A minister can't interact on a specific case etc but they are overall responsible for the department.
The weasel words from well scripted politician letters is pathetic.
The letter in response posted was a classic to look like it addresses the queries and then said hands are tied. What a load of crap.
Yes they are not allowed to interfere or be seen to influence a particular case but they have to ensure that the authority is actually doing it's job. The letter told the politician the authority was not doing it's job and politician couldn't give a stuff and didn't formally notify the authority that general circumstances of the authority not following up and supporting all shareholders and enforcing rules was unacceptable. Not even a royal commission has opened the eyes much to what has gone in and continues to do so at various levels
If the authority is not doing it's job then the responsible minister and his department isn't doing his / her job!!! It is a classic case of " yes minister" where everything is diverted and no one is responsible and no one says anything a sit is brushed under the carpet - till next time when they claim they have never seen anything like that so no way could they have prevented it.
I dodged this bullet for various reasons and missed the soft serve debarcle elsewhere but have been hit by others over the years and learnt by watching every one and the methods used - may are the same - loopholes never closed and no hard time as a dissencentive
