Page 5048 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 26 October 2011
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I would also like to acknowledge too that this is a really difficult issue to discuss and obviously it is not often an issue that people generally think about until it actually affects them or applies to them. I would also just like to note that the Palliative Care Society are doing some really good work in terms of helping people to bring up the issue and address it as a public issue.
This is not something I would normally mention in the chamber, but I am going to take issue with something that Mr Hanson said. He said that this is an issue I have come to in a late stage; that I was not aware of Clare Holland House or Calvary Health Care’s role in palliative care. In fact, my auntie died in a Calvary Health Care palliative care service. So I was actually very aware of Clare Holland House and Calvary Health Care. I think it is really important before people make comments like that that they think about what they are saying.
Again I thank members for their contribution to this important issue.
Amendment agreed to.
Motion, as amended, agreed to.
Government—payment for goods and services
MR SMYTH (Brindabella) (4:12): I move:
That this Assembly:
(1) notes the:
(a) significance of the ACT government as a purchaser of goods and services from ACT businesses;
(b) the critical importance of a regular cash flow for the sustainability of smaller businesses in particular;
(c) failure of the ACT government, notably the Community Services Directorate, to pay invoices in a timely manner; and
(d) adverse effect of this failure on the capacity of the organisations to maintain their functions;
(2) calls on the ACT government to agree to implement the following policies:
(a) all contracts up to $1 million will be paid within 45 days, and failure to do so will result in penalty interest being paid to the contractor;
(b) greater opportunities for small businesses to compete for tenders will be created by breaking up large projects into smaller components;
(c) all agencies will be required to provide quarterly reports on their payment performance and that small business participation rates shall be published on the Procurement Solutions’ website; and
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