Mr DEAN ( Windermere ) - I stand to make a very brief contribution in support of the motion. I believe it is time for this to occur. We can look back on the position of the Commissioner of Police, which was recently filled by direct appointment. That appointment was done in a manner contrary to the appointments of the previous five to six commissioners of police, where the process followed was an acceptable process. Everybody within the organisation accepted it and everybody outside the organisation who had an interest accepted it. The positions were advertised nationally, and I think even wider than that. A board was set up and the applicants were interviewed and the appointments were made after that process was gone through. In the current position that did not occur. We know that. It was a direct appointment. When questions were asked of the Government in this House the answer really was, 'because we could do it'. That creates a lot of angst and ill feeling in organisations; that is exactly what it does. In this instance, the person we are talking about may well have got the position, if you look at his background and what he has done and where he has been, but that is not the point. It is about being transparent, fair, open and all those things. That is what this motion is all about. It is simply saying that we need to be very fair, governments in particular, and that if they go through proper processes they should get the person they are thinking about or probably targeting because that person will come out with the credentials necessary to attain those positions.

We know there are examples where direct appointments have been made but have not been successful for one reason or another. There have been concerns and issues as a result of it. As the member for Huon said on the comments of the Premier very recently about senior positions being filled on merit, I wonder how serious he is about that when one looks at a recent promotion within his own area.

Mr Parkinson - Who are you referring to there?

Mr DEAN - We are referring to a recent appointment of one of the advisers, aren't we?

Mr Parkinson - Which one?

Mr DEAN - Mr Edwards.

Mr Parkinson - Are you querying the appointment?

Mr DEAN - What I am saying is that people are expecting open, transparent processes. They are expecting these positions to be filled in a way that is acceptable to everybody, that they are advertised. I guess that is the normal process for these positions. Applicants are called for and then there is a proper process to go through and appointments are made as a result of that. I think it needs to be done openly and transparently and I think that is the area that irks people. With the Commissioner of Police, the one that I referred to, it creates a feeling of angst amongst those people in an area in which those people have to work. It is not a good environment for them either. So I do not see any reason at this stage why I should not support this motion moving forward for an inquiry or a select committee to be held in relation to the processes.