Dr LIM - 2001-10-23
The minister said on radio last week that the CLP government paid too much for Owen Springs, ignoring the fact that the value of the land was a realistic market price as advised by the Australian Valuation Office. The people of Alice Springs have expressed their total support for the CLP government’s purchase of Owen Springs, an action that has preserved, for the community, a large area of land which can be used for future development of the community, including the unhindered expansion of the town. I ask the minister what he meant by his statement that he is reviewing the purposes for which the land will be used?
ANSWER
Thank you very much to the member for Greatorex for his question. I did not make the comment on my own, I read the Valuer-General’s report. I will refer to the report which stated: ‘the unimproved value’ …
Mr Burke: You don’t have an opinion?
Mr VATSKALIS: No, I don’t give my opinion. I have said I am quoting what the Valuer-General, who is a public servant, said: ‘The unimproved value of the station was $812 000 and all the facilities were valued at about $2.1m’. The CLP paid $1.3m for the unimproved value and $1.7m-plus for the facilities.
Mr Baldwin: Don’t you know the difference between unimproved capital value and market value?
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr VATSKALIS: I can refer you back to the Valuer-General’s report. You can take it and have a look at it. They paid too much. Ask the Valuer-General, who refers to it as an ‘anxious buyer’s transaction’.
ANSWER
Thank you very much to the member for Greatorex for his question. I did not make the comment on my own, I read the Valuer-General’s report. I will refer to the report which stated: ‘the unimproved value’ …
Mr Burke: You don’t have an opinion?
Mr VATSKALIS: No, I don’t give my opinion. I have said I am quoting what the Valuer-General, who is a public servant, said: ‘The unimproved value of the station was $812 000 and all the facilities were valued at about $2.1m’. The CLP paid $1.3m for the unimproved value and $1.7m-plus for the facilities.
Mr Baldwin: Don’t you know the difference between unimproved capital value and market value?
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr VATSKALIS: I can refer you back to the Valuer-General’s report. You can take it and have a look at it. They paid too much. Ask the Valuer-General, who refers to it as an ‘anxious buyer’s transaction’.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016