Page 3599 - Week 11 - Tuesday, 22 November 2022
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We will be talking with the community across a variety of different channels. Of course, we have a newsletter which people can subscribe to. We have over a thousand subscribers to that newsletter, where we provide regular updates. We will be providing a lot of information on the Built for CBR website—builtforcbr. act.gov.au—about those changes and what people can do to rethink their routine. We will also be talking on radio, including our regular radio slots near the traffic updates, to provide people with that information. We will, of course, be engaging through the media, as well as having face-to-face engagement with the community, as we progress this important project for Canberra’s future.
Light rail stage 2A—federal government funding
MS LEE: My question is to the Minister for Transport and City Services. Minister, regarding the federal government’s $85.9 million contribution to stage 2A of the tram, the federal government stated publicly on Friday, 28 October that payments will occur in the 2029-30 financial year but that stage 2A will be completed in January 2026. Minister, why is funding being received four years after the completion of the project?
MR STEEL: I cannot speak to the federal government budget, but, as I have outlined already to the opposition by way of an answer to a question taken on notice from the annual reports hearings, the federal government have written to me indicating that they will be providing funding for light rail, in addition to their existing contribution to the stage 2A project, from the 2026-27 financial year onwards. That funding, I believe, will be confirmed through national partnership agreement arrangements which have not yet been finalised.
MS LEE: Minister, did the NPA schedule that was sent to you on 25 October specifically and directly state that payments for the $85.9 million will occur in the 2029-30 financial year?
MR STEEL: No. It said that they would occur from the 2026-27 year onwards.
MR PARTON: Minister, when did the ACT government sign and agree to the updated NPA schedule? Were there any changes to the $85.9 million payment profile that was stated publicly?
MR STEEL: It has not been finalised, as I said in the answer to my previous question, if Mr Parton had been listening. But we certainly welcome this extra funding. It is a significant contribution to building a better public transport system in this city and delivering light rail to Woden, which is a very strong commitment that we have and that was also a commitment by the federal Labor government. We are committed to building this project. Every time the opposition stand up, it appears that they do not support this project. We saw the extraordinary admission earlier today by the Leader of the Opposition when she stood up at a press conference and admitted that she did not support the project, that she could not bring herself to support it—
Mr Hanson: Madam Speaker, it was a very direct question. Point of order both on relevance and also debating the question.
MADAM SPEAKER: Minister, resume your seat.
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