Page 451 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 18 February 2015

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any further comment, actively sought to try and stop the opposition from litigating this issue.

It is clear that a conflict of interest, or the perception of it, exists. That is abundantly clear. An individual who is a minister, and who has funded an organisation, presented awards to an organisation and launched a program, has then—that very same person—asked for a reference from that very same organisation. The ministerial and the members codes of conduct refer to actively seeking “to prevent any conflict of interest, or the perception of such a conflict, arising between their duties as a member and their personal affairs and interests”. That has not occurred.

My view of this is that it needs an open and independent inquiry, perhaps with powers where people could be subpoenaed and people could have protections. I have spoken with some people close to Menslink who are very distressed by some of the events that have taken place. I know that there are members and people out there who would want protections, who would want the surety that there would be no consequences from them making statements. That is why it is important, in my view, that we go down that path.

Although I believe that, the other option open is through the Commissioner for Standards. I want to make it very clear that, as Mr Rattenbury has outlined in his case, there is the availability of the option for the Commissioner for Standards to look into matters where there have been serious breaches of the members code of conduct, where there are questions of integrity, where there are questions of conflict of interest. I indicate to you, Madam Speaker, that I shall now be writing to the Commissioner for Standards to have this matter investigated. This matter will not be left to rest.

Mr Barr: You have got to write to the Speaker.

MR HANSON: I did say I will be writing to the Speaker. If I did not, I correct that. I will be writing to you, Madam Speaker, so that this matter can be resolved. I am disappointed that this matter will not be put forward in an independent inquiry, but I am satisfied, Madam Speaker—I stand by my actions here and the actions of the opposition—that it has now reached a point where at least we have some understanding of what has occurred so that this can be now dealt with further by another mechanism.

Question put:

That the motion be agreed to.

The Assembly voted—

Question so resolved in the negative.

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