Page 1944 - Week 05 - Thursday, 6 May 2010

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and for the information of members, I present the following paper:

Public Accounts—Standing Committee—Report 6—Review of Auditor-General’s Report No 7 of 2008: Proposal for a gas-fired power station and data centre—Site selection process—Government response.

I move:

That the Assembly takes note of the paper.

The Auditor-General’s report No 7 of 2008 Proposal for a gas-fired power station and data centre—Site selection process was presented to the ACT Assembly on 10 December 2008. On 22 April 2009, the Standing Committee on Public Accounts resolved to inquire further into the audit report. It delivered its report on 9 February 2010. The committee’s review and recommendations ranged across strategic project facilitation criteria, the purposes for use of broadacre land, direct land sale procedures, community consultation and probity in dealing with territory-owned corporations.

In this response to those recommendations, the government agrees to nine recommendations, agrees in part with two recommendations, notes four recommendations and does not agree with three recommendations. A number of the recommendations relate to ensuring sound and open administrative practices. I am pleased to be able to say that the ACT government already has effective procedures in place that address these recommendations.

Engaging and empowering the community in the decisions that affect it is an essential part of contemporary government, particularly in a jurisdiction the size of the ACT. The ACT government continues to work hard to maintain and improve its community engagement approaches. The community engagement website has been enhanced and the Chief Minister’s Department is reviewing community engagement guidelines. The Department of Land and Property Services is also preparing a comprehensive communications plan and this will be placed on the department’s website.

The government will also engage with the community in a conversation about how best to integrate land use, environmental, transport, economic and social policy directions in pursuing a sustainable long-term future for Canberra. In this regard the government’s response makes clear that, while the Public Accounts Committee report calls for a new ACT planning strategy, the government adopted the Canberra spatial plan and companion sustainable transport plan for this purpose.

On behalf of the Chief Minister, I would like to thank the Public Accounts Committee for its work in reviewing the Auditor-General’s report and in developing the 18 recommendations.

Debate (on motion by Mr Smyth) adjourned to the next sitting.

Planning and Environment—Standing Committee (Sixth Assembly)

Report 34—government response

MR STANHOPE (Ginninderra—Chief Minister, Minister for Transport, Minister for


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