Wayne Crawford, , Mercury
The Government has only itself to blame for its troubles. Since the election it has been anything but transparent and has appeared too smart by half. Slowly but surely the electorate is learning of issues it should have been told of before the election: the Hydro’s need of a $300 million equity injection; the fact the Lauderdale Quay project had not really been scrapped; the real story about how much Spirit III was losing; the secret deal on builder accreditation …
And, more questions from the Libs …
Media Release
PETER GUTWEIN, MHA
Shadow Minister for Education
Sunday July 23, 2006
TCC scandal widens
Another Lennon Government Minister has been implicated in the Tasmanian Compliance Corporation (TCC) scandal.
This follows the dumping of a national building industry group’s authority to act as a registered training organisation to service Tasmanian’s building industry.
Additionally, the organisation, the Australian Institute of Building (AIB) also aimed to support a group to challenge the TCC’s monopoly on building industry compliance services – a bid cut short by the State Government’s action.
The AIB had a Registered Training Organization (RTO) in Hobart until its authority was withdrawn by the Tasmanian Qualifications Authority (TQA) in February this year, days before the State Government signed a secret deal with the TCC.
It wrote to then Education Minister, Paula Wriedt, claiming its cancelled registration as a training organization was wrong and called for the decision to be reversed.
The AIB letter to Ms Wriedt said: “…the TQA’s decision severely limited the opportunities for the Tasmanian building and construction industry to develop a mechanism for rigorous and independent assessment of builders and allied professionals to facilitate accreditation under the Building Act 2000.”
“To this date the AIB hasn’t heard from Ms Wriedt or any other Minister in the Lennon Government,” Shadow Education Minister, Peter Gutwein said.
“This raise questions, how much did Ms Wriedt know of the Government’s TCC negotiations for an exclusive deal – especially as it’s clear she knew about the AIB’s intention to support a rival to the TCC being established,” Shadow Minister for Education, Peter Gutwein, said.
“The AIB was established in 1951 and is nationally recognised as the professional body representing the managers of building and construction firms and one wonders what sort of message this sends about Tasmania. This is a slap in the face to a body aiming to conduct a training organization in Tasmania and also underlines the lack of commitment by the Lennon Government to training.”
The Lennon Government’s action means the AIB will operate its RTO from Canberra. It remains to be seen if it is part of any future building compliance services bid.
