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House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, First Session (53-1)
2014-10-28 Daily Xml
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Gillman Land Sale

Ms CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (15:34): My question is to the Minister for Planning. Did the process that led to the agreement to sell 400 hectares of land at Gillman to ACP without a public tender follow the state government's existing unsolicited bid policy?

The Hon. J.R. RAU (Enfield—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Justice Reform, Minister for Planning, Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Minister for Industrial Relations) (15:35): Let's get a few things clear. The government, as I understand it, has published a draft unsolicited bids policy for the purpose of attracting public comment. That unsolicited bid policy is a document which has been formulated, I think, after regard was had to New South Wales and Victorian models. There was an attempt, actually, to have a model here which had a lot of similar features to those, so that people who might be doing business in those states would find it equally convenient to do business here.

I have not been, personally, through the exercise of ascertaining whether each and every element in that draft policy was exactly the same—or in the same order, in the same process or using the same processes—as might be applicable, assuming the draft document becomes the official policy. What I can say is that, in the case of the original decision in relation to the Gillman proposal, I understand that the appropriate probity oversight was undertaken. I do not think I can really take that much further, because I gather there are some people having a bit of a contest about this matter down in Victoria Square at the moment.

Ms Chapman: What about the current policy?

The Hon. J.R. RAU: The current policy—it is implicit in what I am saying that the government thought that the current arrangements were not as obvious, transparent and accessible as we would like them to be. For that reason, we decided, 'Let's get out there on the front foot and—

Ms CHAPMAN: Point of order: the minister is clearly referring to a new draft of a policy that he is about to do—some hypothetical. I have asked the question: are the arrangements in relation to the sale to ACP consistent with the existing policy?

The SPEAKER: This is highly disorderly, but as an indulgence I have allowed the deputy leader to do it.

Ms CHAPMAN: Thank you, sir, because I am sure you will be interested in the answer, too.

The SPEAKER: The Deputy Premier.

The Hon. J.R. RAU: In relation to that, it is my understanding that there was compliance with the then existing arrangements. I will check that, but that is my understanding. The point I am trying to make to people is that we have considered this matter of unsolicited bids. It is potentially a complex ongoing issue for government and we thought it best that there was a publicly published transparent set of guidelines that anybody could acquaint themselves with so that they could use that as a blueprint to engage with government in the future. That is why we put that out there.

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