Page 3128 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 24 September 2014
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MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Wall.
MR WALL: Minister, what portion of the risk will the ACT government take on as part of the remediation works required on Northbourne Avenue?
MR CORBELL: The government has indicated through the industry briefing process that we expect those risks to be borne by industry. The details of that process will be worked through as we proceed through both the EOI and subsequently the request for proposal stages of the project.
MADAM SPEAKER: Supplementary question, Mr Coe.
MR COE: Minister, isn’t it misleading to the taxpayer to not include staffing costs in the estimate, given that these costs are essential to the project and would not occur should light rail not go ahead?
MR CORBELL: You can say exactly the same thing about building a school or a road, Madam Speaker, and that is why it is such a misleading proposition from those opposite.
MR COE: Minister, do you admit that the total cost of light rail could be over $800 million?
MR CORBELL: The government has indicated what the capital delivery cost estimate is, and that is $610 million plus a $173 million contingency. That is a cautious, prudent and conservative capital delivery cost estimate. Obviously, we are proceeding through a competitive process and the final price will be determined through that competitive process.
Environment—greenhouse gas emissions
MS LAWDER: My question is to the Minister for the Environment. Minister, the ICRC report which you tabled yesterday relating to greenhouse gas emissions and renewable energy usage shows in figure 4.2 that 36 per cent of emissions relate to non-residential electricity. This is the largest subsector of electricity usage in the ACT. The ICRC report also stated that, in order to meet the emissions reduction target, a reduction of 305 kilotonnes per year between 2012 and 2020 would be required. Minister, given the government’s determination to force renewable energy upon ACT households at an increased cost to them, why are government departments not leading by example?
MR CORBELL: I thank Ms Lawder for the question. I note that her question is similar to comments she made yesterday in the media where she asserted that the non-residential sector clearly meant government departments. Well, no, it means electricity use in buildings other than residential buildings. That includes all commercial office buildings in the ACT. That includes buildings that are occupied by the ACT government, buildings that are occupied by the federal government—which will, by the way, be the majority of those commercial office buildings—and then, of course, commercial premises occupied by other parts of the private sector economy.
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