NSW MPs criticised for light meetings schedules
A group of NSW MPs have been accused of not carrying their weight, with one member logging just five meetings over three months.
NSW
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Corrections Minister Geoff Lee has declared just five meetings in the three months from July to September, including three introductory meetings and one meeting relating to a “music in prisons” project.
Dr Lee is among a number of Ministers accused of not carrying their weight, with the latest Ministerial Diary disclosures revealing Metropolitan Roads Minister Natalie Ward had just 14 meetings in three months, and Attorney-General Mark Speakman disclosing 19 meetings in that time frame.
Transport Minister David Elliott disclosed 15 meetings from July to September, but was on leave or off sick for much of that time frame.
Disabilities Minister Natasha Maclaren-Jones also declared an “introduction” meeting with the NDIS in August, the first time she has disclosed a meeting with the federal government agency since taking over in the portfolio in December.
A spokesman said Ms Maclaren-Jones met with the NDIS earlier in the year but an administrative error meant this meeting was not disclosed.
Dr Lee’s five meetings between July and September included an “introductory meeting” with St Vincent’s Hospital, an “introductory meeting” with Landcare NSW, a meeting with “Growth Faculty” to discuss “learning and education opportunities,” and an introductory meeting with a number of legal centres.
He also disclosed a meeting with the Community Justice Coalition to discuss a “music in prison’s project”.
NSW Labor’s water, housing and homelessness spokeswoman Rose Jackson accused Dr Lee of being asleep at the wheel.
“Minister Geoff Lee has clearly checked out. He was paid $79,000 for three months work and managed just five meetings. He might as well put the out of office on his email and start packing up his office,” she said.
Ms Ward disclosed four meetings relevant to her Metropolitan Roads portfolio and 10 relating to her Women’s Safety portfolio.
Ministers are forced to disclose scheduled meetings they have with external people or groups seeking to influence government policy.
They do not include internal meetings or meetings with government agencies.
Labor Leader Chris Minns, who is not required by law to disclose his meetings, disclosed 136 meetings in the three month time frame.
Ms Jackson accused government ministers of “pulling up stumps” in the months before the election.
“These diary disclosures show the NSW public what their taxpayer money is paying for – unfortunately in the case of a number of Government Ministers the answer is very little,” she said.
Dr Lee said that since becoming minister he has “visited more than three-quarters of the state’s correctional centres and several more community corrections offices, some on multiple occasions”.
“I have also met with the State Parole Authority and the Inspector of Custodial Services who also play a significant role in the Corrections portfolio,” he said.
“There are fewer meetings with external stakeholders required in this portfolio than in other portfolios that I’ve held.”
“The number of publicly disclosed meetings I’ve had is consistent with former Ministers for Corrections,” he said.
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