LIBERAL Peter Cain wants to know the value of contracts awarded to unions or entities owned by unions since the 2016 ACT election. Minister Chris Steel won’t tell him.

Responding to a Question Taken on Notice, the Special Minister of State says that even taking “a conservative estimate”, there are about 1300 union-affiliated businesses the directorate would need to check to determine the value of contracts awarded to unions or entities.

Steel says it would be an “unreasonable diversion of resources” to provide the details of these contracts.

MLA Peter Cain says: “To say ‘look on the contact register’ or claim this is as an ‘unreasonable diversion of resources’ lacks probity.

“The link between Labor and the unions means there is a strong potential for a conflict of interest if not sufficiently open for public scrutiny.

“I wonder whether taxpayers would consider it an ‘unreasonable diversion of public service resources’ in answering a question central to government integrity?”