A FORMER Labor Senator will take over as CIT board chair today (July 1) despite serving as deputy during the awarding of several contracts now being investigated by the ACT’s Integrity Commission.
Kate Lundy, who has been in the position of deputy chair since April 2020, will replace outgoing board chair Craig Sloan following the revelation of $8.87 million worth of “unusual” contracts awarded by the CIT to a single consultant.
Since 2017, the contracts were all awarded to “complexity and systems thinker” Patrick Hollingworth, primarily to provide “mentoring” to the CIT CEO.
The most recent contract, signed in March, is valued at almost $5 million and fell only $10 short of needing to go before the government’s procurement board.
ACT Opposition Leader Elizabeth Lee has accused Skills Minister Chis Steel of abdicating responsibility in light of Ms Lundy’s appointment.
“When writing to the board two weeks ago, the Minister said he was underwhelmed with their response but clearly not underwhelmed enough to take any real action,” said Ms Lee.
“Canberrans are rightly concerned about how their taxes are being spent by this Labor-Greens government and they deserve better.”
The near $5million contract awarded in March has since been suspended and will also be the subject of an internal audit by the CIT.
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