A parliamentary question probes the Minister for Communities' involvement in the Empowering Communities Program tender process, specifically regarding the timing of outcome notifications and contract extensions for unsuccessful applicants. The Minister confirms involvement but denies influencing the tender outcome.

AnsweredQoN 4779Legislative Assembly
Asked
19 February 2019
Portfolio
Community Services

QuestionView source ↗

I refer to the Empowering Communities Program (ECP) tender announced by the Department of Communities on 14 December 2018 and ask: (a) Did
the Minister for Communities note or approve the organisations that were
successful in the Empowering Communities Program, prior to recipients being
advised of the outcome by the Department of Communities on 14 December 2018; (b) If
yes to (1) on what date; (c) Did
the Minister or her office direct the Department for Communities to provide existing
Community Neighbourhood Development Services (CNDS) service providers that were
unsuccessful in the ECP with a further contract
extension to their current CNDS service agreement; (d) If
yes to (3) on what date and time was this direction made to the Department of
Communities; (e) What
was the reason for unsuccessful applicants to the ECP being advised on the same day that they had received a further contract
extension; (f) Why
were unsuccessful applicants not advised that they would receive a further
contract extension until June 2020, at the same time as being advised they had
been unsuccessful in the ECP tender; and (g) At
any point during the ECP tender process, did the Minister or her office have any influence over the
outcome of the tender, or emphasise funding priorities?

AnswerView source ↗

Answered
19 March 2019
Responded by
Minister for Community Services
Response time
6 days
a) Yes, the Minister noted the outcome of the tender process.
b) The Minister was provided a briefing package which contained the final tender outcome on 14 December 2018.
c) Yes.
d) 14 December 2018, at approximately 1:00pm.
e) Consideration was given to the impact on unsuccessful organisations and the communities they provide services to. Contract extension was put in place to enable services to continue operating to 30 June 2020.
f) The difference in timing arises from separate consideration by Government of the impact on unsuccessful organisations and the communities they provide services to.
g) No.

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