Page 1748 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 4 June 2014
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ageing campus and costs quite a bit to maintain. If we look at the student enrolments at the Woden campus, there are not, indeed, from that precinct. They are from Belconnen or from Tuggeranong. So it makes sense to have that strong investment in CIT Tuggeranong, and I hope that everyone on the other side gets behind and supports us as it develops and comes to realisation.
MADAM SPEAKER: Supplementary question, Mr Doszpot.
MR DOSZPOT: Delighted to hear, minister. When will this project be construction ready? When will building start? When will it be completed, or will it become yet another recycled election promise for 2016?
MS BURCH: I think you may have—I am not quite sure whether it is reported in the Canberra Times but certainly my comments about this are that we are finalising the modernisation strategy over the coming months and that I would hope to see construction start in the latter part of next year because that is a timely and proper process. As to the completion date, you have got to start something before you end it. But I remain 110 per cent committed to getting this project delivered for the good folk of Tuggeranong.
MADAM SPEAKER: Supplementary question, Mr Wall.
MR WALL: Minister, why do the budget papers advise that details of the financial commitment for this new campus are “NFP”—not for publication—given that the 2012 election commitment by ACT Labor was publicised as being $7.5 million?
MS BURCH: There was a commitment of $7 million. I actually believe we need to rethink that if you look at a whole CIT campus modernisation, and I think there is a stronger investment to be had in that. I am sure the Treasurer explained to many the reasons why it is not for publication—that is, we will not go out to the market with a fixed price because, if you do, the market comes back—surprisingly!—attached to that price.
MR WALL: Supplementary.
MADAM SPEAKER: Supplementary question, Mr Wall.
MR WALL: Minister, will asset sales of other CIT property be used to finance the Tuggeranong campus?
MS BURCH: Whilst the details are yet to be finalised, I have not been backward in saying that the Woden campus is an ageing large campus and it makes sense—it does make sense—to unlock that resource and to use that resource and invest it back into vocational education and training. If that means that you have a valuable piece of property, an ageing campus that needs modernisation and needs a lot of money put into it to get it up to a modern educational campus, there is good sense in unlocking that—to sell it off, to redevelop it and other attributes, and to reinvest that into vocational education and training.
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