Page 2862 - Week 10 - Thursday, 7 October 2021

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(e) many local communities and living precincts will be affected by the construction and completion of the light rail corridor;

(f) the total project cost could be carried by several generations of Canberra’s taxpayers;

(g) in August 2019, the Government published a business case for the Stage 2A element of the overall project to deliver light rail to Woden;

(h) the vast majority of financial information in that business case had been redacted; and

(i) given that Canberrans will pay for most of the light rail project, they are reasonably entitled to adequate information on this large project;

(2) further notes that the ACT Auditor-General:

(a) on 24 August, released a report on the Government’s economic analysis case for Light Rail Stage 2A;

(b) noted a number of significant cost omissions including wire-free power for light rail vehicles and disruption costs caused by the protracted construction period;

(c) also noted economic benefits claimed in the Government’s analysis relied heavily on residential development value gains in the Acton precinct as well as less specific and un-quantified wider economic benefits elsewhere;

(d) raised concerns over lack of transparency, insufficient quantification of costs and benefits and lack of a benefits realisation plan including on how light rail will accelerate development of Acton; and

(e) also expressed other concerns and questions over the business case including the basis of patronage figures and the impact of COVID on future requirements for public transport; and

(3) calls on the ACT Legislative Assembly to:

(a) establish a select committee for the remainder of this Assembly term, to consider and report on any matter relating to the Light Rail Stage 2 Project, including:

(i) project implementation and progress;

(ii) management of disruption generated by project activity;

(iii) risks and their mitigation;

(iv) community and business issues and concerns;

(v) impact of COVID on commuter practices and public transport demand;

(vi) project resources including funding requirements;

(vii) implementation of the Auditor-General’s recommendations; and

(viii) any other matter relating to the Light Rail Stage 2 Project;

(b) agree that in relation to the select committee:

(i) two Members be nominated by the Coalition Government;

(ii) two Members be nominated by the Opposition; and

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