Page 4740 - Week 11 - Thursday, 20 October 2011
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Mr Hanson: Why did you need to do it?
MS GALLAGHER: Because I am the Chief Minister.
MR COE: A supplementary question, Mr Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Mr Coe.
MR COE: Chief Minister, why were you forced to intervene, when did you speak to the director-general, and what did you say about your minister’s performance?
MS GALLAGHER: I have had a number of discussions with Mr Hehir as the Director-General of the Community Services Directorate, just as I have a number of discussions with all director-generals across all of the directorates. Indeed, the last conversation I had with Mr Hehir was yesterday. I expect that I will be having a number more with him, as I will with Minister Burch and, indeed, all my colleagues—a very hardworking cabinet—working across a range of very difficult issues.
MRS DUNNE: Supplementary question.
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Mrs Dunne.
MRS DUNNE: Minister, why does a government department need to be told by a Chief Minister to keep their minister better informed?
MS GALLAGHER: As the Chief Minister, on reading the advice that was provided to the minister, and I think this is a view the minister shared, I thought that that information was not provided in the way that it should have been. It is my job as Chief Minister to relay that feedback when it is required. We are not ceremonial figures up here just thinking these things but not passing them on because that might not be appropriate. We are actually involved and we are ensuring that the administration of the ACT public service is done to the highest possible standard. Where we see moves away from that or there is room for improvement, it is our job to point that out. That is exactly what I have done.
MRS DUNNE: A supplementary question, Mr Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Mrs Dunne.
MRS DUNNE: Chief Minister, what other directorates have you intervened in and over what matters?
MS GALLAGHER: I can tell you that I have been actively involved in every single directorate and have spoken with every single director-general across the ACT public service since I took on this job.
Mr Smyth: You don’t trust any of your ministers.
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