Page 1643 - Week 06 - Tuesday, 30 April 1991
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First of all, Mr Speaker, I think that Dunhill, Madden and Butler will not be very pleased to know that Mr Connolly thinks that they are a tame firm that will say whatever we want them to say, and I think he needs to be a bit more careful about the wording that he uses in connection with a reputable law firm.
Apart from that comment, Mr Speaker, the answer to his question is, first of all, that the fee for the assessment was $5,000, and, in explanation, the Alliance Government decided to seek an independent legal assessment of the proposed planning and land use legislation in October 1990. In making such a decision, the Government was concerned that the assessment should be conducted by a firm that had litigation experience in planning matters, but would not be subject to any possible conflict of interest. The Alliance Government was not involved in the selection of the firm chosen. I am advised that the Law Office sought advice from the New South Wales Crown Law Office and the legal section of the New South Wales Department of Environment and Planning as to legal firms with the relevant experience.
Although several firms were nominated, the firm chosen, Dunhill, Madden and Butler, was especially recommended because a consultant with that firm was a former director of the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service and assistant director of the New South Wales Department of Environment and Planning, and had been involved in the preparation of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1970 of New South Wales, the Land and Environment Court Act 1979 of New South Wales, and the Heritage Act 1979 of New South Wales - all relevant to the Bill that we were asking them to assess.
All arrangements with Dunhill, Madden and Butler were made by the Law Office, and no member of the Alliance Government had any contact with the firm in regard to the review of the proposed legislation. Dunhill, Madden and Butler is a medium-sized firm with offices in both Sydney and Melbourne. The firm has 21 partners and 44 solicitors in its Sydney office, and 22 partners and 51 solicitors in its Melbourne office. Mr Speaker, I present the following paper:
Planning legislation - copy of terms of reference of review.
Hospital Services Budget
MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, during question time I was asked by a member of the Opposition - I forget who exactly - what action the Government took to implement the recommendations of the Treasury report in 1989. I am happy to supply an answer to that question. I will run through the recommendations that were made in the report and indicate the action that flowed from it.
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