Page 5452 - Week 15 - Tuesday, 8 December 2009
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MR STANHOPE: Mr Speaker, I correspond regularly with Revolve and indeed signed a letter just yesterday—
Opposition members interjecting—
MR STANHOPE: In the context of legal action, I tend not to meet with people who have initiated legal action against the government. I am not sure that I can think of a single instance in which I have agreed to meet with an organisation or a company that has initiated legal action against the government. I think that is something that one would do with significant—
Mr Smyth: So that happened eight years ago?
Mr Seselja: Eight years ago they did that, did they?
MR STANHOPE: Ages ago. Revolve has initiated legal action against the government. I am not aware that that legal action has terminated. In the light of your question, I will actually take advice on that, but Revolve is, I understand, certainly in litigation.
There are other issues too in the context of that, if my memory serves me correctly. I will, of course, check the facts on these now that you have asked the question. I believe the ACT has served a letter of demand on Revolve in relation to what I understand to be in excess of a year’s unpaid rent. So there are significant issues between the ACT government and Revolve of a legal nature. When there are issues of that order between the government and parties, it is only in an extreme circumstance that a minister would appropriately meet with somebody with whom the government has a very problematic relationship.
I will confirm those two issues. Over recent years, there has been a problematic relationship. I do not believe Revolve has paid rent for well in excess of a year. This is a matter of some serious concern for the government—that there is a company occupying land for which it simply, blatantly, refuses to pay rent.
MR SPEAKER: Ms Hunter, a supplementary question?
MS HUNTER: Considering that there has not been a contractor at the reusable facility for five months, is the limited space causing more reusables to go to landfill as each month passes?
MR STANHOPE: There is still a capacity, of course, for reusables to be deposited at both Mitchell and Mugga. In the context of the specifics of the question on the amount of waste going to landfill, I will take advice from the department. As you would expect, I do not have in my head the numbers, quantity or quantum of waste going to landfill. I will have to take the question on notice. I will be more than happy to provide you with an answer on how much waste continues to be diverted.
Along with everybody else, I certainly hope that the tender process will be concluded sooner rather than later. I expect that to be the case.
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