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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 1 Hansard (15 February) . . Page.. 136 ..

MR HUMPHRIES (continuing):

in the capital works program currently with particular focus on individual projects. This initiative has allowed for more extensive monitoring of the progress and funding of the individual projects.

This report incorporates quarterly and year-to-date expenditure information on all projects included in the 1999-2000 capital works program. It also includes an update from agencies of expected expenditure in the 1999-2000 financial year and presents all information at the project level according to departmental responsibility.

Territory departments incurred expenditure on capital works of $9.927m in the September quarter, representing 10.7 per cent of the budget funded capital works projects. The Chief Minister's Department was the largest contributor to the program expenditure to date, with projects such as the IT modernisation cabling project and the construction of the Southern Boulevard by the Gungahlin Development Authority. It should be noted, Mr Speaker, that the level of expenditure indicated above for the first quarter is presented on a cash outflow basis; therefore the cash expenditure cannot be used as a reliable indicator of the full extent of work commenced on projects.

The quarterly report is project specific. It recognises that changes to expenditure estimates do occur and, where applicable, these updates have been provided. The major variation to date is the inclusion of the ACT hospice project in the program at a financing cost of $3m this financial year. Capital works is one area where significant progress and improvements have been achieved in program formulation, accountability and reporting. This has been possible only through the assistance and cooperation of the Assembly, particularly the suggestions put forward by the standing committees.

It is important to remember that unforeseen delays do arise in the course of the capital works program. This in general could relate to market conditions, planning constraints and complaints from the community due to the forward design phase. To reduce the impact of such delays, the Government is developing a framework to respond to such delays through a range of measures which will assist in maintaining the overall program expenditure. This approach will provide a supplementary program on the shelf, which can be accessed during the year to bring a project forward or substitute delayed projects.

Debate resumed from 27 August 1999, on motion by Mr Humphries:

MR STANHOPE (Leader of the Opposition) (4.01): The Crimes Amendment Bill (No. 3) was introduced by the Attorney-General on 25 November 1999. It proposes to amend the Crimes Act 1900 to create a special category of crimes dealing with the contamination of goods or threat of contamination with intent to cause public alarm or economic loss.

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