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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 7 Hansard (20 June) . . Page.. 2179 ..

MR MOORE: Mr Wood, I have been given a list of names of the appropriate people for the Housing Advisory Committee. I have taken that through cabinet. I expect that, as is the normal practice, your committee will receive that list very shortly. I am not sure whether it is required that the list go through you but, as a matter of politeness, I would pass it to you anyway. As soon as that is done they will be meeting and discussing the issues that we foreshadowed in our response.

MR WOOD: Mr Speaker, I have a supplementary question. I do not know whether the minister has tacitly acknowledged that the committee has not been meeting. Let us assume that. Will he see to it that it gets the support it needs-perhaps a dedicated secretariat-and that it meets on a regular basis, whether monthly or quarterly or how ever that is determined? Can you guarantee that it will have a role in future and will not slip like it has?

MR MOORE: Mr Wood, I would not bother appointing a committee if I did not want it to have an important role. If that were the case, it would be much better for us to say that we were not going to have one. We have appointed the committee and that will be part of the task that the committee will consider.

ACTTAB-relocation of headquarters

MR CORBELL: My question is to the Chief Minister. I understand that ACTTAB is well advanced in its plans to relocate its headquarters from Dickson to Fern Hill Park in Bruce. Chief Minister, will you confirm that that is the case? If it is the case, will you explain to the Assembly why ACTTAB is relocating its headquarters to Bruce rather than to another location, such as Gungahlin?

MR HUMPHRIES: I am aware that ACTTAB have been looking for some time for an alternative base for their operations. I know that they are dissatisfied with the quality of the building that they use at the moment at Dickson and that they have been anxious for some time to locate elsewhere. I have not dictated to ACTTAB as to what decision they should make about an alternative home, but I understand that they are looking at moving into a building already built. If that is the case, they may not have a suitable building available for them in Gungahlin.

If a decision has not been made about that in terms of their own processes for resolving on suitable accommodation, I am certainly happy to raise with ACTTAB the prospect of them considering a location in Gungahlin. The government has made a commitment publicly that it will support the growth of an employment base in Gungahlin. I am surprised that ACTTAB would not be aware of that already. Nonetheless, I think that it is appropriate for them to make decisions about this matter in light of the government's views, but basically on the basis of their independence in such matters. I will discuss the matter with them, if they have not yet made a decision. Perhaps they have not been enlightened by the prospect of basing themselves in other parts of the ACT.

MR CORBELL: I have a supplementary question. I thank the Chief Minister for his answer. Can you confirm whether ACTTAB has entered into a land swap involving the site in Fern Hill Park, Bruce, and its existing headquarters in Dickson?

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