Page 1847 - Week 07 - Tuesday, 22 June 2021

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video


similar app—yet, at least—in the ACT. Given the numbers of customer registration and the high demand and interest in this program, the amount of time for manual checking would not have been reflective of the overall value of the scheme and, indeed, may well have cost more than the scheme in terms of the administration value. That was the risk assessment that was undertaken there.

MS LEE: Minister, how will you determine how many people registered multiple times, in your review of the scheme?

MS CHEYNE: That remains to be seen. That is exactly why we will be commissioning an independent reviewer so that this can be done comprehensively. At the moment, it may not be possible at all for us to be able to verify the individual registrations, but this can certainly be open to being looked at through the review.

MS CASTLEY: Minister, can you guarantee that no one fraudulently misused this scheme under multiple phone numbers?

MS CHEYNE: As I have outlined in the ministerial statement and through several media interviews already, it may have been possible for a person to have registered with more than one email address and more than one mobile phone. It would have been a considerable effort on these individuals’ parts if that is true. But if Ms Castley or anybody in this place has specific allegations, they should raise them directly with the ACT government so that they can be checked.

Business—ChooseCBR scheme

MRS JONES: My question is to the Minister for Business and Better Regulation. Minister, your statement this morning said that you were aware that the scheme did “see vouchers claimed at what would otherwise seem to be unusual hours”. One constituent who was tracking the program online shared with the Canberra Liberals that vouchers were being redeemed en masse between midnight and 6 am. Can you categorically rule out misappropriation of funds?

MS CHEYNE: I have already addressed this in my ministerial statement this morning. We are aware that there were very genuine businesses undertaking very genuine transactions. I detailed this—

Mrs Jones: I have a point of order. Madam Speaker, the minister refers to her statement this morning, but the question was separate to the statement this morning. It was, “Can you categorically rule out misappropriation of funds?” I have read the statement from this morning.

MADAM SPEAKER: I think the Minister’s response is appropriate to the scope of the question. Minister, you have more time.

MS CHEYNE: Again, as I noted in the ministerial statement, there is a process underway, where we are looking at the transactions that were undertaken between 18 and 19 June.


Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video