Page 3879 - Week 12 - Thursday, 23 November 2006
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government procurement opportunities and measures to ensure that the ACT government only deals with suppliers that comply with their employee and industrial relations obligations. To clarify the application of the act, a definition of “procurement” will be included in the framework.
Following discussions with the Auditor-General’s Office, the simplification of the contract reporting provisions will be pursued. I note that the Auditor-General’s office strongly supports the proposed modification of its role in relation to reportable contracts that will be included in the amending legislation. I also note that the proposed changes do not in any way diminish the Auditor-General’s existing powers under the act.
As I have already noted, the existing statutory framework and the government procurement board have made significant contributions to enhancing the professionalism of ACT government procurement activities and public confidence in those activities. However, as the review has indicated, there is scope to improve the operations of the act and associated instruments. Given the importance of efficient, robust procurement in enabling the delivery of quality public services, the proposed legislation will be brought forward to the Assembly early next year.
Standing orders—suspension
Motion (by Mr Smyth) agreed to, with the concurrence of an absolute majority:
That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent order of the day, private members’ business relating to the proposed censure of the Minister for the Territory and Municipal Services being called on forthwith.
Minister for the Territory and Municipal Services
Motion of censure
Debate resumed.
MR SMYTH (Brindabella) (3.58): This is a very important issue in which the arrogant Stanhope government have displayed exactly what they feel not just about the community but about the commitments they made to the community in 2004. We have already seen them closing preschools when they said they valued preschools. We see them closing schools when they said they would not close schools. When one consults the arts, heritage and libraries policy of the Jon Stanhope Labor government issued by Jon Stanhope MLA, Chief Minister and Labor leader, on 18 September 2004 one has to question the real agenda of this government. Page 2 of that document says, “Our record in this area is one to be proud of; however there is more to be done, and my government is getting on with the job in regard to libraries”. On page 6 of that document there is a whole section on libraries—major infrastructure. It talks about the Link project and the Civic library, which, of course, I started and it is good to see that it is almost finished.
But it then goes on to have a section on regional libraries. I would have thought south Canberra was a region, and in the middle of that region we have a library. It is called the Griffith library. And what does it say about regional libraries? It says, “The local
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