Page 1684 - Week 05 - Tuesday, 4 May 2010
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be rewarded—or certainly our actions seen very favourably—for what we have done to invest in infrastructure. You can see it just based on the numbers, where we have come from to where we are now. At the end of this financial year we expect to spend over $600 million in one financial year—almost double; indeed double—
Mr Hanson: How much of that is on the dam?
MS GALLAGHER: That is not including the dam, Mr Hanson. I will check the record but I am pretty sure it does not include the dam in that figure. We delivered $300 million last year. We are expecting to exceed $600 million in infrastructure alone. When you look at some of the indicators coming out about the level of government spending in terms of supporting our local economy in the past 12 months, and the fact that the ACT government and our agencies look to have spent in excess of $600 million, we can very honestly put our hand on our hearts and say that we have played a very important role in our economy’s recovery from the global financial crisis.
I do not remember—unlike Mr Smyth who has a particular skill around memorising data, sometimes correctly, sometimes incorrectly, but memorising it nonetheless—what question on notice 696 and the table in that actually said. But we have also been working to improve on our capital works reporting in terms of reports that I provide in updates to the Assembly, in terms of transparency, and if you indeed go through the budget papers and our budget update you will see the transparency around that and around the cash flow of those particular projects.
I do not accept Mr Smyth’s propositions. I do not think anyone in industry accepts the proposition that he just put that we have been a failure. Indeed, I think he is probably on his own on that one—again.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Smyth, a supplementary question?
MR SMYTH: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Treasurer, what inquiries have you made, and what changes have you made, to cater for these failures of delivery?
MS GALLAGHER: It is like a dorothy dixer. Thanks, Mr Smyth. I have done a lot, actually, in terms of managing the capital program.
Mr Hanson: On a point of order, Mr Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: Stop the clocks.
Mr Hanson: Could you ask the gallery on the government side to stop giggling, please?
MR SPEAKER: Mr Hanson, there are quite clear provisions in the standing orders for frivolous points of order. You have come very close to a warning—
Mr Coe interjecting—
MR SPEAKER: Order, Mr Coe!
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