Page 4016 - Week 10 - Tuesday, 20 September 2011
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The committee reiterates previous comments it has made on this matter as detailed in its interim report. In that report, the committee stated:
A whole-of-government office accommodation strategy is a significant high level document which should be used to inform the decision making process for the construction of a new government office building. On the basis of the evidence, the Committee has reservations that the development of the Strategy, rather than informing what the decision should be, will, in the main, accommodate the decision …
The Committee believes that this would be contrary to the purpose and intent of strategic planning. The whole-of-government accommodation strategy should therefore be finalised prior to any decision concerning the construction of a whole-of-government office building project or the awarding of any contract.
The committee notes that the ACT government whole-of-government office accommodation strategy is still to be finalised. The committee has written to the Minister for Economic Development requesting that it be provided with a copy of the strategy when it is finalised.
Given the Assembly motion on the government office block project, as agreed to on 24 August 2011, together with the government’s recent announcement that it will market test the delivery of new office accommodation in Gungahlin and Civic, the committee has resolved that at this stage any further inquiry into the audit report is not warranted. However, the committee will continue to monitor the outcome of the government’s market testing processes and the progress report on the government office block project by December 2011 as required by the Assembly motion.
Mr Smyth: I seek leave to speak to the statement.
Leave not granted.
Standing and temporary orders—suspension
MR SMYTH (Brindabella) (11.04): I move:
That so much of the standing and temporary orders be suspended as would prevent Mr Smyth from making a statement.
Mr Corbell: No. Circulate your statement. If you have got a speech, you should give advance notice of your speech.
MR SMYTH: But that has never been the practice, Mr Corbell, and you know it.
Members interjecting—
MR ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Mr Hargreaves): Members!
MR SMYTH: It has always been the practice in this place for members to speak to statements.
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