Page 1998 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 5 June 1990
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the Commissioner of Taxation had wrongly assessed a transaction for duty. The Federal Court has overturned the decision of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal which upheld the commissioner's decision to raise the assessment. In fact, a decision is not yet required as to whether to approach the Federal Government in respect of liability for repaying duty received by the Commonwealth and meeting court costs which have been awarded against the commissioner. Obviously that will also be considered at the appropriate time.
School Consolidations
MR WOOD: I direct a question to Mr Humphries, and it relates to his 13,000 excess capacity. Since outside tenants like the Noah's Ark Centre, which does such a wonderful job, are now identified as part of that excess capacity, what do you propose to do with these tenants if you relocate children who have been displaced into those rooms?
MR HUMPHRIES: In circumstances where these tenants are appropriately housed elsewhere under arrangements provided by the ACT, of course the Government will consider appropriate ways of housing these particular tenants. I cannot indicate what tenants might be dislodged until I can name to you which schools will be closed. It would be unfair for me to start indicating which particular schools - - -
Mr Wood: Yarralumla is one of those small schools.
MR HUMPHRIES: Well, whether it closes or not, Mr Wood, I really could not say, and that would not be a matter on which I would speculate at this stage. I do think it is worth pointing out, however, that it is not the function of the ACT Department of Education to be providing accommodation space to a range of community groups in the ACT. That is not the primary function of the Education Department, and particularly it is not the function of the ACT's education budget. If accommodation is to be provided it should be provided in a way which does not cost the education budget any money, unless, of course, that particular tenant has some purpose or function related to education, in which case some different considerations are required. I can assure Mr Wood that, where there are arrangements where the ACT ought appropriately to be responsible in some way for the housing or accommodation of particular tenants, it will seek to make alternative arrangements if those people are dislodged.
MR WOOD: I have a supplementary question, Mr Speaker. I hope we would have a concern for the Noah's Ark toy library and some other groups like that, but my supplementary question is: where does the rent from these groups go? Does it go directly to the Education Department to be used
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