Page 3772 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 24 August 2011
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If we continue to have public servants that have inter-related roles dispersed around the city, silos will continue to hinder their effectiveness and efficiency.
In addition, a number of the buildings that currently house public servants are of poor quality and do not meet the Government’s environmental requirements.
That is from Chris Faulks of the CEO of the Canberra Business Council. Additionally, a full briefing and documentation was given to the media, with details widely reported throughout the Canberra community. And as I recall, a number of detailed briefings were provided to members in this place in their capacities as committee members and as well as private members.
In this motion the Leader of the Opposition alleges that the proposed government office block is the most expensive project in the history of the territory. This is not true. The base building cost of $281 million is indeed less than a number of ACT government infrastructure projects, such as the hospital infrastructure program and the school renewal program. The project is predicted to cost $2,212 per square metre of gross floor area compared to $2,234 for the commonwealth health building at Woden.
The opposition allege a failure of the government to deliver infrastructure on time and on budget. It is interesting that the most recent analysis of the comparative performance of state and territory governments in the delivery of infrastructure with a common purpose was the delivery of the building the education revolution program. Where were the opposition during that process? Well, they were sniping at it. They were opposing it, except, of course, when they turned up to the official openings to enjoy a cup of tea and a scone at any number of BER project openings.
Had they paid attention, they would have been aware that the ACT government was the first to complete all BER projects. They would have seen them all completed on time and on budget. They would know that the Orgill report found that we delivered value for money and quality buildings. Additionally, under the same broad stimulus package, ACT Housing will be the first jurisdiction to complete their social housing projects, with funding provided for 290 dwellings and 420 actually delivered.
And while we are at this, let us compare their record on infrastructure delivery with the government’s. Before we came to office in 2001, the average annual capital works program for the Canberra Liberals between 1998 and 2001 was around $76 million. The average capital works program from the Labor government over the past three years has been $492 million per annum. That is almost 6½ times more than what was delivered by the Canberra Liberals. There is obviously an adjustment that needs to be made for inflation, but inflation over that period has not been 6½ times the scale that I have just indicated.
Mr Smyth: So how much debt did we leave you? That would be none.
MR BARR: A significant amount, Mr Smyth. You had a number of unfunded liabilities, which I will go into on another occasion.
In 2010-11 the government once again delivered a record program of public works, with expenditure of around $602 million, the largest successful infrastructure spend in
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