Page 2914 - Week 10 - Tuesday, 13 August 2013
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
practices on ACT government construction sites. The ACT government will only pre-qualify construction contractors who demonstrate that they have in place and implement comprehensive work health and safety systems.
The directorate is also to administer the new procurement policy, which came into effect on 1 July—I spoke about it in question time today—to give small and medium businesses in the Canberra region a boost when tendering for ACT government contracts.
Enhancing the territory’s ICT data management capability will also be a priority for Commerce and Works in 2013-14. This includes developing cloud strategies and server virtualisation policies, and migrating from the current aged Callum data centre to a newly leased, modern and energy efficient data facility. In addition, the program to replace ageing hardware components across the government’s IT network will continue.
So as you see, Madam Deputy Speaker, the Commerce and Works Directorate plays a crucial role in ensuring that other agencies can deliver their services effectively, in ensuring that the territory’s revenue systems are fair, efficient and robust, and in ensuring that the community is educated about their rights, responsibilities and obligations in relation to taxation. It is critical work. It is not necessarily the sexiest area of government but it certainly is critical work and important work that we are very pleased to support through this appropriation. I commend the appropriation to the Assembly.
Proposed expenditure agreed to.
At approximately 6 pm, in accordance with standing order 34, the debate was interrupted. The motion for the adjournment of the Assembly having been put and negatived, the debate was resumed.
Sitting suspended from 5.55 to 7.30 pm.
Proposed expenditure—Part 1.10—Justice and Community Safety Directorate—$264,902,000 (net cost of outputs), $43,767,000 (capital injection) and $155,525,000 (payments on behalf of the territory), totalling $464,194,000.
MR HANSON (Molonglo—Leader of the Opposition) (7.31): Turning to the JACS portfolio, I will address a number of issues. The first one is corrections. The committee report, at recommendation 44, states:
… condemns the ACT Government for misleading the community when the then Attorney General, Mr Simon Corbell MLA stated in 2007 that the Alexander Maconochie Centre would have adequate capacity for 25 years.
On the surface, if you did not read the transcripts or the report, you would perhaps think, “That’s a bit past its use-by date, that one.” But it is not because in this budget we find $3 million for the AMC additional facilities design, and that is due to be completed by 2014. Phase 1, a 30-bed unit intended for therapeutic community use at
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video