ECV - Still another lickin - but keeps on tickin

Mr D. DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) -- My matter is for the Minister for Environment and Climate Change and concerns the ongoing issue of electronic conveyancing. Members will be aware, to refresh their memories with some background information, that the government introduced a plan for electronic conveyancing four to five years ago, that this plan has moved forward and something in the order of $40 million has been spent on the program.



But in fact only a single conveyancing transaction has been achieved. This is an extraordinary expenditure for what is a very modest, in fact pathetic, outcome for the community. Equally, there are national moves occurring in this area, but the state government has stood out from the national moves and has pushed forward with a Victorian model of electronic conveyancing. At a recent meeting of attorneys-general and related ministers nationally there was an agreement that there would be a national approach to this issue, and the Victorian government demanded that its system be the national system. Of course that has not been accepted; the best I think the Victorian government can hope for is that its system might be in some way cannibalised for such an outcome.

Given that background, my matter for the minister today is to ask him to order a halt to this extraordinary and outrageous waste of government money -- the $40 million -- that has been spent particularly on consultants. I want to single out a firm, Ajilon. It is a major international firm which has been involved with this project from the start and has played a significant and senior role in it.

This firm on its website says: Our approach is simple -- we make sure we understand your business then work alongside you as an extension of your team, using our expertise and proven methodologies.

I have to say that has not been the case on this occasion. That firm has been paid many millions of dollars but has not delivered the results for the Victorian community. As I say, only a single full conveyancing transaction has occurred and around $40 million has been expended on this proposal. I have to say the Australian made the point very well in its editorial recently. I would like the minister to not only call a halt to this outrageous waste of government money but to order an investigation into this waste as well, with a particular focus on the governance issues within the Department of Sustainability and Environment and the excessive closeness of Ajilon employees to a number of employees in the Department of Sustainability and Environment.



This is a scandal of the first order and it should be stopped. I suggest that $40 million is too much; the music has got to stop. Someone has to tell these consultants they have milked enough out of the system, and I call on the minister to halt the contract and order an inquiry.

Hansard