Page 4102 - Week 13 - Thursday, 6 December 2007

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delayed by the lengthy due diligence process, largely due to Rhodium’s inadequate computer information systems, which made it difficult to verify numerous financial transactions going back to the time of Totalcare.

As a result, negotiations with the preferred respondent have taken longer than was expected when the open tender process commenced. The preferred respondent has recently advised that it is agreeable to the terms negotiated. However, the timing of the sale cannot be confirmed until the preferred respondent has obtained alternative financing to support the business operations.

Given the delay in conducting the sale, the amendment to the act will ensure that Rhodium is not prematurely removed from schedule 1. As with any contract negotiations, it is possible that the sale of Rhodium could encounter further unexpected delays. If that is the case, the bill also provides for any further delays in the commencement of the Territory-owned Corporations Act to be dealt with by regulation to avoid further amendments to the act. I thank members for their consideration of this bill.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Bill agreed to in principle.

Leave granted to dispense with the detail stage.

Bill agreed to.

Review into concessions to low-income residents

Proposed amendment to Assembly resolution

MR CORBELL (Molonglo—Attorney-General, Minister for Police and Emergency Services) (5.04): I seek leave to move a motion amending the resolution of the Assembly of 2 May 2007, regarding presentation of the findings of a review into concessions to low-income ACT residents.

Leave granted.

MR CORBELL: I move:

That the resolution of the Assembly of 2 May 2007, regarding presentation of the findings of a review into concessions to low-income ACT residents, be amended by omitting “December 2007” and substituting “March 2008”.

MR SMYTH (Brindabella) (5.04): This has just been dropped on the desks of all members. Therefore, it might be courteous of the government to (1) explain why there is a delay and (2) how they have determined that March 2008 is therefore an appropriate time to extend it to. The review into concessions to low-income ACT residents has been going for almost as long as this government has been in office. There have been several calls for it to be completed and tabled. Someone in the ministry might like to at least give an explanation rather than just dropping this on our desks and asking for our agreement.


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