Page 2099 - Week 07 - Tuesday, 2 August 2016
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MR BARR: I believe so, and I will check the appropriate legislation for the member.
Government—integrity
MR WALL: My question is to the Minister for Education and involves the Ministerial Code of Conduct. Minister, I refer to your comments in the Canberra Times of 1 August 2016, where you said in relation to the need for an integrity commission, “People do have concerns in the community, you do hear rumours around town.” Minister, what concerns have been raised with you about possible corrupt or inappropriate acts either by ACT government ministers or officials and what action have you taken to refer these concerns on for investigation?
MR RATTENBURY: In my capacity as the Minister for Education, I have had no specific concerns raised with me.
Mr Wall: What about generally?
MADAM SPEAKER: I just remind Mr Wall that in asking questions he has to ask a question about the minister’s ministerial responsibility and not about general policy areas. Supplementary question, Mr Wall.
MR WALL: Minister, what issues are you aware of within the government or the executive that need to be investigated?
MR RATTENBURY: Madam Speaker, I seek your advice. Mr Wall is essentially asking me a question on a policy decision I put forward as the Greens leader for the coming election. He is seeking to use question time to ask questions that he knows are not in my portfolio. I seek your advice.
Mr Hanson: On a point of order, Madam Speaker, these are quotes from Mr Rattenbury as a minister that he has heard rumours around the town, issues of concern, as a member of the executive. I think we have a right to ask what these rumours are and what action he has taken.
MADAM SPEAKER: Mr Rattenbury, you have ministerial responsibility for corrections, education, justice and consumer affairs and road safety. I think that in any of those capacities you would have free range to answer Mr Wall’s question.
MR RATTENBURY: Thank you Madam Speaker, that is fine. I do not actually intend to come in here and circulate the sorts of rumours that the Liberal Party are happy to propagate. Members have all been approached over a range of matters. The very reason my party colleagues and I have put this proposal forward is to provide a forum for these sorts of allegations to be professionally and seriously investigated rather than the way the Liberal Party prefers to do it, which is through the process of innuendo and smear.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Doszpot.
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