Ms O’CONNOR – You remember a fair bit. We did ask the question yesterday of the Treasurer: so there’s a request for proposals process that the government’s going through in order to what it calls repurpose – but, potentially, is sell the Treasury building. The Treasurer said that the Valuer-General had undertaken evaluation on the Treasury building and then referred us – or sort of fobbed us off. Here we are asking the question – here I am – whether the Valuer-General has undertaken a valuation of the Treasury Building complex as part of the process of the government seeking expressions of interest for whatever private entity they want to do something with.
Mr FLETCHER – The Valuer-General does provide valuation advice on a regular basis to Treasury about its properties and its portfolio, but specific valuations would be something, I think, best directed to the Treasurer. I mean the Valuer‑General’s under specific obligations under the Valuation of Land Act 2001 around keeping those valuations confidential. Under section 8 of the Valuation of Land Act 2001.
Ms O’CONNOR – Section 8 prevents –
Mr FLETCHER – It requires the Valuer-General to maintain confidentiality on that. It’s obviously a matter for the portfolios in terms of those valuations.
Ms O’CONNOR – We could argue about that. Section 8, but it’s a public building that’s supported by public funds and it homes public servants. We will have to get that another way and perhaps get back to the Treasurer after he fobbed us off.
Ms THOMAS – Did you ask if a valuation has been provided?
Ms O’CONNOR – I did.
Mr FLETCHER – We do provide valuation advice to Treasury regularly.
CHAIR – But on this particular building –
Mr FLETCHER – On the Treasury building.
CHAIR – So it has been done. When was the last one done?
Mr FLETCHER – I couldn’t give you that date.
CHAIR – In recent times?
Mr FLETCHER – It would be this year, I would suspect.
