Mr Coe recently wrote to Icon Water requesting it publicly release the two service agreements in place with ActewAGL following the news that Icon Water gave a contract worth about $300 million without a tender process or expressions of interest.

“Rather than use the government’s own in-house Shared Services provider, Icon Water has given an 11 year contract to ActewAGL,” Mr Coe says.

“For some reason, Icon Water has given a sweetheart deal to the private company, ActewAGL rather than use the in-house services.”

Mr Coe says in the recall hearing the Minister and officials:  

• Refused to say if bonuses were paid to senior staff responsible for the deal
• Refused to release the agreements
• Confirmed the contract was not audited
• Confirmed there are no financial penalties for non-performance or under performance
• Confirmed no market testing was undertaken before entering into the contract
• Confirmed no analysis has been done to show whether the contract is delivering value for money to the people of Canberra
• Confirmed the cost of this contract is part of the massive increase to water prices

“The government has bypassed usual processes to enter into a huge contract without tendering,” he says. 

“I call again on the government to make the two agreements public.”