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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 4 Hansard (2 April) . . Page.. 1245 ..

MR WOOD (continuing):

the community will have ample opportunity to make their comments. I think the evidence shows that there is no limitation to the consultation. The communication really has been extensive. I have to say that I am not fazed or concerned because one particular person has not been able to be a member of that panel. I think the outcome is eminently reasonable.

MS TUCKER: The question was about the conflict of interest argument. If Mr Wood does not want to answer that, perhaps I could ask a supplementary question. Could you tell us whether it is correct that the selection process for accepting someone to do this review has been delayed? If so, what are the implications of that for any legislative timetable that we had?

MR WOOD: I do not know that it has been delayed; I have not attended to the timing. Tenders were called on 18 January and four companies submitted proposals to undertake the review. My advice is that the preferred tenderer will be chosen within the next three weeks and that the review will begin at the end of this month-by the end of April.

To repeat: we believe that there will be a strong participation on the part of the community and groups, and that continues to be an important part of the process. So, it is about to get under way.

Bushfires-Commonwealth assistance

MR CORNWELL: My question is to the Chief Minister. Chief Minister, in the immediate aftermath of the 18 January bushfire disaster, the Prime Minister promised to consider the provision of further assistance following a request from you. At a meeting of the Public Accounts Committee on 26 February this year, five weeks after the disaster, the chief executive of your department, after much prevarication, said that a letter to Mr Howard would be sent, he hoped, within the next week, that is, around 7 March 2003. Has the letter been sent yet and, if so, would you table it please?

MR STANHOPE: Yes, the letter has been sent, Mr Speaker, and I might say that, in addition, I have had conversations with both the Prime Minister and the Treasurer on the subject. I believe that Mr Quinlan has also had a conversation on the issue of further support from the Commonwealth, as a consequence of the fire, with the federal Treasurer.

No, I will not table that letter.

Community housing

MS DUNDAS: Mr Speaker, my question is to the minister for housing, Mr Wood. Minister, can you please inform the Assembly who in the ACT has received community housing funding from the Commonwealth-State Housing Agreement grants for the financial years 1997-98 through 2002-03?

MR WOOD: Yes, sure I can. That is no trouble-it is all in my back pocket here. I will give you the names of each of the members of those bodies too, if you like, and their dates of birth.

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