Premier probes rising star Nalder
Colin Barnett has ordered a probe into Finance and Transport Minister Dean Nalder's private business affairs after a _Weekend West <> investigation revealed he was the part-owner of a car-leasing company targeting public servants.
Mr Nalder has had to disqualify himself from matters to do with the State fleet, admitting a conflict of interests could exist over his stake in car-leasing package provider Fleet Network.
The Liberal Party rising star, who rose to the ministry after Troy Buswell quit in March, has refused to say when he disqualified himself.
But parliamentary records show he answered a question about the State fleet last month.
The Premier said yesterday he became "broadly aware" of issues related to Mr Nalder's conflict of interests on Thursday.
"I have requested that the matter be thoroughly reviewed again to ensure that the ministerial code of conduct has been fully complied with," Mr Barnett said.
Investigations by _The Weekend West _revealed a private investment company Mr Nalder directs with two close associates was a 27.5 per cent shareholder in Fleet Network.
The State Finance Department, which is under Mr Nalder's control, oversees policies relating to the Government's 11,000-vehicle fleet, including public servants using cars after hours.
His department also oversees policies related to public servants engaging in private salary packaging arrangements. Fleet Network provides vehicles to State and Federal public servants under arrangements where they lease a car privately and finance it from payroll deductions.
Mr Nalder has disclosed in the parliamentary pecuniary interests register that he is a director and shareholder of a trust company called Expedient Pty Ltd.
_The Weekend West _investigations show Expedient is the company that owns a 27.5 per cent stake in Fleet Network.
Admitting on Thursday a conflict of interests could exist, Mr Nalder said the responsibility for the State fleet had been transferred to the Treasurer's office.
Neither Mr Nalder's office nor Treasurer Mike Nahan's office would say when or how this transfer of responsibility took place.
Mr Barnett said the Department of Premier and Cabinet had been working with Mr Nalder to ensure compliance with the ministerial code of conduct and to ensure all financial interests were properly recorded.
