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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 1 Hansard (17 February) . . Page.. 281 ..

MS CARNELL (continuing):

by WorkCover to bring together regulators who would be involved in major projects. Totalcare engaged Harmer Consulting to investigate and report on the probity of the processes used to appoint Project Coordination (Australia) Pty Ltd as project manager for Manuka Oval. The report was provided to Totalcare in December 1999. For information, I am tabling a copy of the report by Harmer Consulting on the Manuka Oval refurbishment. It should be noted, however, that Appendix C has been removed because it relates to commercial costings and is not relevant to issues arising from the coroner's report.

Throughout the coronial inquiry, and indeed well before, a number of areas of concern were already being addressed in various ACT government agencies. As I have stated, substantial progress has already been made, and we expect that many matters requiring more work will be completed within the next 12 months. As the Assembly would appreciate, improvement to procedures is an evolving and continuous process. I have said on a number of occasions, and at the time of release of the coroner's report, that we will continue to improve these areas until we are satisfied that the failures identified in the coroner's report, and now the concerns and issues identified in Mr Sherman's report, are addressed adequately.

While, of course, I wish to allow members time to read the report, I do wish to comment on the five recommendations which Mr Sherman has brought to our attention as requiring more work. Mr Sherman has highlighted the need for more extensive coordination of the remaining implementation processes. While there has been coordination to date, Mr Sherman has suggested the establishment of a coordination group comprising chief executives, to be chaired by the chief executive of the Chief Minister's Department, to drive the process. This group will work to ensure that stringent standards are met. He has also suggested that the coordination committee finalise its work within 12 months.

Mr Speaker, my Government accepts Mr Sherman's recommendation for more extensive coordination of the implementation process. I therefore propose to establish immediately a high-level coordination committee to oversee the implementation of those areas of the report which need further work. This group will ensure that the Sherman recommendations are implemented. It will be chaired by the chief executive of the Chief Minister's Department. Further, it is important that there be an assessment at the conclusion of the implementation phase. Mr Sherman suggests periodic reports to the Chief Minister and completing all implementation action within 12 months. At the conclusion of that period a report would be tabled in the Legislative Assembly.

As indicated earlier, Mr Sherman identified five recommendations which will need more work - those on a single select method, accounting for use of explosives, an independent statutory authority, the undesirability of verbal assurances, and safety at public events. I will run through each of those one by one.

The first, a single select method, is dealt with on pages 10 to 13 of the report. Mr Speaker, let us be quite clear what a single select method means. To quote Mr Sherman, "single select occurs when the purchaser selects a single supplier without

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