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Canberra Today 18°/24° | Friday, March 29, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Transparency laws will make land deals public

Opposition Leader Alistair Coe.
TRANSPARENCY laws, which will be presented in the Assembly today (August 1), will force the government to publicly release records on its land deals, says Opposition Leader Alistair Coe. 

Mr Coe says the “Government Agencies (Land Acquisitions Bill) 2018” will capture all land purchases made by ACT government agencies, requiring the relevant minister to report details surrounding the purchases within six days after the end of the quarter.

“There are too many outrageous government lands deals that have gone under the radar, costing Canberrans millions of dollars in value,” he says. 

The laws will require the minister to release records such as:

  • How value for money was pursued;
  • Reason for the purchase;
  • Whether the Minister of Cabinet considered the purchase, and who approved it; and
  • Summary of information considered by the purchaser, including advice from relevant authorities and risk assessments.

Mr Coe says the laws he’s introducing today will be an easy thing for the government to do as it requires very little additional administration.

“The Opposition has discussed these laws at length with both Labor and the Greens, and I hope we can achieve tripartisan agreement,” he says. 

“This legislation is just one step that the Assembly can take to make the ACT government more accountable.”

 

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