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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 7 Hansard (21 June) . . Page.. 2332 ..

TransACT

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, on 15 June I took on notice a question from Mr Kaine about the current exposure and the projected exposure over the next couple of years of taxpayers' funds in TransACT. Mr Kaine also asked me what was the precise uptake of the TransACT fibre-optic connection by Canberrans and how many paying customers within the ACT have they signed up.

Mr Speaker, I will present a response which gives the breakdown of the shareholdings in TransACT. The answer to Mr Kaine's question indicates that the total exposure of ACTEW to TransACT is as follows: the amount spent by ACTEW prior to the incorporation of TransACT in February 2000 was $11 million; capital subscription by ACTEW from February 2000 to June 2001 is $11.63 million; and the amount committed by ACTEW but not yet drawn down by TransACT is $7.66 million. This gives a total commitment to date of $30.29 million.

Mr Speaker, the answer also mentions that TransACT were expecting to have an average initial take-up of 20 per cent over their range of services. Their take-up has been considerably higher than this but they indicate that for commercial reasons they prefer not to give details of exactly what that take-up has been. I present the following paper, which contains some more complete information for Mr Kaine:

TransACT-Exposure of funds-Answer to question without notice asked of Mr Humphries by Mr Kaine and taken on notice on 15 June 2001.

ACTTAB

MR HUMPHRIES: Yesterday Mr Corbell asked me a question about a move by ACTTAB from Dickson to Fern Hill. I am advised that ACTTAB has made no commitment at this stage to any proposal regarding a new head office, although at this time I am aware that a proposal to locate the head office at Fern Hill Technology Park is the ACTTAB board's preferred option. I met with members of the ACTTAB board today and discussed this matter. I am also advised that ACTTAB has not entered into any land swap arrangements. Any sale of the Dickson property would be by an open process.

General Agreement on Trade in Services

MR HUMPHRIES: Ms Tucker asked me a question on Tuesday this week about the federal government's intentions for Australia regarding the General Agreement on Trade in Services, GATS. She asked whether the federal government had consulted with the ACT government about this and, if so, what is the ACT government's position. In a supplementary question she asked whether I would bring to the Assembly any work that the government had done on any analysis of GATS.

Mr Speaker, the issues that Ms Tucker raised were addressed in the debate we had yesterday on GATS. The issues will be further addressed in the report to be provided to the Assembly in August.

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