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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 7 Hansard (23 September) . . Page.. 2081 ..

MS CARNELL: Mr Speaker, the decision on whether to approve a club or to approve poker machines in those premises is not something that I am involved with at all. The decision on whether poker machines would be approved and whether a club would be approved in those premises is a matter for the Commissioner for ACT Revenue, and she is handling it. I have not been party to any decision-making in this area.

MR CORBELL: Mr Speaker, my question was going to be to the Minister Assisting the Treasurer. Because he is only a Clayton's Minister, I will ask the Chief Minister instead. Can the Chief Minister indicate whether she is aware of any concerns amongst staff in the Office of Asset Management about the treatment of staff transferred to that office from PALM? In particular, is the Chief Minister aware of any concerns raised by staff about the highly bureaucratic nature of the organisation, its lack of information sharing, no section meetings for staff and a culture of secrecy? Finally, is the Chief Minister aware of the number of current staff who are attempting to leave the Office of Asset Management?

MS CARNELL: No.

MR CORBELL: Can the Chief Minister confirm that the Chief Minister's Department and the chief executive have received an anonymous letter from a staff member within the Office of Asset Management outlining a range of very serious concerns over the management of the office, including the fact that up to 13 of the 20 staff below the level of senior officer grade A are frantically trying to leave the office and that the climate within OAM is such that the writer of the letter is so fearful of reprisals that they have sent it anonymously? If so, can she say what action she has taken as the responsible Minister to address these concerns? Is it not the case, Chief Minister, that the shabby treatment of ex-PALM staff now within the Office of Asset Management is simply retribution from the Chief Minister's Department towards ex-PALM officers over the Hall/Kinlyside fiasco?

MR SPEAKER: I remind you of the hypothetical rule, Mr Corbell.

MS CARNELL: The answer is that I actually do have a very definite procedure that I follow with anonymous letters, and it is to put them straight in the bin.

MR KAINE: Mr Speaker, through you, I have a question for the Chief Minister. Chief Minister, in connection with the proposal to sell Ecowise to its employees, the question that has been raised with me is whether that can be in contravention of national competition policy and whether the ACCC may become involved in that decision. Are you satisfied that this proposed sale is not in conflict with national competition policy?

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