Page 4879 - Week 13 - Thursday, 2 November 2017
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crown lease. The opposition choose to ignore this fact. This application to vary the lease was lodged prior to the introduction of the lease variation charge and, therefore, the uplift in value of the lease was assessed under the former change of use charge.
Under the former regime the costs of development, such as demolition and land contamination assessment, were taken into consideration when assessing charges. The Australian Valuation Office agreed with the private valuer that the before and after values of the lease were the same and, therefore, that no payment was due. Ministers had absolutely no involvement in the process. I am sure the irony will not be lost on members that the policy the opposition took to the last election was for the lease variation charge to be abolished, and yet they appear to want it to be applied retrospectively when it suits them.
His next charge, relating to the memorandum of understanding between the ACT government and Unions ACT regarding procurement decisions, is laughable in its lack of understanding of the MOUs purpose and effect. Firstly, the MOU was established in 2005—yes, 2005. So this apparent conspiracy that I have orchestrated was signed before I was even a member of this Assembly. And for all the apparent mystery around it, it is a publicly available document readily accessible through the government’s procurement website.
Revised in 2015, the MOU sets out the form of union consultation in regard to industrial relations and workplace health and safety issues as part of the prequalification and tender evaluation processes for ACT public sector procurements. Provisions exist within the MOU for the government to consult with Unions ACT about who has put in for a tender—just as we consult with a range of external organisations, including business organisations—and for Unions ACT to alert the government to possible wrongdoing by contractors.
You have to wonder why it is that the Canberra Liberals are so opposed to the government checking whether companies are exploiting or underpaying their workers, many of whom are low paid and in vulnerable occupations. I can only assume that a Coe Liberal government would not care if workers were being exploited, even on government contracts. We will reinforce our ongoing commitment to workers in the ACT by bringing forward a local jobs code, meaning government procurement decisions deliver better outcomes for Canberra workers by ensuring that employers contracting with government adopt and hold high labour standards.
The direct sale of a car park site to the Woden Tradesmen’s Club Union Association was agreed by cabinet in March of 2007. Cabinet also agreed that a final decision for sale would be determined by the Land Development Agency. The sale was to be at market value at the time of the grant of the lease and include a requirement for interim parking to be identified to replace spaces lost during any construction.
A 2009 request for an extension of time to lodge a new development application was agreed to by the chief executive of the Department of Land and Property Services, with a DA approved in 2011. The sale of land was subsequently settled on 20 June 2011, and the land was sold at market value based on three valuations for the site.
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