The head of the ACT Education Directorate is taking authorized motion in opposition to the territory’s Integrity Commission over its investigation into the Campbell Primary School expansion, a transfer the federal government says it has “no knowledge of”.
The ACT Integrity Commission is analyzing why Education Directorate director-general Katy Haire determined to award the varsity’s refurbishment contract to Lendlease.
That resolution successfully overruled the recommendation of a young analysis group, which deemed Manteena the popular contractor.
The fee held public hearings final 12 months, during which Ms Haire said she didn’t seek legal advice when she overruled the tender evaluation decision, but that in hindsight, she wished she had.
It’s now been revealed that Ms Haire is suing the fee and its commissioner, Michael Adams KC, alleging apprehended bias in the investigation.
Ms Haire launched the motion on September 1, earlier than she first appeared on the fee’s public hearings.
The court docket paperwork present Ms Haire wished to stop the fee from holding public hearings into the matter, finishing its investigation, and getting ready a report.
“A fair minded reasonably informed lay observer might consider that the [commissioner] is not or might not approach … [the investigation] with a sufficient level of impartiality and is not open to persuasion,” the court docket paperwork learn.
‘Government not concerned’
Education Minister Yvette Berry mentioned she solely grew to become conscious of the authorized motion launched by her director-general when it was reported in the media at present.
Ms Berry mentioned the federal government was not concerned in the authorized motion and any questions must be directed to Ms Haire.
“I’m not part of the process and neither is the government and any questions about what’s happening need to go to the people who have put in the claims,” Ms Berry said.
“I’ve no information of the matter and the federal government has no information of the matter.”
But ACT Opposition Leader Elizabeth Lee said the Attorney-General was made aware of the court proceedings in September and the government still had questions to answer.
“I feel that it is an extremely vital query for the ACT authorities to affirm for the general public whether or not it’s the ACT authorities, and finally the ACT taxpayers, which are footing the invoice of the plaintiff in these Supreme Court proceedings,” Ms Lee said.
The ABC has sought comment from the ACT government about whether it is funding Ms Haire’s legal action, or if the Attorney-General or other ministers had been aware of the legal action before it was reported in the media.
The lawsuit is scheduled to go earlier than the ACT Supreme Court in November whereas the fee is due to maintain its subsequent public hearings into the Campbell Primary School procurement course of in July.