Page 344 - Week 01 - Thursday, 11 February 2010
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the ACT served by the best possible infrastructure to meet the needs of the community through high-quality service delivery. This vision is in contrast to that of the previous government, which chose to fritter away the sound asset base inherited by the ACT government at the beginning of self-government.
Our vision, through the delivery of major projects, has seen the territory’s infrastructure substantially enhanced. Substantial improvement has seen the delivery of superior systems in all sectors of the ACT government’s operation. These include the education system, transport infrastructure, the justice system, water infrastructure, health services, municipal services and social services.
As can be seen in the government’s budget papers, significantly more planning and thought are going into the delivery of major capital works than ever before. Budget paper 5 provides the information on all elements of the ACT government’s infrastructure and capital program. It also provides detail on all projects, not just the major ones.
Close consultation with industry is a key requirement for the well-planned delivery of major capital projects. This government is actively and regularly engaging with industry. We recognise that the successful delivery of our capital works program is highly dependent on a diverse range of private sector businesses and companies.
In response to concerns raised by industry that some sectors of the building industry were at or nearing capacity and that there may be a need for government to reappraise its capital program, we convened an industry roundtable. The roundtable and further consultation indicate that the key area of concern is within the civil construction and design industry. You will see some refinements that we have made to our capital program in the budget review documents: we have reallocated $105 million worth of work out of this financial year and into the following financial years to assist with some of industry’s concern. Before the opposition get too excited about that, I should say that does not mean that any project will not be done and it does not alter the timetable for the delivery of those projects; it is merely a cash profiling of when the cash goes out of the door and we expect to be invoiced.
Having a vision to substantially improve the ACT’s infrastructure is of no value unless there are robust delivery mechanisms to deliver a program of associated works. This government have overhauled the ACT’s project delivery mechanisms to ensure that projects are completed and provide the enhanced services that were intended. Areas where we have improved on delivery system processes and practice include investment in resources to deliver the program, better ways of utilising resources and improved procurement processes and documentation.
We have substantially increased our capacity to deliver major capital works projects, via training and recruitment of project managers, where necessary, both in agencies and within the government’s procurement delivery organisation, Procurement Solutions. Not only have the government invested in these additional resources; we are using them smarter. For example, procurement and project management hubs have been created to deliver on major projects associated with the major enhancement of the ACT’s health and education systems. These hubs place agency project officers,
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