Page 2122 - Week 06 - Thursday, 26 June 2008
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the LDA—
make that judgement, does Mr Dawes’s organisation—
the project facilitation organisation—
make that judgement or does cabinet make that judgement at any stage?
I asked whether we ever actually say:
“We really would like these people to come to town, and we would like this project to succeed. Where is it most likely to succeed?”
The Chief Minister said that the government had been very supportive and had been supportive from the outset. That is what he always says. He then said:
But the government does not make commercial, scientific or value judgements on the basis of proponents, large or small.
I asked the question: “Does anyone make an assessment about whether the project will succeed?” The Chief Minister said, “The answer is no.” I ask the question that I asked the Chief Minister in estimates: what is the point of the project facilitation organisation if their role is to unthinkingly plonk developments on sites which may or may not be suitable?
While we are on the subject of power facilities, I would like to go to another power facility about which I am particularly concerned. I hope that other members are concerned. I am sure that Mr Gentleman is concerned about this. There is $67 million in a hollow log in the budget for possible contribution to a solar farm. I am a big fan of solar farms; I have great visions for solar farms in the ACT. I would really like to see this proposal succeed. I am extraordinarily alarmed because, during the process of estimates, I asked a range of questions of the Chief Minister about the solar farm and feasibility study.
I got the answers to those questions today. Actually, they were brought to my attention today. I think they had been in my office for a couple of days and I had not actually had a chance to have a look at them until today. One of the questions was:
Are there any sites currently being assessed for the location of the Solar Farm …
There were other questions about the feasibility study. The answer came back:
The consultant undertaking the feasibility study—
and they named the consultant—
provided ActewAGL with a set of characteristics for land that might be suitable to accommodate a solar power facility in the ACT. Based on the information provided by—
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