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

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 13 Hansard (19 November) . . Page.. 3733 ..


MRS DUNNE (continuing):

The committee recommends that the business plan and financial modelling underpinning the new land development agency proposed by the ACT Government be subject to independent assessment, the results of which are published.

The government response was:

Agreed. The financial modelling, including any additional information that supports the proposed land development system, will be subject to independent assessment. This advice will be made available to members of the Assembly.

My question is: have you sent the model to an independent body for assessment? If so, to whom was it sent, and when will the advice be made available to the members of the Assembly?

MR CORBELL: Mr Speaker, that process is under way. The government is in the process, through the Department of Urban Services, of engaging the relevant organisation to do the work. I do not have a timeframe to hand, or the relevant organisation, but I am happy to take those details on notice and provide an answer to Mrs Dunne.

MRS DUNNE: I have a supplementary question, Minister. Can I take it, therefore, that none of this information will be available to this house before the Planning and Land Bill is debated?

MR CORBELL: It depends on your delaying tactics, Mrs Dunne!

Senate vacancy

MR HARGREAVES: Mr Speaker, my question, through you, is to the Chief Minister. Is the Chief Minister aware of reports as to the imminent retirement of Liberal senator for the ACT and former President of the Senate, Margaret Reid? Is he also aware of misguided comments from some of the heirs apparent about how a casual vacancy is legally filled in the ACT?

MR STANHOPE: Yes, I have heard reports of the imminent retirement of Senator Margaret Reid.

Mrs Dunne: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: I am interested in speculating on this. But I seek your guidance on how this relates to a question that a member of the executive might answer.

MR SPEAKER: Mrs Dunne, my advice is that-order, everybody! Mrs Dunne has asked me a question; you fellows can wait-once there is a resignation, assuming there is going to be one, there will be a letter from the President of the Senate to the Chief Minister. So it is perfectly within the scope of the Chief Minister's portfolio to respond to the question.

Mrs Dunne: On the point of order: if there is not a vacancy and the President of the Senate has not written, does that mean that this is hypothetical?


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