In relation to the AUSTOUCH kiosks:

(1) What has been the total yearly revenue received by North Communications Australia (NCA) through commercialising the intellectual property of the AUSTOUCH kiosk under the joint intellectual property agreement between the ACT Government and the NCA?

(2) What has been the yearly cost of the service from NCA since 1996?

(3) What was the value of the intellectual property of the AUSTOUCH kiosk system prior to entering into the agreement with NCA in 1996?

(1) The total yearly revenue received by North Communications Australia (NCA) through commercialising the intellectual property of the AUSTOUCH kiosk is not known. This is commercial information held by NCA.

NCA are paid a fee as specified in the contract between the ACT Gove=ent and NCA. The original contract was $115,000 per annum. for 10 kiosks. Options within the contract allowed for additional kiosks to be purchased. The ACT presently has 18 kiosks. On 1 March 2001 AUSTOUCH was transferred from Urban Services to Canberra Connect. As a result of this move Canberra Connect pays for 14 kiosks and ACTION pays for 4 kiosks.

(2) The costs of the service from NCA for each year since 1996 are:

1996-1997 financial year $124,594.00

1997-1998 financial year $162,875.12

1998-1999 financial year $179,297.23

1999-2000 financial year $116,156.50

2000-February 2001 part year $89,570.69

These costs include monthly costs of providing the service and other costs such as content preparation and development of applications specific to the kiosks. Two major developments that occurred in financial years 1997-1998 and 1998-1999 where equipment upgrades and upgrading the kiosk software to be Internet compatible.

ACTION also pay an additional amount $24,140 per annum for the four kiosks in the bus interchanges.