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

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 14 Hansard (12 December) . . Page.. 4414 ..

MR STANHOPE (continuing):

anything like it. We are doing everything we said that we would do. We will keep doling it out year after year. Fujitsu has taken over part of the department of health's area. We have kept a whole floor for that. That reminds me of another interesting little clause. There is still a live option for Fujitsu to take over the third and the fifth floors of the Health building and actually take up the third, the fourth and the fifth floors. I do not know where Health would go if Fujitsu exercised that option.

This is an amazingly innovative little package. It is not bad work if you can get it. I will probably have to have this confirmed but, interestingly, I do not think you will find reference in a single Liberal Party annual report to this deal. It doesn't exist. It was never reported on. It was not a business development incentive scheme deal. It was separate, it was special, it was done by direct arrangement with the Chief Minister and Treasury. It does not appear. Because it involves holidays, there is no single line reporting on it. It is about things forgone-forgone rent, forgone payroll tax and, of course, just $1 million worth of refurbishment here or there, but what is that amongst friends? This is an amazing little deal. There are 100,000 files or more within the ACT service and this, of course, is just one file. One wonders how many more of these there are lurking. In summary, that is part of the response as to why the department of health does have some accommodation problems.

MR HARGREAVES: I have a supplementary question. Can the minister say whether there is any prospect of the company and the government resolving the question of Fujitsu's occupancy of level 4 of the Moore Street offices?

MR STANHOPE: This is a real issue for the department of health and, to the extent that $3 million has, I think, gone down the gurgler, it is a very significant issue for the hard-pressed ACT taxpayer.

Mr Smyth: Was it done legally? Was it executed legally?

MR STANHOPE: It is interesting to see Mr Smyth standing there defending this sort of arrangement. Mr Smyth is a great defender of this sort of arrangement, which is very interesting.

We are negotiating with Fujitsu about the continued occupation of level 4 and there is, I think, some light at the end of the tunnel. Negotiations are proceeding well on the possible relinquishment of the lease. The ACT government would be happy to relieve any lingering responsibilities or rights that Fujitsu may have under the contract and I am hoping that the issue will be resolved quickly.

Mr Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the notice paper.

Qualification of financial statements by Auditor-General

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, I believe that I have a right to ask a question before the end of question time.

MR SPEAKER: I thought you asked a question earlier.

MR HUMPHRIES: No, Mr Speaker. I took a point of order.

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