Canberra Liberals Leader Elizabeth Lee is calling on the ACT Labor-Greens Government to undertake an independent audit of all procurement decisions made by the ACT Government over the past five years.

Ms Lee said on the back of a scathing Auditor-General’s report regarding the procurement process of the Campbell Primary School Modernisation Project, the Canberra community deserves assurances whether this is ‘endemic’ across ACT Government procurement processes.

“It is extremely concerning that the IndegrityCommissioner has come out very publicly saying that issues with procurement processes in the ACT Government might be endemic,” Ms Lee said.

“An independent audit of procurement decisions made by the ACT Government over the last five years is necessary to make sure the issues seen with the Campbell Primary School procurement process are not replicated across other directorates.”

During annual reports hearings last week, the Education Minister said, ‘As far as I am aware there was nothing done wrong and the procurement processes were followed’.

Even after the damning Auditor-General’s report was published that stated the procurement process lacked probity and tenderers were not dealt with fairly, impartially, and consistently, the Minister still did not think it needed to be referred to the Integrity Commission.

“It is astounding to hear the Education Minister say that in her view nothing was done wrong, and all processes were followed, even after the Auditor-General’s report was published,” Ms Lee said.

“This shows that the ACT Labor-Greens Government is incapable of taking this matter seriously and is instead hoping to sweep it under the carpet and move on.

“If the Chief Minister and his government have nothing to hide, they must agree to this independent audit of procurement decisions,” concluded Ms Lee.