Page 2737 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 16 September 2014
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MS GALLAGHER: I thank Dr Bourke for the question. There are initiatives which fall outside those key priority areas, and we will need to work through those on a case-by-case basis. We have given strong support to the city to the lake concept, the city to the lake project, and that will continue, but we will be looking at individual components of that and the phasing of decisions relating to particular infrastructure. Obviously the Civic pool, the stadium and Parkes Way all factor as key and large infrastructure items under there—the Australia Forum as well; we have made provision in this year’s budget to get that project to a financing stage, and I must say, in terms of some of the commentary that I have heard—shock that the ACT government would not be committing hundreds of millions of dollars to that project—that we have never agreed to do that. We had agreed to get it to a certain point, and then we were always hopeful that it would be private sector or commonwealth government supported for the size of the project that it is.
We will have to adjust our time frames where we need to. We have a process in place with ministers to have a look at all of those and to provide updates to cabinet in terms of how we re-phase some of those priorities. We will know more once the commonwealth have given us an answer on our request for assistance relating to Mr Fluffy, because if that assistance is provided it will lessen the impact on our own budget. But we will not know that until the commonwealth government has responded to us.
MS BERRY: Minister, what process is underway to finalise the necessary reprioritisation task?
MS GALLAGHER: I thank Ms Berry for the question. I alluded to it in my previous answer that the process we have put in place is for ministers to have a look at initiatives and current projects and look at whether there is an ability to reprioritise some of that to inform the mid-year financial update, which is scheduled for release in February. I think that is a very transparent and accountable way of making clear to Assembly members and the broader community any decisions that cabinet takes in relation to this. Indeed, the public announcement, I am sure, will generate some feedback from the community about what priorities or what timetable they would like to see pursued. Also, the Treasurer has announced the formal commencement of the ACT government’s budget consultation process, which we would use as well in terms of getting feedback.
The Mr Fluffy challenge is going to have an impact on our budget. I guess the question we do not have the answer to is to what extent it will and over what time frame. It is a responsible way of dealing with this to start making provision and start doing our planning around having a considerable budget impact even if we do not know the final figure.
So that is the work that is underway. It is important to be upfront with people that that is exactly what is going to be before cabinet over the next few months.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Hanson.
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