Page 2762 - Week 09 - Thursday, 27 September 2007
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people ringing in saying, “Look, the Stanhope government will not act simply because it’s a cash cow for the ALP.” So the perception is out there in the community, and it needs to be addressed if this Assembly is to be taken seriously by the people of the ACT.
There is also an associated issue of the ethics being followed by government in its approach to policy formulation and decision making where it clearly derives a benefit from those decisions, and there is an accountability of the government for the decisions that it makes. It is imperative that all members do not have any conflict of interest or are not in a position to be accused of having that conflict of interest, because it does bring down all 17 of us and the decisions that are made in this house.
The particular issue that prompted this motion concerns the ALP branch of the ACT receiving revenue from the Labor Club, revenue that has been generated in large part from the playing of poker machines and, indeed, from the figures, therefore a third of that would come from people with gambling problems. What I would ask members to do is consider the Stanhope government’s code of conduct for ministers. In the tabling statement in February 2004 the Chief Minister said:
The values incorporated in this code—fairness, openness and responsibility—are among the government’s core values.
Fairness, openness and responsibility, Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker. The statement goes on to say:
… the principles and standards set out in the code apply each day a minister is in office and are relevant to each decision he or she makes.
So if you have got a conflict of interest, when you make decisions you have to look at whether or not it affects those decisions. We are yet to see a minister stand aside, Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker. If you consider the code itself, we see comments such as:
Being a minister demands the highest standards of probity, accountability and integrity.
That is from page 1.
All ministers are to recognise the importance of full and true disclosure.
That is from page 2. On page 6 it goes on to say with respect to executive functions:
… Ministers will inform the Chief Minister … or cabinet, of any situation of potential conflict between their private interests and executive functions.
It goes on at page 6 to say in respect to cabinet deliberations:
… Ministers are to declare immediately any private interests, pecuniary or non-pecuniary … where a conflict of interest may arise.
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