The ACT's integrity commissioner has flagged there could be public hearings in a matter of weeks about the controversial procurement process for an expansion of Campbell Primary School.
The commission is also in the final stages of an interim report into more than $8.5 million worth of contracts awarded by the Canberra Institute of Technology.
Integrity commissioner Michael Adams KC told budget estimates he was prioritising these matters as they were current and both had identified wider systemic issues that will need attention.
He said there were also other historical investigations which had been completed but reports had not yet been written. Mr Adams said he wanted the Campbell Primary School and CIT investigations to be released first.
"I'm focusing my attention on matters where we can currently change things as distinct from historical matters where we can do little else but wag the finger and move one," he said.
The commission is investigating a range of matters but has only publicly confirmed two of these matters.
The CIT investigation is into a series of contracts awarded to "complexity and systems thinker" Patrick Hollingworth over a five-year period for organisation transformation.
There is also an investigation into the procurement for the construction of an expansion of Campbell Primary School after the Auditor-General found the process lacked probity.
Mr Adams told the hearing he expected to hold public hearings into the Campbell Primary School matter some time during the second week of August.
This would be the first time the commission will hold public hearings.
But Mr Adams said the hearings would be dependent on responses from the parties involved. He said letters had been sent to seven witnesses about the intention to hold public hearings and he was seeking submissions about whether they supported or opposed that.
"I should think the arguments in favour of such a hearing are strong, however, there are the interests of the individuals involved they are entitled to have their views considered before a decision is made," he said.
"What I am presently planning is, if my present preliminary view is confirmed, that is there are no persuasive submissions to the opposite effect, we will be starting those public hearings some time in the second week of August."
Mr Adams said he was considering holding public hearings into the CIT matter, but emphasised this was still a consideration as he expected there would be a legal argument about it.
He said he was working on a draft submission into the investigation and this submission would need to be presented to the parties involved to respond before any decision on public hearings could be made.
Mr Adams said he could have "submissions in reply" by early October but did say it "might be optimistic". He said different parties could have different views on the matters.
"Some persons will have an issue with some part and other persons will have an issue with another part and I've got to give them all a fair opportunity," he said.
"This is a case where you can only go as fast as your slowest participant."
Mr Adams flagged the possibility of public hearings into the CIT contracts in estimates hearings last year. He said more than a million documents had to be examined as part of the investigation.
There will be a deadline for the parties to respond to the draft submission.
The Integrity Commission was given an extra $940,000 in funding in the budget but Mr Adams told the hearing he would "probably be back and asking for more".
We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on The Canberra Times website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. See our moderation policy here.
