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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 13 Hansard (3 December) . . Page.. 4305 ..

MR STEFANIAK (continuing):

As you will see, Mr Whitecross, from the answer I tabled at the end of that sitting, LRM Australia Pty Ltd, the consultants used in relation to this pool survey and the needs of the ACT in that regard for the next 20 years or so, have in fact been used twice by previous ACT governments. In 1990 they did a management review of the Erindale Leisure Centre, and in 1992-93 - guess who the Government was then - they were part of a project team who carried out a feasibility study for the Follett Government on a possible Tuggeranong sports centre. If Mr Whitecross wants to look a bit further - - -

Mr De Domenico: Who?

MR STEFANIAK: Mr who, yes. He will find that this consultancy was going well before the results of the contracting out of the pools were announced, which I think was in about September. I think he will find that these consultants were well and truly beavering away in terms of community consultation by then. The feedback I have had in relation to that, Mr Speaker, has been very good. I happened to be at a Belconnen Community Council meeting the other night and they were spoken to, along with other groups, by these consultants. They were very impressed with the expertise and the professionalism of this bunch of consultants. Really, Mr Speaker, I think Mr Whitecross is drawing a longbow. This group has been around for a long time. It is a specialised industry and this group has been used by the previous Government.

MR WHITECROSS: I have a supplementary question. Minister, can you assure the Assembly that Leisure Australia will not be placed in an advantageous position for any future pool development as a result of a consultancy undertaken by their subsidiary? Will you provide an independent evaluation to satisfy yourself, the Assembly and the community that any future development is in the interests of the ACT community rather than of a particular company? Will you table the relevant documents indicating the process by which Leisure Australia was appointed to control the pools and the process that led to LRM Australia being appointed to undertake this consultancy?

MR SPEAKER: Mr Stefaniak, I am not sure that you can answer the first part of that question. It is hypothetical. The rest of it is up to you.

MR STEFANIAK: It is certainly hypothetical. Quite obviously, this Government, and certainly I, Mr Whitecross, would want to make sure that the best possible group or person is awarded a contract and that no-one is improperly placed in an advantageous position. It is called merit selection, Mr Whitecross. Quite clearly, in terms of anything this Government does, certainly in terms of picking the best person or group for any particular job, the paramount interest would be what is in the interests of the ACT and that the process was above board, proper and open. As for tabling documents in this Assembly, within the realms of what is appropriate, I will make inquiries in relation to that and act accordingly.

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