2026-07-31
ACT Greens leader and environment spokesperson Jo Clay is calling on the ACT Labor Government to explain serious inconsistencies in its handling of a procurement, after today's Estimates hearings raised more questions than answers.
During today's hearing, the Government claimed an open tender process was the only legally compliant option available for environmental landcare. However, documents released under Freedom of Information (FOI) tell a different story.
A ministerial brief obtained by Ms Clay through FOI (view pages 117-120) shows the Government was presented with two options:
- maintain the existing funding arrangements with the ACT's catchment groups; or
- undertake an open procurement process.
This directly contradicts today's evidence that an open tender was the only lawful pathway.
The Government now needs to explain why it has given conflicting accounts to the Legislative Assembly.
"Today's evidence simply doesn't stack up with the Government's own documents," Ms Clay said.
"If the Minister was presented with an option to continue the longstanding funding arrangements, the Government needs to explain why they have repeatedly claimed open tender was the only legal choice.
“The Government could not answer many of our questions about how and why this process was run this way and what the impact will be for Canberra's environment and environmental volunteers.
"We did hear that the procurement process was so stressful that the Government has offered EPA services to those involved."
For 30 years, the ACT's three catchment groups have delivered community environmental education and stewardship programs through a cooperative model supported by modest annual funding. Thousands of volunteers contribute environmental work valued by the Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment at $21.6 million a year in equivalent wage costs.
Significant questions remain unanswered about this procurement in light of concerning evidence provided by the Government.
The Greens are calling on the Government to immediately:
- release the internal review that led to the procurement decision;
- refer this matter to the Auditor-General; and
- explain why the Government's evidence today differs from its own FOI documents.
"After months of unanswered questions, contradictory explanations and closed processes, Canberrans are entitled to know how these decisions were made and what they mean for the future of our community catchment groups," Ms Clay said.