Page 953 - Week 03 - Thursday, 22 March 2018

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MR COE: Minister, how can the people of the ACT trust the integrity of the government of which you are a minister if you continue to state that this matter has in effect been put to bed when in fact there are serious probity breaches that need to be investigated?

MR GENTLEMAN: As we know, the government has accepted the Auditor-General’s report, and we will be responding to it in the not too distant future. It is important that we, whilst responding to it, move on with the plans that we have for section 72 that I outlined in my previous answer.

Light rail—local employment

MR WALL: My question is to the Minister for Transport and City Services. Minister, what percentage of workers currently working on the light rail project are long-term ACT residents?

MS FITZHARRIS: I will have to take the question on notice but I ask Mr Wall to clarify what he means by “long-term ACT residents”. Of course, the government welcomes all ACT residents, no matter how long they have been living in our great city.

MR WALL: Minister, are you aware of fly-in, fly-out arrangements in place for any workers on the light rail project and is there any reporting mechanism from the consortium back to government on the number of local employees employed on construction of the project?

MS FITZHARRIS: Yes, there are requirements about local participation and local jobs on the project, as the opposition well know, but I believe that, in some instances, given the state of the infrastructure market around the country, we are fortunate to have some people coming to Canberra, including from right across our border, for example Yass and Queanbeyan. And I welcome those people. I welcome the fact that the ACT government is giving people the opportunity to have employment, to have good, well-paid, secure employment, building the city’s biggest infrastructure project.

MR MILLIGAN: Minister, what actions has your government taken to ensure that the majority of jobs generated by the light rail project were available to ACT residents?

MS FITZHARRIS: We required that in the contract for all those who tendered for this project. That was an important part of the government’s requirements for all tenderers—and Canberra Metro, who subsequently won the tender.

Government—disability services

MS ORR: My question is to the Minister for Disability, Children and Youth. Minister, what is the ACT government doing to promote connection and participation within the community for people with disability?


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