Page 2859 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 24 June 2009
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MS GALLAGHER: I am not sure I understand the difference between the question that was asked on this on Thursday and the question that was just asked. As I understand it, the question is: can I advise the Assembly when a final deal was on the table?
Mr Hanson: Maybe if I read the last part of the question again.
MS GALLAGHER: Yes, please.
MR SPEAKER: Stop the clock.
Mr Hanson: Can you advise the Assembly whether any proposals were on the table that approached or referred to a final deal, what they were and when they were made? Were there any proposals at all on the table that referred to the final deal? When was that?
MS GALLAGHER: The decision that had been taken by the time we went into caretaker was to continue discussions on the possibility that the ACT government could enter into negotiations with the Little Company of Mary for the potential purchase of the Calvary Public Hospital. That was the position.
Mr Seselja: They were just discussions?
MS GALLAGHER: That is right. There were only negotiations at that point. There had been nothing formal undertaken, other than meetings between officials of the Little Company of Mary and ACT Health. The government had considered a position in terms of allowing discussions to continue but there had been no decision taken. I had not taken anything to cabinet that even goes remotely near requesting the government to consider a final position on this.
The government had considered it prior to the election. Those considerations were that, if the Little Company of Mary wanted to talk to us further, then we were happy to continue talking to them. That was the point up to 7 October which, I think, is the date that you indicate.
I have to say that we have not got much further than that now. We have continued discussions. Independent valuations are being done to give the government advice on the potential cost should this sale proceed and the Little Company of Mary have been undertaking their own processes within their own organisation to address the issues they need to address. That is where it is up to today. I thought I had been clear on that; obviously not.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Hanson, a supplementary question?
MR HANSON: Minister, can you advise the Assembly if, prior to the election, you had progressed the negotiations to the point that would have committed any incoming government to the purchase of Calvary, or attempted to do so?
MS GALLAGHER: No, we certainly did not.
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