Page 4244 - Week 13 - Thursday, 19 November 2015
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MR DOSZPOT: Minister, are you selling the Civic Community Health Centre in order to get commonwealth asset recycling money?
MR CORBELL: I think that is a matter of public record, Madam Speaker. Of course, the point to be made about that is that the support the federal government provides through the asset recycling initiative frees up the territory to use its own resources for investment in other infrastructure, and that includes healthcare-related infrastructure.
ACT law courts—preferred proponent
MR SMYTH: My question is to the Attorney-General. Minister, on Friday, 23 October this year, you and the Chief Minister put out a joint media release concerning the new $150 million ACT law courts being one step closer with the announcement of a preferred proponent. As the government keeps saying that it supports ACT businesses and ACT industry expertise and innovation why was an outside consortium chosen as the preferred proponent to deliver the ACT’s first public private partnership?
MR CORBELL: I thank Mr Smyth for the question. Fundamentally, it was value for money for ACT taxpayers. I would have thought that was a pretty important consideration. Nevertheless, it is the case that the winning consortium for the law courts project will be heavily engaged with the building industry and will be engaging with and supporting many local contractors and subcontractors who will get work, who will get investment and who will get economic opportunity as a result of this government’s investment in the most significant rebuild and expansion of our justice facilities in the history of self-government.
MADAM SPEAKER: Supplementary question, Mr Smyth.
MR SMYTH: Minister, how many Canberra or ACT companies or partnerships were invited to bid for this preferred proponent initiative?
MR CORBELL: It was an open process: any Canberra-based consortium or company could choose to participate.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Wall.
MR WALL: Attorney, how many Canberra businesses submitted a bid to undertake the preferred proponent role for this project?
MR CORBELL: I will check the record to be absolutely precise but, from my recollection today, there was at least one Canberra-based consortium involved in the initial expression of interest phase.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Wall.
MR WALL: Attorney, how many Canberra businesses have the skills and professionalism to undertake the preferred proponent role in such a project?
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