Page 4221 - Week 11 - Thursday, 17 Sept 2009
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• continual improvement to all procurement documentation and forms for ease of use;
• procurement thresholds that have been simplified to align more appropriately with the industry expectation and ease administrative burden on businesses; and
• improvements to the pre-qualifications scheme, making it easier and more attractive for industry to tender for ACT government works and improve the efficiency of the procurement process.
As I said before, the growth in the capital works program represents a challenge to the government and industry and highlights the need for us to work harder and smarter and, importantly, closer with the private sector.
As part of our management and delivery strategy, the Treasurer has implemented a new capital works reporting regime, with a greater level of detail now being captured and reported at a whole-of-government level. The Treasurer is convening monthly forums with agencies responsible for the delivery of our capital works program and to date she has held three meetings with CFOs, covering issues such as program status, emerging issues and improved ways of working. Through these meetings and enhanced reporting arrangements, we are closely monitoring the progress of each project at key points and will address the program risks with appropriate mitigation strategies as they arise.
To support this process, reports are being provided to the budget committee of cabinet every second month on their progress on delivering the 2009-10 program. These enhanced reporting regimes provide the government with more accurate methods of tracking delivery milestones and performance of capital projects throughout their life cycles. The Treasurer is proposing to reintroduce the tabling of quarterly reports, which will be more relevant and useful for the community and which will provide detail on what is being achieved in project delivery and how our major projects are progressing at various stages.
The government has a strong record on planning, management and delivery of infrastructure. The procurement measures that I have outlined today, in conjunction with recent improvements to our reporting and monitoring processes, will ensure that we continue to deliver quality infrastructure to the community.
The continuing attacks on our performance regarding the delivery and management of capital works simply do not stack up. Just one year’s expenditure by this government eclipses the expenditure in a whole term of the Liberal government. We are not sitting back twiddling our thumbs awaiting delivery of projects by industry. We are continuing to work closely and collaboratively with industry on improving project delivery through streamlining procurement processes, enhanced advice and reporting. We are listening to and engaging with industry and we are getting on with the job of delivering those important projects, particularly those under the commonwealth’s nation building program.
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