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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 6 Hansard (17 June) . . Page.. 1911 ..
Stadiums Authority- financial loss
MR STEFANIAK: My question is to the Treasurer. Treasurer, in October 2002 the Canberra Stadiums Authority lost $179,000 on a Celtic Crossroads program largely because one of the two scheduled performances was cancelled because it rained and no insurance had been taken out. You stated on WIN news on 11 June 2003 that the Canberra Stadiums Authority had not taken out insurance because it was "not a good commercial"decision to take out insurance. Why was it a good commercial not to take out insurance when ACT taxpayers lost $179,000 as a result?
MR QUINLAN
: As I stated then, it is a commercial decision that was taken by the Stadiums Authority.Mr Smyth
: For which you are responsible.MR QUINLAN
: They make their commercial judgments and many of the people who make up that authority, Mr Smyth, were appointed by the previous government. I think that, for the most part, they are good appointees.As I was discussing it with the chairman of the Stadiums Authority, he said, "It costs a lot of money, this pluvious insurance, and you have to name your hours and your rain points."These days, particularly with the insurance crisis, it is a huge impost. I cannot give you a number on their quotes, I am sorry. I wish I could. He said, "And we are in the middle of a drought, for God's sake!"We have had one wet patch in the middle of that drought and it happened to be that February. Within what commercial bodies do, there are decisions that they take.
In fact, I think the Stadiums Authority people would tell you now that they actually put that show together themselves and I do not think they will be going there again.
MR STEFANIAK
: Thank you for that, Mr Quinlan. Why then did you invite the head of the Stadiums Authority into your office on 11 June 2003 for a carpeting over this issue when the event occurred in October 2002?MR QUINLAN
: The short answer is I did not. I did meet with the chairman of the Stadiums Authority. He was keen to meet with me, particularly after the estimates hearing in relation to the press facilities contract, which attracted some interest, as it should. He was quite keen to discuss it as, let me tell you, Mr Stefaniak, I was. The chairman of the Stadiums Authority is a man of some substance and I do not think you would imagine him being severely carpeted, would you, Bill?Mr Stanhope
: Mr Speaker, I ask that all further questions be placed on the notice paper.Auditor-General's reports Nos 3, 5 and 6
Mr Speaker
presented the following papers:
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