Page 1986 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 15 June 1994
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That was Mr Berry, writing to the editor and talking about a closer role in management. Finally, in May, when Mr Berry announced the Bill for decorporatisation, he said:
The current legislative framework for ACTTAB operations as a Territory owned corporation limits the Government's ability to exercise a more positive role in its operations.
This change will strengthen ACTTAB's accountability to the Government and, through it, to the people of the ACT.
Despite this clear, unequivocal statement of intent by the Government, not once were any guidelines or mechanisms put in place to ensure accountability or transparent decision making processes. There was no attempt by the Minister, by his senior adviser or by the department to institute any procedures consistent with their intention to have a more positive role in ACTTAB's operation. One must question why the Follett Government went ahead with the decorporatisation of the TAB. Was it nothing more than a commitment to a party platform on public ownership at whatever cost to sound management principles? On this issue alone the competency of the Minister would have to be questioned.
Madam Speaker, a Cabinet submission to the Follett Government reveals the real level of responsibility that this Government must take for ACTTAB's operations. These documents provide damning evidence that the Government wanted its hands on the levers, but did nothing to ensure that this accountability that they promised actually occurred. I seek leave to table these documents and to have them incorporated in Hansard.
Leave granted.
Documents incorporated at Appendix 1.
MRS CARNELL: I quote from this Cabinet submission:
The Board operates without adequate Government oversight of its operations. Given the importance of the racing industry, and the amount of revenue generated, the Government cannot accept the situation where the ACTTAB can act independently of its wishes.
That indicates, of course, that it cannot act independently of its wishes, taking into account that this Bill was passed. This quote alone demonstrates that, in the view of the Minister, a decorporatised TAB could not act without the blessings of the Government. The Cabinet documents further state:
... to re-establish the TAB as a Statutory Authority would:
. increase the level of Government oversight of TAB operations;
... ... ...
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