Canberra Liberals Leader Elizabeth Lee is calling on the Chief Minister and Minister for Skills to front up and tell the public everything they know about the CIT consulting contracts that have cost Canberra taxpayers $8.87 million over the last five years.

Since the unusual contracts were exposed last week, it has come to light that not only did the Minister for Skills express concern over 15 months ago, but it has been reported the Chief Minister was warned in 2019. At the time, the Chief Minister stated that he was ‘confident’ the contracts represented value for money to Canberra taxpayers.

Ms Lee said that to this point the response from the Chief Minister and Minister for Skills has been grossly inadequate.

“It is now a week since this issue came to light and we are yet to hear anything of substance from the ACT Labor-Greens government,” Ms Lee said.

“Canberrans are rightly shocked and outraged at this gross misuse of taxpayer money and the Chief Minister must step up show some leadership.

“His response in the Legislative Assembly last week was not befitting of a Chief Minister, instead using the opportunity to attack the Canberra Liberals for holding his government to account.

“He was warned about the contracts in 2019; the Minister for Skills was warned about the contracts in 2021; and yet further contracts worth millions of taxpayer dollars have been signed.

“CIT staff are scared of losing their jobs if they speak up and they are crying out for someone in the ACT Labor-Greens government to step up and take responsibility.

“The Canberra Liberals stand by our no confidence motion in The Minister for Skills last week and if he won’t be accountable the Chief Minister must be.

“On the back of the serious issues with the Campbell Primary School Modernisation project procurement only a few months ago, Canberrans have every right to be concerned with how their taxes are being spent by this Labor-Greens government,” Ms Lee concluded.