Mr BAYLEY – Thank you, Chair. Treasurer, I want to go to an issue that there’s been some backward and forward about for many years, and that goes to the Royal Flying Doctor Service. My understanding is that you’ve signed an exemption for Treasurer’s instruction so as to allow for a sole tenderer contract to be issued at over $20 million. What’s the rationale for the request for the contract for fixed wing aeromedical services to be given an exemption?
Mr FERGUSON – Mr Bayley, would it be okay if I took it on notice? But I’ll do my very best to present the answer back to the committee before we rise.
Mr BAYLEY – Of course.
Mr FERGUSON – I’ll get you the detail to that. I’ll have it to you, if I can, before that time.
Mr BAYLEY – I guess further to that, I’d be interested to understand your rationale for allowing a sole tenderer, contract of over $20 million, at a time when we have cuts across the public service. It just seems to be a slightly a reckless act on one hand when you are cutting the public service and impacting on the services that Tasmanians expect and deserve, on the other.
Mr FERGUSON – I will pre-empt a future answer. If I can ask my Treasury team to present some information that I can bring to the committee before 12.10 p.m., we will do that, but also to give you an assurance, Mr Bayley, that I receive requests from agencies for an exemption to a Treasurer’s instruction very rarely, and consequently they’re very rarely granted. I can assure you that I take those matters on very careful advice. On the small number of occasions when I’ve provided an exemption to a TI, it’s only ever been when I’ve had supporting advice from the Treasury, not just the agency requesting it.
Mr BAYLEY – Thank you, and I appreciate that and that’s why we ask for that explanation of the rationale.
Chair, just by way of process, do I need to write that out with the questions and answers coming before the end of it?
CHAIR – No, only if I am unable to bring it to you before 12.10 p.m.
Mr BAYLEY – Thank you.
