior judges.
All three of the royal commissioners are exceptional West Australians who have lived and worked in Perth for decades and would have managed countless perceived conflicts of interest during their distinguished careers.
The attacks on Commissioner Owen should cease. He and his fellow commissioners are undertaking important work on behalf of the West Australian public and that work should be judged on its merits when the inquiry has handed down its report.