WA Government unveils latest plan to reappoint John McKechnie as CCC Commissioner in test for Liza Harvey

The State Government has unveiled a new plan to reappoint John McKechnie as WA’s Corruption and Crime Commissioner, in what looms as a major test of Liza Harvey’s leadership of the WA Liberals. The CCC has been without a full-time commissioner for five months after Mr McKechnie’s second term was first blocked by a cross-party committee and the Opposition then refused to support in writing the former judge’s name into the CCC Act. At the time, Mrs Harvey said the Liberal Party could not support “unprecedented” legislation as she claimed it would “subvert the due process of Parliament and the law”. But Mrs Harvey and a number of her lower house colleagues also expressed strong support for Mr McKechnie continuing in the job, with the Opposition leader saying she personally held him “in very high regard”. Attorney General John Quigley has now redrafted the legislation with a revised amendment which would allow Mr McKechnie’s return for another five years — without personally naming him in legislation. The law would allow a serving commissioner to be reappointed with the backing of the Premier and Opposition Leader, bypassing the requirement for the majority and bipartisan support of the Joint Standing Committee on the CCC. Attorney General John Quigley last week gave formal notice to Parliament of the amendment and told The West Australian that if it was supported by the Opposition then Mr McKechnie would be back in his post within weeks. “We have put on the (Legislative Assembly) notice paper an amendment which reflects Liza Harvey’s view that the reappointment of Mr McKechnie should be done by agreement between herself and the Premier,” the A-G said. “If the Opposition support it then the Bill can pass through both Houses in one hour and we could have Mr McKechnie back at the CCC within two weeks.” Support from the Opposition, however, is far from guaranteed. Influential Upper House powerbroker Peter Collier launched a furious tirade in Parliament last month after The West revealed the plan. On August 12, Mr Collier labelled the revised amendment a “sweetheart deal between the Premier and the Leader of the Opposition”. “If (Mr Quigley) thinks we will have a sweetheart deal with the Liberal Party to sign off on John McKechnie, he has got another thing coming. It is absolutely disgraceful,” Mr Collier said. Asked if she would take the matter to her partyroom on Tuesday, Mrs Harvey replied: “Peter Collier ... has advised me that the Government has provided a list of 18 bills that they would like passed by the conclusion of this parliamentary term. This amendment isn’t one of them. “Mr Collier said Sue Ellery, the (Government’s) leader in the Legislative Council, confirmed that they were the only pieces of legislation Cabinet had approved and wanted passed. This list did not include the CCC Bill. “He specifically enquired as to the status of the CCC bill and Ms Ellery responded that this bill was not a priority of the Government.” The impasse comes at a time when the CCC is investigating the misuse of allowances by State MPs and is embroiled in a parliamentary privilege battle with the Upper House over access to the contents of former Liberal MP Phil Edman’s laptop and hard drives.

WA Government unveils latest plan to reappoint John McKechnie as CCC Commissioner in test for Liza Harvey

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