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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 10 Hansard (24 September) . . Page.. 3211 ..

MRS CARNELL (continuing):

CanTrade it was determined that J. Walter Thompson would be re-engaged for another $50,000 in 1997-98 to project manage the implementation of the campaign. The interesting part there, Mr Speaker, is that, because the contracts are $50,000 or under, under the rules that currently exist there is actually no need to go to tender even if we had decided to do so.

It is interesting to note that the managing director of City Graphics was quoted in the Canberra Times this morning as having said:

The bottom line is that the ACT needed someone to give it an outsider's view and offer advice accordingly. J. Walter Thompson did that.

City Graphics, a local company, went on to say:

One of the things they found was that many Canberrans are affected by negative outside impressions of the national capital, and are ashamed to stand up for it. So the campaign has to be directed at them as much as outsiders.

No matter how good we think we are, -

again, a local business was saying that -

no company from within the ACT could have produced that kind of information as effectively.

Really interestingly, that came not from the ACT Government but from a local business in this field, City Graphics. They are doing work to turn the J. Walter Thompson branding concept into reality. So we have a great mix - an international company that is regarded as the best in its field at this sort of branding approach and a local business working hand in hand. I think the outcome is great.

MR SPEAKER: Incidentally, the question was in order. Yesterday's discussion was about the tender process, I think, Chief Minister.

MR BERRY: Indeed, Mr Speaker.

MR SPEAKER: Do you have a supplementary question which is not about the tender process?

MR BERRY: Indeed. Why did the Chief Minister refuse to allow Canberra firms to tender for this contract when there are Canberra firms who have the capacity to undertake this work, including at least one firm which has 250 offices in 76 countries, which has been a brand character advertiser for over a decade and which has handled jobs for overseas governments as well as for the 2000 Olympic Games? Is not this just an indication of the Government's failure to support local businesses?

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