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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 2 Hansard (26 February) . . Page.. 482 ..

MR HUMPHRIES (Attorney-General and Minister for the Environment, Land and Planning): Pursuant to the Land (Planning and Environment) Act 1991, I present the schedule of lease variations and change of use charges for the period 1 October 1996 to 31 December 1996 and the schedule of leases granted for the same period. I have a short statement to make. I seek leave to have that incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

Document incorporated at Appendix 1.

MR STEFANIAK (Minister for Education and Training) (3.50): Mr Speaker, for the information of members, I present the Government's response to Report No. 23 of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts entitled "Review of Auditor-General's Report No. 8, 1996 - Australian International Hotel School", which was presented to the Assembly on 3 December 1996. I move:

That the Assembly takes note of the paper.

Mr Speaker, I am pleased to table the Government's response to the PAC's recommendation on the Australian International Hotel School made in response to the Auditor-General's report on the school. As members will remember, the Government has already undertaken substantial and decisive action on both the Auditor-General's report and the Public Accounts Committee recommendation. Legislation to establish the AIHS as a statutory authority separate from the Canberra Institute of Technology was tabled by the Government and passed by this Assembly in December of last year. That legislation included both the establishment of a permanent board of management for the school and a requirement for regular operational and financial reports to be provided to me as Minister for Education and Training. As well, the school is now subject to the Financial Management Act 1996 and the Annual Reports (Government Agencies) Act 1996, bringing it into line with routine Territory authority financial and reporting arrangements. These improved reporting requirements enable the Minister and this Assembly to monitor the school's progress.

The Government is of the view, Mr Speaker, that the AIHS cannot compete in a commercial environment without a sound financial structure. To this end, a range of reforms are being developed and put into place. A capital structure that involves retiring or converting all or part of the school's debt is currently being developed, and the Government has requested that the new board of management establish a business plan aimed at addressing areas of concern highlighted by the Auditor-General.

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