Page 3580 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 18 August 2010
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…the lack of effective planning and project management were the main reason affecting the delivery of many [capital works] projects.
The same report confirmed that a high percentage of budget initiatives were being implemented without a structured implementation plan. Given these comments, it is not surprising that we are seeing what we are seeing. I am just repeating what the Auditor-General has said.
Here is another, somewhat different, example. I understand the government is proposing to extend Sandford Street out near Kenny. This road extension is subject to an EIS. The Greens, of course, feel it is very important to get this EIS done and see the results, because there is some quite significant woodland in Kenny. But if you were to go out and look there, you would find that the intersection at Sandford Street and Flemington Road is already being upgraded to a four-way intersection. The only reason to upgrade this intersection would be that the government have pre-empted the result of the EIS. They seem to have jumped the gun. What happens if the EIS actually raises serious environmental issues?
The government is paying for the upgrade of the intersection in anticipation that the road extension will proceed. I sort of hope it is not a waste, and obviously I hope that, given everything that has happened, the EIS does not raise any issues. If there are significant environmental issues then the Greens clearly will be vocal about our concerns.
The other key point, of course, is design and redesign. Key travel routes in Canberra need redesign. I think we all recognise that. We spend a lot of time in this Assembly talking about travel, talking about transport, talking about making it more sustainable, talking about the need to improve it so that the normal family does not need to have two cars to survive in this city. We all agree that there is an issue and we all want to see action.
I think we would all say that the $15 million which has been spent on three city refurbishment projects, ones which really entrench the existing design, could have gone a long way towards redesigning one of those streets for better bus, cycle and foot travel. What we are really saying here is that the government needs to think that way rather than continuing to cement “business as usual”.
Although I suspect that the government will vote against this motion, I do hope they heed some of the points I have raised. I do hope that they note the lessons that are pointed out in that Auditor-General’s report that I quoted from earlier. I commend my motion to the Assembly.
Question put:
That Ms Le Couteur’s motion be agreed to.
The Assembly voted—
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