Page 3759 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 24 August 2011
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commissioner. They did not support the human rights commissioner’s reports. And just last week we had Mrs Dunne, on private members’ day, say that we should all talk together and have a tripartite approach to youth justice, yet then she goes out and issues a media release, in the hours before she scoots off to another study trip overseas, and she accuses this government and the Human Rights Commission of withholding evidence. That is just an appalling state.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Seselja, a supplementary question?
MR SESELJA: Minister, do you stand by your statement earlier in question time where you said that all complaints have been investigated?
MS BURCH: Complaints that have been brought towards the department have been reviewed and investigated. Those people that seek to raise a complaint have multiple opportunities, through CSD, through the human rights commissioner, through the Public Advocate, through the Ombudsman. There are a number of avenues that anyone who wants to raise an allegation of complaint that are certainly open, and I encourage everybody, as I have done time and again in this place, with a genuine, serious complaint, to raise it at any forum they choose.
Mr Smyth interjecting—
MR SPEAKER: Mr Smyth, I remind you that you are on a warning for repeatedly interjecting during the minister’s answers.
Territory and Municipal Services Directorate—consultant’s reports
MR COE: My question is to the Minister for Territory and Municipal Services. Minister, the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal recently issued orders for Territory and Municipal Services to release two reports by a consultant to public service whistleblower Debbie Scattergood with some names blocked out to protect the privacy of other workers. However, in the words of ACAT member Louise Donohoe: “It is my preliminary view that the orders have, in a substantial manner, not been complied with by the respondents.” Minister, why did your department fail to comply with the ACAT order?
MR CORBELL: I thank Mr Coe for the question. I have received a detailed briefing in relation to this matter this morning from senior officials from my directorate and, indeed, from the Government Solicitor. I am advised that the reductions made by the Territory and Municipal Services Directorate were made in good faith and were based on the directorate’s interpretation of the orders provided by the tribunal in relation to that matter.
When the matter came before the tribunal yesterday, the directorate indicated that it would have no contest in relation to whatever final view the tribunal wished to reach in relation to which reductions were or were not appropriate. The tribunal has asked the directorate to undertake further work on revising the reductions to the document, and that work, I understand, is now underway. There will be a further hearing on the matter, I am advised, next week.
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