Page 5537 - Week 13 - Thursday, 17 November 2011
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during that meeting I said that Maxine Cooper was the government’s nominee for the position of Auditor-General. We had a discussion.
As I have said a number of times in this place, my intention behind that meeting was to apologise for any distress that I had caused the committee. But I was certainly very clear in that meeting that Ms Maxine Cooper was the government’s proposed nominee for the position of Auditor-General.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Smyth, a supplementary.
MR SMYTH: Chief Minister, you failed to answer: did you say that Dr Cooper would be the new Auditor-General and was that appropriate?
MS GALLAGHER: Everything I said to Ms Le Couteur was appropriate, and indeed—
Mr Seselja: Did you say it?
MS GALLAGHER: My memory of the meeting was—and I cannot remember exactly every word that was said—that the intention of my visit to Ms Le Couteur’s office was to apologise for any distress that was caused by the publishing or the issuing of a media release, that it was not intended to be disrespectful to the committee process and that the government was being very clear and open about the proposed nominee and who we wished to be approved by the committee as the Auditor-General.
MRS DUNNE: A supplementary question, Mr Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Mrs Dunne.
MRS DUNNE: Chief Minister, why were these statements not included in your 60-odd page submission to the privileges committee?
MS GALLAGHER: I do cover off the meeting with Ms Le Couteur in that submission, Mr Speaker.
MR SESELJA: A supplementary.
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Mr Seselja.
MR SESELJA: Are there any aspects of Ms Le Couteur’s submission that you disagree with?
Mr Hargreaves: On a point of order, Mr Speaker, it is normally the case that questions are asked of ministers on items within their portfolio responsibility. The question here is around Ms Le Couteur’s submission.
MR SESELJA: It is about the appointment of the Auditor-General, which is clearly the Chief Minister’s role.
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