Page 1291 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 23 March 2010
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capital works program or 31 per cent of the revised program as outlined in the budget update.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Smyth, a supplementary question?
MR SMYTH: Treasurer, the recent A-G’s report into the financial audit says that approximately 32 per cent the year before last, 31 per cent last year and 41 per cent for 2008-09 was the under-delivery of capital works in the budget. Why is it getting worse if you have put these reforms in place?
MS GALLAGHER: It is not getting worse. Since the reforms—
Mr Smyth: So the A-G is wrong?
MS GALLAGHER: Since the reforms were put in place—
Mr Smyth: So the A-G is wrong?
MR SPEAKER: Mr Smyth, you have just asked your question.
MS GALLAGHER: Three times. The reforms were put in place, as I recall, at budget time last year. As part of the budget, I outlined a range of mechanisms that we were putting in place to improve our focus on an effort to get our capital works programs out the door. I think, from all the roundtables I have participated in, industry have welcomed the reforms that have been done around procurement, around planning.
In terms of reporting to me as Treasurer, I have monthly meetings with chief financial officers. Agencies are working very well with Treasury in identifying delays or variations within the program. I think what you will see when we outline the budget this year is that there will be an underspend. I have not been briefed on what that is at this point in time, because we have not finished that work. You will see a much improved result.
That is all about putting energy and focus into getting our program out the door. As long as we ensure that we are not doing anything irresponsible in our quest to get 100 per cent of the program delivered, that we are still being responsible, making sure we go through all the right processes, if there are delays working through those issues, there will be an underspend but it will not be in the order of last year.
MR SESELJA: A supplementary?
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Mr Seselja.
MR SESLEJA: How much of this year’s spend, minister, is BER funding from the commonwealth?
MS GALLAGHER: That is a good question, Mr Seselja. I will check on that but I think this is our own program. I am 99.9 per cent positive that this is our own program. The BER money is in the order of maybe $160 million, $150 million, that comes through another line.
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