Shadow Assistant Treasurer Peter Cain has slammed the Chief Minister and Special Minister of State for failing to adequately respond to the scathing ACT Auditor-General’s Performance Audit Report on the failed $78 million Human Resources and Information Management System (HRIMS) program.

Mr Cain said it is unacceptable that there has been no adequate response from the government and reiterated his calls for the Chief Minister to show leadership and sack Chris Steel from the Special Minister of State portfolio.

“The HRIMS program was described by the Auditor-General’s report as ‘a significant failure for the Territory’, yet we have had radio silence from Minister Steel since its release,” Mr Cain said.

“How much longer does Minister Steel need to finally resign from the Special Minister of State portfolio?

“How much longer does the Chief Minister need to show Canberrans that wasting $78 million of taxpayers’ money is unacceptable and sack Chris Steel from his position?

“Minister Steel must apologise to Canberrans for such obvious waste and mismanagement of their money. Canberrans justifiably want answers and accountability when taxpayer funds blow out from a budget of $15 million to $78 million with nothing of substance to show for it.

“This is one of many blights on this ACT Labor-Greens government’s record of economic mismanagement, but it is the total lack of responsibility, remorse, or regret by Minister Steel, which makes it so much more astonishing.

“Now, according to the Auditor-General’s report, Minister Steel is spending an additional $35 million to fix the existing human resources systems used by the ACT Government, which itself has blown out from an initial allocation of $16.44 million.

“Everything about Minister Steel’s handling of this ongoing situation regarding the HRIMS program has been a disaster and it does not appear to be ending anytime soon with him at the helm.

“If this gross wastage had occurred in the business world, then the responsible executive would have lost their position," Mr Cain concluded.