Guy Barnett (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the following matter be referred to the Economics References Committee for inquiry and report by 26 October 2009:

The establishment, management, operation and closure of the GROCERYchoice website and, in particular:

(a)

the rationale and purpose for the website as stated by the Government before the 2007 election;

(b)

the business plan, modelling or plans formulated by the Government or the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to establish, manage, operate and close the website;

(c)

the problems and issues faced by the ACCC in establishing, managing and operating the website, as well as in handing the website over to Choice;

(d)

the rationale for the ACCC ceasing to manage and operate the website;

(e)

the level of usage of the website while it was managed and operated by the ACCC;

(f)

the proposal Choice put to the Government to take over the website and the reasons why the Government was persuaded that taxpayers would receive value for money;

(g)

the problems and issues faced by Choice in establishing, operating and relaunching the website;

(h)

the contract arrangements with Choice and the various contractors involved with Choice’s and the ACCC’s management and operation of the website;

(i)

the legal issues and trade practices concerns arising from the establishment, management, operation and closure of the website;

(j)

the specific concerns of the major chains and independent retailers;

(k)

the total cost to the taxpayer in establishing, managing, operating and closing the website; and

(l)

any other matters incidental thereto.

Kerry O'Brien (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I seek leave to make a very brief statement.

Alan Ferguson (SA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for two minutes.

Kerry O'Brien (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government opposes this motion. We recognise that the numbers in the chamber deem that it will succeed and we will therefore not call a division.

Question agreed to.