| Elizabeth Constable | |
|---|---|
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 20 July 1991 |
|
| Preceded by | Andrew Mensaros |
| Constituency | Churchlands |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 2 December 1943 Sydney New South Wales |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Political party | Independent |
| Profession | Lecturer |
Dr Elizabeth Constable (born 2 December 1943 in Sydney, New South Wales) is an Independent member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, firstly representing the electorate of Floreat after winning it at a 1991 by-election following the resignation of Andrew Mensaros. After the abolition of Floreat in a redistribution in 1994, Constable was elected to the electorate of Churchlands in 1996 then re-elected in 2001 and 2005.[1]
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Constable was once a member of the Liberal Party before becoming an independent.[2] She left the Liberal Party when it became clear that the favoured candidate of power-broker, Noel Crichton-Browne, would be given preselection for the safe seat of Floreat in 1991 at her expense. Constable contested the seat as a conservative independent and won easily with 49% of the primary vote.[3][4]
Between November 2008 and December 2010, Constable served as Minister for Education and Tourism in the Barnett Ministry.
Constable was dumped from the Tourism portfolio in December 2010 three months after she was the subject of a critical motion and three hour long debate in the Western Australian Parliament. The motion that read "That this house expresses its grave concern at the continued decline of the Western Australian tourism industry and condemns the Minister for Tourism for her lack of interest and demonstrated failures in this portfolio" focussed on the drop in toruism visitation to Western Australia, questions over the direction of the Deprtment of Tourism and the loss of a major event worth millions to the state's tourism sector.[5]
In 2010 Constable was criticesed for failing to address a Government policy which left children with no air conditioning for new buildings outside of the "air cooling zoe" established by the state Government and regularly subject to internal temperatures of heat above 35 degrees in more than 300 schools. Despite the Commonwealth providing the funding for the Air Conditioning, the WA State Government and Constables department, did not allow schools to install the funded air conditioning in new building. Constable had said if schools arranged for independent contractors to install airconditioning within 12 months of construction, it would void the building warranty.[6]
On March 1, 2011 when the problem became public, Constable said she would wait until a policy review was completed mid-year before changing her position. On March 2, 2011, when it became know that Constable had been aware of the problem for over one year, she reversed her position.[7]
Constable has been a longtime vocal public proponent of open, accountable government and ministerial accountability, believing they are fundamental to good government. Prior to the 2008 Western Australian State Election Constable said that " Open and accountable government is fundamental to good government. In recent times the signs have not always been good." Constable has also highlighted a reluctance of government ministers to respect the spirit of Freedom of Information Legislation.[8] In particular Constable has discussed in the WA Parliament the failings of ministers to abide by high standards of conduct.[9]
In both 2003 and 2007 Constable introduced to the Western Australian Parliament the Lobbying Disclosure and Accountability Bill. The Bill had the intent of introducing measures to "ensure openness and accountability of professional lobbying activities directed at Members of Parliament, ministerial staff and other public officials in Western Australia." [10]
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