Page 1240 - Week 04 - Thursday, 21 March 2013
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As I said, we will be supporting the amendments to both clause 4 and clause 8.
Amendments agreed to.
Bill, as a whole, as amended, agreed to.
Bill, as amended, agreed to.
Sitting suspended from 12.29 to 2.30 pm.
Questions without notice
ACTEW Corporation Ltd—managing director
MR HANSON: My question is to the Treasurer. Yesterday, in response to a supplementary question about advice from ACTEW on the mistake in reporting the managing director’s salary, you stated:
I understand that the error was identified by ACTEW during the caretaker period last year. I received written advice from the chairman of the board on 8 March, and yesterday, being the first sitting day, tabled that advice in the Assembly.
Given that the caretaker period finished in early November, why did it take over four months for the chairman of the ACTEW board to advise you of this error?
MR BARR: That is a very good question, one that I have asked the chair of the ACTEW board. The response—and I think the chair has in fact said this in the public arena—was that they have sought some legal advice in relation to the materiality of the error. That took some time. I understand that the Christmas holiday period also intervened. But I put the view very firmly to the chair that I felt it was an unacceptable time period between when they first became aware and when the shareholders were notified, and I am seeking further explanation in relation to that.
MADAM ACTING SPEAKER: Supplementary?
MR HANSON: Did you or the Chief Minister meet with the board of ACTEW, its chairman or its managing director between November 2012 and 8 March? If so, did they advise you verbally of the error at any stage, and if so, when?
MR BARR: I will have to check my diary for those dates. I believe so. I believe I would have had a meeting, at least one meeting, with the managing director. And no, there was no verbal advice provided.
MADAM ACTING SPEAKER: Supplementary question, Mr Smyth.
MR SMYTH: Treasurer, does the board and senior management of ACTEW still enjoy your full confidence, given the blowout in the cost of the Cotter Dam enlargement, the findings of the ICRC and now this error?
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