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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 11 Hansard (6 November) . . Page.. 3826 ..

Mr Corbell (continuing):

(4) Are AOFR continuing to receive any form of Government Assistance, if so

(a) exactly what form is this assistance taking;

(b) how much money is being spent by the ACT Government to provide this assistance; and

(c) how much money is being foregone by the ACT Government in the form of rates, land taxes and payroll tax.

Mrs Carnell - the answer to the Member's question is as follows:

Before I answer the Member's question I need to make it perfectly clear that the terms of the agreement are commercial-in-confidence. The confidentiality clause of the agreement prohibits release of specific information without the express permission of AOFR. In relation to sections 1(a) and 1(b) of the question AOFR does not wish to make such information available.

l)a) On advice from the Government Solicitor's Office, I provide the following information without the ACT Government breaching the confidentiality provisions of the Agreement.

In relation to the number of staff lost, only a small (but unspecified) number of employees have been made redundant. Generally employment has been lost as a result of natural attrition due to a downturn in both the Australian and international telecommunications markets. However, since provision of the report, AOFR advise that employment is again increasing back towards previous levels.

b) The dollar value of equipment shipped to Minneapolis is unknown. This is not required to be reported to the ACT Government.

During this same period, however, a significant amount of equipment, in dollar terms, has also been transferred into AOFR. Specific details of equipment transfers have not been formally reported to, nor are they required to be reported to, the ACT Government. AOFR is involved in a highly competitive industry and it would be absolute industrial naivety to release, or be required to report on, such confidential details. AOFR's internal operations are determined by commercial business decisions that they would not wish to inadvertently convey to their competitors.

c) No assistance money was used to buy equipment shipped to Minneapolis. Assistance provided was used specifically for relocation purposes. That is, to relocate from AOFR's old premises to its new facility in Symonston.

c)i) Not applicable.

d) Yes. The payroll tax waiver may have applied to a small number of employees that were made redundant.

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