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

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 1 Hansard (13 December) . . Page.. 213 ..

MR CORBELL (continuing):

a result, four tenders have been received for the provision of a men's accommodation and crisis service and the tender evaluation panel met on Monday the 10th, that is last Monday, to consider tenders.

I look forward to the outcome of this process so that this valuable service can continue. I acknowledge as minister that there is a need for a service that accommodates homeless men and their children. But I believe that that service, which is being funded by the territory, should be provided through an appropriate tender process. Indeed, the tender of the Men's Accommodation and Crisis Service complies with legislation introduced by the previous government. The Government Procurement Act of May 2001 obliges all territory agencies to undertake an open competitive process for all procurements of goods or services of more than $50,000, unless an exemption is granted by the relevant chief executive. The cost of this service exceeds the $50,000 threshold.

The Men's Accommodation and Crisis Service has been operated by the Lone Fathers Association since it was established as a pilot service in 1999. It was funded on the basis of a proposal by the Lone Fathers Association to the previous government which highlighted the gap in crisis accommodation services for men with children. As I indicated earlier, no open or competitive purchasing process was undertaken at that time to select the most appropriate provider of the service. The tender process the new government has undertaken will enable applications for the provision of this service to be considered through an open and fair process, to ensure that the most effective and appropriate provider is engaged.

I am concerned that Mr Stefaniak is seeking to circumvent this process, a process that is effectively required under legislation that his government introduced. That concerns me and it is why the government is determined to ensure that the tender is undertaken in a transparent way, and that the service and the government funds provided to it are seen to be delivered in a transparent way.

Mr Speaker, I want to stress that I am not saying that the Lone Fathers Association is not the best provider. They may well be. The appropriate thing is to test the capacity of all organisations interested in providing this service through an open, competitive and transparent tender process, and that is the action the government has embarked upon.

Mr Speaker, in light of my comments I have circulated an amendment to members which amends Mr Stefaniak's motion by deleting reference in the first part of his motion to the recent evaluation of the ACT Men's Accommodation and Crisis Service and by deleting all of paragraph 2 from his motion because that paragraph relates to the requirement to halt the tender process.

This amendment would allow an inquiry to take place. We think it is appropriate that an inquiry does take place into men's accommodation services in the ACT. We welcome the opportunity for that to be looked at, and think it is appropriate that it be looked at. But it is not appropriate to address issues that are currently subject to the process of a tender. Mr Speaker, I seek leave to move the amendment circulated in my name.

Leave granted.

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