Page 1433 - Week 05 - Wednesday, 14 May 2014
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
think it would be best if we go back to the bottom line on all this—that is, all parties in this place support this facility. We know it is right for the future of this city. Rather than the sort of debate we are seeing today, the emphasis should be on how we work collectively to get this delivered in this town in the shortest possible time. I will be supporting Mr Barr’s amendment today as I think it more accurately reflects the current situation.
MS GALLAGHER (Molonglo—Chief Minister, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Health and Minister for Higher Education) (10.47): I welcome the opportunity to talk about a very important project in Canberra, the convention centre or Australia forum, and support the amendment that has been moved by the Treasurer today.
There is no doubt that the ACT government has a strong commitment to a new convention centre. Indeed, I do not think there is anyone in this place who is more committed than the Treasurer, who has been working on this with the Canberra Business Council and associated supporters of it, including in determining the appropriate site for the facility and getting final agreement on the site as part of the work that was completed last year.
The government has invested significantly in this project, together with the Canberra Business Council. It provided $400,000 for the scoping study and a functional brief; the Canberra Business Council contributed $250,000. In 2013-14 we allocated $800,000 under the city to the lake project, which includes the convention facility. This was followed up by a workshop with industry experts, advocates and key stakeholders in September 2013. The next steps are to finalise the functional brief with detailed operational components, prepare a reference design and develop an indicative budget in order to finalise the business case. Preparations for this work are well underway. We are very disappointed that the commonwealth has refused to provide support to progress the project, particularly in the context of such heavy hits as Canberra experienced in the budget last night.
I want to correct comments from the opposition, who have not, as far as I have been aware, been involved in any of the discussions that I have had with the Abbott government on this. The day after the election, or in my first phone call with the Prime Minister after his election, after I congratulated him on his election win, he asked me what the top private sector project was. This myth that we were approached for a shovel-ready infrastructure project is wrong. The words “shovel-ready” have never been used to me. I was asked, “What is the private sector’s top priority?”—not “What is the ACT government’s top priority?” or “What are the public infrastructure priorities?” and not “What are the priorities the ACT government has to provide schools, hospitals and public transport?”
The convention centre is not the government’s top infrastructure priority, because we have other pressing needs, like hospitals, for example. I do not think that should be a surprise. When I was asked, “What is the top private sector project?”—that is, not involving government—I answered honestly, “It is the Australia forum.” He was aware of that project: “Yes I am aware of that. I have heard of that from discussions with the Canberra business community. It was made very clear to me that this is the
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video