Page 2605 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 2 July 2008
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confirm that ACTPLA proceeded to assess and apply the relevant fees for the development application.
Yesterday in question time, Mr Speaker, I was asked by Mr Stefaniak what I did to attempt to arrange fee relief as I promised to do in my letter to Mr Mackay—and that is an interesting interpretation of my letter. I responded that, from recollection, I referred the matter to the Chief Minister. Well, I referred ActewAGL to the Chief Minister, Mr Speaker. As I have just said in my answer in regard to the question that Mr Seselja asked last week, I did not refer the matter directly to the Chief Minister but instead suggested that ActewAGL approach the Chief Minister.
I did not attempt to arrange fee relief for ActewAGL. As the response in my letter dated 25 March 2008 to the Chief Executive officer of ActewAGL indicated, I asked ACTPLA to examine the quantum of the expected fees associated with this proposal and to advise me of any options that may have been available. ACTPLA’s advice was that it could only apply fees that have been determined under the relevant fees and charges determination and that the matter of any fee waiver was for the Treasurer under the provisions of the Financial Management Act, hence my suggestion to ActewAGL that it approach the Treasurer. ACTPLA proceeded to assess the fees under the relevant fees and charges determination.
Further to my response to Mr Stefaniak’s supplementary question as to whether I or my office had discussions with anyone from the Chief Minister’s Department regarding the provision of fee relief, I can confirm that neither I nor, I am advised, anyone from my office had discussions with anyone from the Chief Minister’s Department or office regarding the provision of fee relief.
Gas-fired power station
Discussion of matter of public importance
MR SPEAKER: I have received letters from Mrs Burke, Mrs Dunne, Mr Gentleman, Ms MacDonald, Mr Mulcahy, Ms Porter, Mr Pratt, Mr Seselja and Mr Smyth proposing that matters of public importance be submitted to the Assembly. In accordance with standing order 79, I have determined that the matter proposed by Mr Smyth be submitted to the Assembly, namely:
The failure of the Government to release all documents in relation to the Gas Fired Power Station and Data Centre.
MR SMYTH (Brindabella) (3.36): Mr Speaker, I want to start with this quote from the Deputy Chief Minister. It is from 8 June 2008:
The opposition will not be able to prove, in any way, in any document, that there was any improper involvement, or ultimately that the government took decisions around this project specifically about where it was, because that’s just not the case.
That was the Deputy Chief Minister, Katy Gallagher, being quoted in the Canberra Times of 8 June 2008. The Deputy Chief Minister said that we cannot point to a single document that says:
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