Page 3371 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 17 August 2011
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Since that information has been provided to yourselves and a broader community, particularly those with interests in the property sector, they have responded to that, that they have other ways where they could demonstrate the viability of another delivery model, which we are prepared to examine. That is the point—
Mr Smyth: You didn’t do the work up front and you’ve been caught out.
MS GALLAGHER: No. The work has been done, Mr Smyth. I know it is not appropriate to respond to interjections. Mr Smyth has the opportunity to ask a supplementary and I am sure he will. Extensive work has been done but governments need to respond when concerns are raised. And concerns have been raised. We have got time. This is not a project that we intend to start in the Civic area for some years now. There is time to examine the concerns, the issues that are being raised, to go through another process.
The government’s willingness to engage with the property sector and the community on this is clear. We want to work with them and we want this project to be supported by all sides. If we can achieve that, I think it will be a good thing for the ACT.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Seselja, a supplementary?
MR SESELJA: Yes. Minister, how can the most scrutinised infrastructure project ever, in your own words, have such an obvious flaw in its due diligence?
MS GALLAGHER: I do not accept that there is a flaw, but I accept that more scrutiny is warranted. It has been sought and we are providing the opportunity for that to occur.
MR SMYTH: A supplementary, Mr Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Mr Smyth.
MR SMYTH: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Chief Minister, how can you possibly reconcile the definitive statements made by you with the decision by Mr Barr to review this project?
MS GALLAGHER: The decision made to review the project was made in consultation between the Deputy Chief Minister and me when reviewing the priorities for the government—the decisions we have taken around Gungahlin, the way we are going to go forward with that—and representation we have had from local members of our community. This is a very genuine sign of the government wanting to engage and work together with stakeholders to deliver the best outcome. At the moment, there is a group of people who do not believe that the advice and evidence before government is the right way forward. We remain to be convinced on that but we are prepared to examine it further.
Bimberi Youth Justice Centre—inquiry
MRS DUNNE: My question is to the minister for children and young people. I refer the minister to The ACT youth justice system 2011: a report to the ACT Legislative
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