Page 4600 - Week 15 - Tuesday, 6 December 1994
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There is another issue that I would like to talk about. I thank the Chief Minister for making her officers available to brief me on this matter. I asked for clarification as to what other types of errors - other than clerical errors - might occur in making various assessments. I will quote from the advice that I have received from Mr Casburn from the policy and appeals area of the ACT Revenue Office. That advice states:
Under the Principal Act the term "clerical" error only applies to a clerical error occurring in the ACT Revenue Office in writing something down incorrectly, such as transposing a figure. It does not apply, for example, to an error occurring in the Australian Valuation Office or when a valuer is inspecting a site. The amending Bill corrects this situation. Examples of errors which could occur are:
. an incorrect digit is introduced into a valuation, such as a zero on the end of an unimproved land value amount.
That one, I think, would be fairly easy to detect by the person who has received such an assessment. The next dot point states:
. recent sales evidence becomes available to the Australian Valuation Office which indicates that previous sales information used to establish the unimproved land value had been misleading.
I find that a fairly unusual provision. The Chief Minister may wish to explain to the Assembly some circumstances which would lead to such decisions being made by the Revenue Office in respect of particular land valuations. The third dot point states:
. incorrect information is provided to the Australian Valuation Office in respect of the lease purpose clause or the gross floor area of a building on a commercial lease.
I do not have any particular problem with that criterion; but I believe that the Assembly should be aware of the criteria which the ACT Revenue Office can use in relation to amending valuations on properties. Madam Speaker, I would appreciate it if the Chief Minister could address those issues in her closing remarks; but I indicate to the Assembly that I will be supporting the Bill.
MR MOORE (8.42): In rising to support this Bill I would like to emphasise that I appreciate the opportunity to be part of a system that extends appeal rights to ordinary people. I think that the Chief Minister should be congratulated for putting in a system of review of decisions and, in particular, for that review to be made through the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. There certainly are a number of occasions when that can apply. Ms Szuty has addressed some of them. I think that the list was by no means meant to be exhaustive but, rather, to provide some examples of where people feel that an administrative decision has been made which adversely affects them. Up until now, in many of these circumstances we have had a situation where people simply have had no other recourse but perhaps to appeal politically to us or directly to the Chief Minister.
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