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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 7 Hansard (29 June) . . Page.. 2205 ..
Motion (by Mr Hird ) agreed to:
That the resolution of the Assembly of the 25 May 2000 which referred to the Standing Committee on Planning and Urban Services allegations of the possible improper influence of a witness, Mr Gower, for examination and report be amended by omitting "by the last sitting day of June 2000" and substituting the words "by the last sitting day of September 2000".
MR QUINLAN (10.41): Mr Speaker, I move:
That:
(1) if the Assembly is not sitting when the Standing Committee on Finance and Public Administration (Incorporating the Public Accounts Committee) has completed it inquiry into the proposed ACTEW/AGL partnership arrangement, the Committee may send its report to the Speaker or, in the absence of the Speaker, to the Deputy Speaker, who is authorised to give directions for its printing, circulation and publication; and
(2) the foregoing provisions of this resolution have effect notwithstanding anything contained in the Standing Orders.
The purpose of this motion is obvious. The proposal is self-evident. The project continues whether we sit or not. The motion facilitates a process whereby Assembly members will be informed as the joint venture is consummated. I commend the motion to the house.
MS CARNELL (Chief Minister) (10.42): I table for the information of members the probity auditor's report. The day before yesterday, when Mr Quinlan initially spoke about the committee's interim report on AGL/ACTEW, my advice was that the probity auditor was not comfortable about having his report put on the table. Mr Kaine said that the probity auditor had said that he was happy. I went back to Mr Mackay and Mr Marks to determine what their position was. as there seemed to be some differences of opinion amongst officials and in this Assembly. My understanding from Mr Mackay and Mr Marks is that they had not told the committee that they thought it should be tabled. They had suggested that it was a matter for government. We asked the probity auditor whether he was comfortable with his report being tabled. His view was that he was comfortable, so I am tabling it now for the information of members.
There is no reason for the government to want any of these documents not to be on the public record. Obviously, as the committee has acknowledged, there are some that do hold or could hold some commercial information pending the final agreement being signed. The committee has recognised that, so I am putting the probity auditor's report on the table for the information of members.
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