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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 10 Hansard (Tuesday, 24 August 2004) . . Page.. 4020 ..

MR SMYTH: Mr Speaker, the committee has undertaken an inquiry into the alleged poor governance and financial management practices relating to ACT government grants received by the ACT Multicultural Council Inc. On 11 August 2004, the Standing Committee on Public Accounts received in-camera evidence alleging poor governance and financial management practices by the ACT Multicultural Council Inc. On 20 August 2004 the committee raised the matter with officers of the Department of Disability, Housing and Community Services and the Chief Minister’s Department as they are the administrators of the grants.

The committee also received evidence in relation to the acquittal of the ACT government grants provided to the ACT Multicultural Council in the years 2002-2003 and 2003-2004. The committee was concerned by the evidence it received and on 20 August 2004 the Standing Committee on Public Accounts resolved to inquire into the alleged poor governance and financial management practices relating to the ACT government grants received by the ACT Multicultural Council Inc.

Mr Speaker, given the committee’s inability to investigate these issues further at this time, officers from the relevant departments have undertaken to pursue the matters, taking into account the protection of the witnesses and procedural fairness for all concerned. The committee may report on this matter further at some time in the near future.

Land (Planning and Environment) Amendment Bill 2004 (No 2)

Detail stage

Clause 1.

Debate resumed from 19 August 2004.

Clause 1 agreed to.

Clauses 2 to 4, by leave, taken together and agreed to.

Proposed new clauses 4A and 4B.

MRS DUNNE (12.08): I move amendment No 1 circulated in my name, which inserts new clauses 4A and 4B [see schedule 1 at page 4102].

As alluded to in the in-principle debate, I propose some amendments to this bill. While I and the Liberal opposition believe that there are some problems in relation to land speculation, the provisions set out in the bill are so stringent and the exemptions are so stringent that they do not actually take account of reality.

What my clause 4A does is allow a builder to sell, without restriction, a lease to another builder so long as he does so within the first 12 months of the lease. As members would know, the lease conditions of a new crown lease require that building on the crown lease begin within 12 months and are completed within 24 months.

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