Page 2522 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 1 August 2018

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and enhanced collaboration, support struggling families to reduce their reliance on crisis support.

Land—rural property acquisition

MR MILLIGAN: My question is to the minister for planning and the environment. The government approved the subdivision of Fairvale to allow the seller’s valuer to buy the most valuable part of Fairvale. The purchaser, a valuer for Knight Frank, had worked extensively for the LDA and had approached the former CEO of the LDA to agree to subdivide the land. The LDA had previously planned to purchase the whole property. Why did your directorate approve the subdivision of Fairvale?

MR GENTLEMAN: It was approached from LDA at the time to do the subdivision. LDA looked at the recommendations and conditions that were required for that transaction and went forward with the subdivision.

MR MILLIGAN: Minister, what consideration did your directorate give to potential conflicts of interest in the sale process?

MR GENTLEMAN: I thank Mr Milligan for the supplementary question. The directorate and staff always look at these sorts of issues when considering changes to the Territory Plan. They go through conditions. Obviously, many people in the directorate look at the different conditions that are imposed in those areas and look at the people involved in the processes to ensure that there are no conflicts of interest.

MR COE: Minister, how confident are you in the probity of your directorate’s decision regarding the subdivision of Fairvale? Have you investigated it yourself, and who actually made the call to approve the subdivision? If you do not know the answer to these questions, will you take them on notice and report back to the Assembly this afternoon?

MS BERRY: Madam Speaker, I will take the part of this question with regard to investigations. Following the Auditor-General’s report my office has asked for advice on the issues that have been raised by Mr Coe. I do not have that advice back yet. If I have legal advice and I can provide it, I will.

Land—rural property acquisition

MS LEE: My question is to the Minister for Housing and Suburban Development. I refer to the Auditor-General’s report Assembly of rural land west of Canberra, which found:

The former Land Development Agency gave inadequate attention to the establishment of contracts (licences/subleases) for the use and ongoing management of some rural properties to the west of Canberra that were the subject of this audit. This includes not collecting revenue from the first three purchases (Lands End, Milapuru and Fairvale), which the Audit Office estimates could amount to more than $200,000.


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