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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 12 Hansard (7 December) . . Page.. 3855 ..

MR SMYTH: I present the September quarterly report for the 2000 - 2001 capital works program. This is the first quarter progress report for the current financial year's program. The September quarterly capital works report provides detailed information on the progress of expenditure in the current capital works program, with particular focus on individual projects.

During 2000 - 2001, reform and improvement to the capital works program has continued. A greater emphasis has been placed on the forward planning and feasibility investigations within the program. It is the government's intention to focus on those major construction projects that have been through clear feasibility and forward planning phases.

Also introduced as part of the 2000 budget was the supplementary program for use when projects are delayed. The program will ensure that the government's budgetary commitments to invest in assets are achieved and, should any projects experience unforeseen delays, priority projects from future years can be advanced to utilise unspent funds.

This report incorporates quarterly and full - year expenditure information on all projects, including the 2000 - 2001 capital works program. It also identifies all significant variations to the 2000 - 2001 program, and presents all information at the project level according to departmental responsibility. The report identifies the deferred and unspent financing from previous years at individual project level. This information was previously not included in the report.

Territory departments incurred expenditure on capital works of $9.1 million in the September quarter. This figure represents 11.2 per cent of the original budget - funded capital works project, and 8.6 per cent of the funds available for expenditure, including carry - over funds from the previous year.

The Department of Health and Community Care was the largest contributor to the capital works program, with expenditure in the first quarter of $4.645 million. Major projects contributing to this expenditure included the stage 2 refurbishment works at Calvary Hospital, which cost $1.2 million, the refurbishment of the pathology buildings at $900,000, and the psychiatric building at $800,000 at the Canberra Hospital, and as well as expenditure on the ACT Hospice at some $687,000.

Other major projects with significant expenditure in the first quarter included the Gungahlin Drive duplication project for $582,000, the Braddon/Ainslie stormwater augmentation project at $528,000, and the Manuka Oval refurbishment at $876,000.

During the first quarter, a number of projects progressed to final stages of completion. The Civic shopfront relocation and refurbishment project and the replacement of the main operating theatre lights at Calvary Hospital were completed. Works at the Tidbinbilla Visitor Centre are now 94 per cent complete. The Gundaroo Drive extension project from Rolfe Avenue to Gungahlin Drive is now 90 per cent complete, and the carpeting of the Budawang building at EPIC is now 98 per cent complete.

I commend the 2000 - 2001 capital works program first quarter report to the Assembly.

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