Page 429 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 23 February 2010
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Tuesday, 23 February 2010
MR SPEAKER (Mr Rattenbury) took the chair at 10 am, made a formal recognition that the Assembly was meeting on the lands of the traditional custodians and asked members to stand in silence and pray or reflect on their responsibilities to the people of the Australian Capital Territory.
Home insulation program
Statement by minister
MR CORBELL (Molonglo—Attorney-General, Minister for the Environment, Climate Change and Water, Minister for Energy and Minister for Police and Emergency Services): Mr Speaker, I seek your indulgence to make a brief statement in relation to a question I answered in question time last Thursday.
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Mr Corbell.
MR CORBELL: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Last Thursday, 11 February, just over a week ago, I was asked a question in relation to the commonwealth insulation installation program and any documentation that the government held in relation to that program. At that time I answered the question correctly, based on the advice I had received at that time and consistent with the advice provided to me by my department on that day.
I was briefed by officials from the Office of Regulatory Services in relation to the commonwealth insulation installation program on Thursday, 11 February this year. The advice that I received related to a meeting that occurred between officials from the Australian government and the states and territories. I was informed that that meeting took place in late April 2009 and was attended by a relatively junior officer from the Office of Regulatory Services. I was not briefed about the meeting prior to 11 February 2010. I was not informed by officials that they possessed any documents relating to the commonwealth insulation installation program. The information provided by me to the Assembly on 11 February 2010 was based on the information provided to me by my department.
On Friday, 12 February 2010, I received advice from the Executive Director of the Office of Regulatory Services that the office had entered into a memorandum of understanding with the commonwealth Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. The MOU is dated 27 July 2009. The MOU relates to the provision of information concerning complaints made by consumers to ORS about ceiling insulation installers. The MOU was signed by the Acting Executive Director of ORS.
I was not advised by officials of the existence of the MOU until 12 February 2010. I have been informed that officials did not see the need to bring the existence of the MOU to my attention, as the MOU merely related to the provision of consumer information.
I wish to apologise to the Assembly for any confusion that my answer has caused and I hope that this information clarifies the matter.
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