The Canberra Liberals have accused Chris Steel MLA, Special Minister of State, of refusing to reveal the value of contracts awarded to unions or entities owned by unions since the 2016 ACT election.
Mr Steel’s office says the Liberals’ assertion is “a wilful and blatant misrepresentation” of his response.
Canberra Liberals MLA Peter Cain, Shadow Assistant Treasurer, said that Mr Steel, responding to a Question Taken on Notice, advised him that even taking “a conservative estimate”, the Directorate would need to check roughly 1,300 union-affiliated businesses to determine the value of contracts awarded to unions or entities. It would be an “unreasonable diversion of resources” to provide the details of these contracts.
Mr Cain said he was “bewildered” by Mr Steel’s “apparent disregard for any transparency on what was a fair and necessary question given the context”.
Mr Steel’s office, however, said the ACT Government had provided Mr Cain with information about three direct contracts with union bodies, including funding to support programs like the Industrial Relations Advice Service for Young Workers and a Women in Trades Industry Coordination Officer.
“The ACT Government lists all contracts over $25,000 on publicly accessible contract register,” the spokesperson said. “It’s our policy to maintain transparency and accountability as part of procurement processes.
“The Canberra Liberals have sought information about any contracts that could have gone to any organisation that has any affiliation or commercial relationship with a union. The scope of this request is incredibly broad and the advice from the public service was that this was an unreasonable diversion of resources.”
Mr Cain said: “The Labor Deputy Chief Minister [Yvette Berry] is under investigation by the Integrity Commissioner for alleged union interference on a contract [the Campbell Primary School modernisation project] that cost taxpayers an additional $897,000.
“That represents only one contract.
“There are 1,300 union-affiliated businesses operating in the ACT, meaning there are just as many opportunities for misusing public funds through lack of oversight.
“To say ‘look on the contact register’ or claim this is as an ‘unreasonable diversion of resources’ lacks probity.
“The link between Labor and the unions means there is a strong potential for a conflict of interest if not sufficiently open for public scrutiny.
“I wonder whether taxpayers would consider it an ‘unreasonable diversion of public service resources’ in answering a question central to government integrity?
“Transparency and truth build trust, and this Labor-Greens Government needs reminding of this fact far too often.”
