Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 12 Hansard (7 December) . . Page.. 3892 ..

Mr HARGREAVES (continuing):

Territory (all non - Labor jurisdictions), Queensland and Victoria all said that since the ACT does not have either model - that is, public or private - it cannot create a competitive environment and thus ought to establish a prison in public ownership. The reference to the announced consultancy changes nothing in the recommendations from the experts, notably Professor Harding, one of the top two experts in the country.

It was obvious that these other jurisdictions have taken a strategic planning approach to prisons. The announcement that the Belconnen Remand Centre is to be fast - tracked shows that this government does not have a strategic approach to the prison system. It ought to address the Belconnen Remand Centre separately in the two years that we have to provide for a prison. Now that a consultancy has been announced, it is hoped that the instructions to the company will be clear and the timeframe is based on strategic imperatives, not on political grandstanding.

Mr Speaker, we have been waiting for 12 months for this government to go to the first stage - the appointment of the consultancy - and finally the minister has announced the appointment of Rengain. Rengain is a very welcome addition to the process of developing our new prison. Members may not know, but the principals are a former minister for corrections in Queensland and a former director - general of corrections in Queensland. These people have immense experience in the establishment of prisons around the country, both private and public. They bring no preconceptions. They are not connected with any private company, and they are not connected with any private construction company, so we can expect an independent report.

Mr Quinlan: Have they met John Walker yet?

MR HARGREAVES: They have met John Walker but, as most sensible people would, they ran away quickly. I welcome the appointment of Rengain. I think the minister and his advisers have made an excellent choice.

Mr Hird: Hear, hear! As a member of the committee, I concur.

MR HARGREAVES: I congratulate Mr Hird too, because he knows the calibre of this consultancy.

On the trip, we received consistent advice that the facility should be in public ownership. Tasmania, geographically, requires two prisons. We might be in a better position, but we are not, and we are never going to be, so we need to be aware of what they have said.

None of the jurisdictions could see how we could get out of it more cheaply over 20 years by private financing. The other jurisdictions were aware of our AAA credit rating. As I understand it from something the Chief Minister and Treasurer said the other day, it is the highest in the country. They did not believe that we could buy a prison on hire purchase and get private financing over 20 years cheaper than if we borrowed ourselves under our AAA credit rating. Their advice was that, whilst the rates applicable to major international companies borrowing money would roughly the same as we could get ourselves, the significant difference was the imperative that these private companies would have to return something to the shareholders. That, of course, could passed on to the ACT taxpayer when we buy the prison back.

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .