TCC probe call

Paul Harriss MLC MR

Builders and Tasmanian taxpayers may have been hundreds of thousands of dollars out of pocket through the TCC scandal and this further inquiry will clear the air once and for all.
Private Members Bill to request Auditor investigation of TCC

Media Release
2 April 2008

HUON MLC Paul Harriss has introduced a private members bill requiring an auditor to be appointed to determine if the services delivered by the Tasmanian Compliance Corporation (TCC) represented good value for money.

Mr Harriss said he was re-introducing the bill, after a tactical blunder by Liberal Brett Whiteley in late 2006 saw a similar piece of Government supported legislation scuttled in the House of Assembly.

Under the revised legislation, an auditor will be required to evaluate the level of service provided by the TCC and make an assessment as to whether there needs to be a return of funds to the builders, architects and building surveyors who used its services.

“The TCC generated many millions of dollars in revenue and it is important to ensure that the services it delivered met the requirements set down by the government when the TCC was first appointed.

“If the auditor finds the services delivered were not up to scratch, then he can recommend that a refund be provided by the TCC.”

Mr Harriss said the bill would also look at the quantum of the $143,000 paid to the State Government by TCC when the government took over the accreditation of builders and the auditor will be required to determine if the Tasmanian taxpayers received good value for money.

Builders and Tasmanian taxpayers may have been hundreds of thousands of dollars out of pocket through the TCC scandal and this further inquiry will clear the air once and for all.

“When the original bill was before parliament, I had a personal undertaking by the Premier Paul Lennon that his government would support the Bill and I look forward to him doing so again,” Mr Harriss said.