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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 14 Hansard (12 December) . . Page.. 4465 ..

MS TUCKER (7.46): I share Mr Corbell's concerns about this amendment. If the land agency is required to prepare a business plan each financial year, it is too restrictive to say that this plan must be prepared before the beginning of the financial year. It may not be feasible, as the agency may need to wait for its budget to be finalised, which may not occur until just after the start of the financial year. I can see that that could create quite serious difficulties.

Amendment negatived.

MR CORBELL ( Minister for Education, Youth and Family Services, Minister for Planning and Minister for Industrial Relations) (7.47): I move amendment 26 circulated in my name [see schedule 1 at page 4499].

Again, this clarifies periods of time for provision of information to the Assembly.

Amendment agreed to.

MRS DUNNE (7.48): I move amendment No 12 circulated in my name [see schedule 2 at page 4506].

This is another attempt by the opposition to insert some transparency into the process. This has been characterised around discussion tables as the "we are telling the public that the Treasurer has his hand in the piggy bank"amendment. We do not object to the fact that at appropriate times the Treasurer may want to withdraw funds from the Land Development Agency. After all, that is what this government says it is about. It is about raising revenue, amongst other things. Therefore, that revenue should reasonably be drawn down.

This amendment would make that transparent. If at abnormal times the Treasurer decides to take funds out of the Land Development Agency, he will have to notify the public by making available a copy of the direction in six sitting days or, under the formula that came from the Clerk's office, within 14 days if we are not in session.

It is simply a matter of transparency. It should not be a problem for a government that talks about transparency and openness to tell members of the Assembly and, through members of the Assembly, the public when they are drawing down funds from an agency which is about creating revenue. For that reason I commend this amendment to members. It is aimed at transparency.

MR CORBELL ( Minister for Education, Youth and Family Services, Minister for Planning and Minister for Industrial Relations) (7.50): The government is prepared to support this amendment. I think there is an argument to say that these directions have the potential to involve substantial payments to the territory, and therefore it is in the interests of accountability and transparency that this sort of process be in place.

MS TUCKER (7.50): I also agree with this amendment. I think it important to have the Treasurer's direction to the agency tabled in the Assembly. This will keep the Assembly up to date with the financial operations in the agency. As Mrs Dunne has said and the Planning Minister has accepted, it is in the interests of transparency and accountability.

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