Page 3481 - Week 09 - Thursday, 21 August 2008
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infrastructure. The government’s commitment to the delivery of high-quality services and to improving the social and economic wellbeing of the community is unparalleled since self-government. Indeed, it is fair to say, if one looks at this year’s budget and our commitment for the future, that it is unparalleled probably at any time in the domestic administration of the Australian Capital Territory.
Infrastructure is an important vehicle for delivering services to the community. It is an essential input to almost all economic activities. It is for that reason that the government has placed such a large emphasis on the maintenance and provision of high-quality infrastructure to support the economy and services to the community since we came to office.
Our record on delivering infrastructure speaks for itself and eclipses that of the previous government enormously. In fact, the comparison between our record in the delivery of infrastructure and that of the previous government, the Liberal Party, could not be more stark. Before we came to office in 2001—and it is amazing how short the memory is; and Mr Stefaniak, of course, was a member of that previous government—the average annual expenditure on capital works by those opposite between 1998-99 and 2000-01 was $76 million. It is amazing to see the shameless way in which Mr Stefaniak, a minister in that government, could stand here today and lecture this government about infrastructure capital and its delivery. In his last term in office as a cabinet minister, from 1998 to 2001, Mr Stefaniak and his colleagues delivered $76 million a year in capital.
This year, the 2008-09 budget papers forecast—indeed, it was delivered—a level of expenditure for the financial year of $315 million. That is four times higher than what occurred under the previous Liberal government. Just compare that: our record, on the record, achieved and delivered $315 million. The Liberal Party’s record in a single year was $76 million. In its entire term, the Liberal Party did not deliver as much as this government has delivered in a single year. That is the comparison: we have planned and delivered at levels that those opposite simply did not and could not deliver.
The recent attacks on the government’s performance regarding the planning and delivery of capital works do not stack up. As I said, one year’s expenditure by this government would eclipse expenditure in a whole term by those opposite. I acknowledge that expenditure on capital works programs can sometimes be delayed. We all know that; you would have to be mad if you thought it would not be. However, that is due almost always to factors that are largely outside the control of government. Factors such as workforce availability due to the high level of construction activity which has been experienced in the ACT over recent years, weather conditions, legal proceedings, and the need to carefully schedule works to minimise disruptions and to maintain continuity of service, impact on the government’s ability to deliver programs on time. Given all the factors which can influence the delivery of the program and the size of the capital works program, the government’s delivery record of capital works is a significant achievement.
The government is not resting on its laurels; it is continuing to work on the capital works procurement process to streamline and improve delivery. The government has introduced an annual capital upgrade program which has assisted in the delivery of the
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