❓ A parliamentary question seeks clarification on a Pilbara Ports Authority executive's trip to Spain for the Port Authorities Roundtable (PAR), including its relevance to WA and the appropriateness of business class travel. The Minister's answer defends the trip's value and adherence to travel guidelines.

I refer to the Report on Overseas Air Travel for the 3 months to 31 December 2024 and a trip to Spain by S McSkimming from the Pilbara Ports Authority to attend PAR for a cost of $13,180. Can the Minister advise:(a) What is PAR;(b) What was the relevance of attending PAR for Western Australia; and(c) Whether a business class flight for this trip was consistent with agency guidelines:(i) If not, why not?

(a) The Port Authorities Roundtable (PAR) is an annual by-invitation event for the Chief Executive Officers of the world’s largest port authorities. The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) initiated the PAR in 2015 and serves as its Secretariat. Pilbara Ports was invited to join PAR in 2023 making it the 20th member port organisation, and the only member port from the southern hemisphere. PAR occurs annually in a location of one of its members. (b) As one of the largest port authorities in the world, Pilbara Ports plays a leading role in setting global standards for port operations, navigational rules, shipping standards and decarbonisation. PAR is a valuable opportunity to share views on these issues at an executive level between the world’s leading ports, including with the major ports in China, Korea and Japan which receive goods from Western Australian industries. (c) Travel arrangements were consistent with the Western Australian Government ‘Guidelines for air travel by Ministers, Parliamentary Secretaries and Government Officers – Premier’s Circular 2021/02’.