The ACT government will not answer opposition questions about a series of lucrative contracts the Canberra Institute of Technology awarded to a "complexity and systems thinker".
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Opposition Leader Elizabeth Lee asked a range of questions related to the $8.5 million contracts during the last Legislative Assembly sitting week in June. Many of the questions had to be taken on notice.
But Skills Minister Chris Steel has since responded to Ms Lee's questions saying he could not give any answers as an integrity commission investigation was underway into the procurement of the contracts.
The series of contracts over five years to companies owned by Patrick Hollingworth have come under fire for having unclear aims and deliverables. CIT also appeared to ignore advice from the procurement board about the contracts.
Last month former CIT board chair Craig Sloan told Mr Steel he could not guarantee the most recent contract for $4.99 million represented value for money. Mr Steel lashed the board over the contracts.
One of the unanswered questions from Ms Lee was about discussions Mr Steel had with the CIT board after he had raised concerns about the contracts with Mr Hollingworth in early 2021.
The Skills Minister responded: "The question and related questions are matters that are currently the subject of an investigation by the ACT Integrity Commission. To ensure the integrity commission's work can proceed without interference, these questions cannot be responded to at this time".
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Ms Lee said the Skills Minister needed to be upfront about what he knew. She said this was not related to the procurement of the contracts.
"It is absolutely imperative for the minister to be upfront with the public about the murkiness that has clouded these contracts," she said.
"Canberrans deserve to know about the nature of the discussions he had with the CIT board about the contracts and what came out of those discussions.
"To hide behind the current integrity commission investigation as an excuse not to answer questions even on topics that do not relate to procurements and contracts themselves is a disgrace."
But Mr Steel said the integrity commission should be able to conduct its investigation free from interference.
"Ms Lee is asking me to provide information that is possibly relevant to an investigation being conducted by the integrity commission," he said.
"The Canberra Liberals should understand the duty on me, and themselves, to not hinder or interfere in the conduct of that investigation."
Ms Lee also said freedom-of-information requests submitted by the Canberra Liberals to CIT about the contracts had not met statutory deadlines. CIT has recently contracted a temporary FOI specialist.
Mr Steel's responses have come after CIT has stayed silent on how long chief executive Leanne Cover will be on leave after she was directed to take leave following the announcement of the integrity commission's investigation.
CIT had planned to complete a review into the nearly $5 million contract by the end of July but this was paused at the request from the integrity commission. Ms Cover was initially stood down until this investigation was completed.
An acting CEO is expected to be appointed shortly.
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Lucy Bladen
Lucy Bladen has been a journalist at The Canberra Times since 2019. She is an ACT politics and health reporter. Email: l.bladen@canberratimes.com.au
Lucy Bladen has been a journalist at The Canberra Times since 2019. She is an ACT politics and health reporter. Email: l.bladen@canberratimes.com.au
