Page 3817 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 29 October 2014
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infrastructure. We have had Auditor-General’s reports that have said they are very poor at doing this. When I said something like, “So you’ve cancelled city to the lake,” he goes, “It’s not cancelled.” Well, it has certainly been shelved:
The ACT government will shelve or delay major infrastructure projects announced in the June budget as it prepares for a $300 million clean-up bill for Canberra’s Mr Fluffy asbestos homes.
It is an article in the Canberra Times, 12 September, by Tom McIlroy. It continues:
Large parts of the $2.5 billion infrastructure package announced by Treasurer Andrew Barr will be significantly delayed, including the City to the Lake development, a new city sports stadium and a new national convention centre, with money reallocated for likely buybacks and remediation of 1000 properties in the ACT.
Then we go to Ms Gallagher, who says:
The cabinet has agreed that hospitals, schools, public transport and asbestos are now the four key priorities for the government to work on for the next five years,” Ms Gallagher said.
“Outside of that, there isn't going to be much else.” … What had been key priorities, including a new convention centre, are now considered too costly in the short to medium term … While the City to the Lake project and a new city sports stadium remain commitments of the government, their delivery appears in question in the medium term.
And there we have it—good on the promises, good at filling budgets and very poor at delivering.
Mr Barr: So you quote the article back that proves wrong your earlier statement.
MR SMYTH: Well, you have not denied it. You have not—
Mr Barr: I just did in my speech earlier.
MR SMYTH: Where is the commitment?
MADAM SPEAKER: Order!
MR SMYTH: Through you, Madam Speaker.
MADAM SPEAKER: This is not a conversation.
MR SMYTH: This is standard Mr Barr. Then we get Mr Rattenbury, who accuses me of being the doom and gloom merchant. I have talked long and hard about diversifying the economy of this city. I have talked long and hard about the potential that is here. I have fought long and hard to reduce our reliance on the federal government to try and smooth out some of the economic cycle so that the dips are not nearly as bad as they have been. Let’s face it, we have had troughs under both federal
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