Page 2180 - Week 07 - Thursday, 16 June 1994

(3) Yes.

(a) There have been many precedents for Government providing legal

assistance to Ministers and to public servants who are required to defend

their official actions against legal claims or to appear at inquiries in

relation to their conduct in their official capacity. Such assistance has been

provided regardless of whether the person concerned has ceased to hold the

office in question.

As a separate statutory authority, ACTTAB is empowered to arrange

its own legal representation without reference to the Government.

(b) None.

advice to Mr Berry in connection with the Inquiry to enable him to present

his position. There have been no limits placed on the cost of legal

representation provided to ACTTAB.

(d) A fee of $375.00 per hour to a maximum daily fee of $3000.000 per day

plus any expenses calculated in accordance with Judges' travelling

allowances has been agreed to be paid to Mr James QC. The Government

Solicitor has advised that he would regard $175.000 per hour as a

reasonable fee for solicitor's costs. The Government Solicitor has, to date,

arranged for the payment of $10, 461.00 to Mr James in connection with his

attendance in Canberra on 15 April 1994 to confer with Mr Berry and for

approximately 2 1/2 days preparation and reading of relevant materials.

Further requests for payment have since been received and are presently

being assessed by the Government Solicitor. Details of any payment can be

provided to the Assembly.

The costs of legal services provided to ACTTAB by Sly and Weigall

is $12,789, and by Ron Williams QC is $8,800.

The advice to government departments provided by the Government

Solicitor's Office did not involve additional cost to the Territory.

(4) Professor Pearce is being paid at a rate of $300.00 per hour in his capacity

as the Board of the Inquiry into the ACTTAB/VITAB Agreement. The total

amount to be paid to Professor Pearce is $51,300.

(5) Secretariat support has been provided to Professor Pearce in the form of an

officer at the Senior Officer Grade B level from within the ACT

Government Service. The approximate cost of this service over the one

month it has been provided is $2,500.00 In addition, the services of a

Personal Assistant to Professor Pearce have also been provided by the

Territory for a period of just over three weeks. The cost of this service is

approximately $1,760.00.

The cost of printing the Report is expected to be of the order of $1,300.

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