Page 911 - Week 03 - Thursday, 19 March 2015
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Given that is the form of this Assembly, we believe it would be consistent to do that again for this inquiry. Really, this is not an unreasonable request. It is not unreasonable to give members of the community an opportunity to have their say, and to actually allow members of this place to provide commentary to the government, on many issues.
I note that the planning committee is doing an inquiry into the draft plan of management for the Albert Hall—a very worthwhile inquiry. I find it interesting that we are doing an inquiry into the draft plan of management for the Albert Hall, yet the government does not think it is appropriate for us to do an inquiry into the biggest capital works project that the ACT has ever embarked upon.
It is a $783 million project. And who knows; if the expansion or the extension to Russell goes ahead, this project will perhaps tip a billion dollars—2½ times the final cost of the Cotter Dam, nine times the original cost of the Cotter Dam, and many times more than the cost of most other capital works that this government undertakes.
It is for that reason that the opposition believe it is appropriate that we raise the bar when it comes to this capital works project and that we, in the absence of a public works committee, in the absence of automatic triggers for capital works to go to committees, establish a committee that looks into this massive project and its ramifications, be they good or bad, for our community.
The consequences of light rail are going to be vast. They will be vast for people living on the corridor or beyond the corridor; they will be vast for people who pay taxes, rates, fees and charges. They will be vast for people who have an interest in transport, be it private or public transport. These are all serious questions and they are worthy of discussion. It is for that reason that I have moved that a select committee be established, and I call upon members of the Assembly to support the motion.
MR CORBELL (Molonglo—Deputy Chief Minister, Attorney-General, Minister for Health, Minister for the Environment and Minister for Capital Metro) (11.03): The problem for the Liberal Party with their motion today, moved by Mr Coe, is that their rhetoric does not match their actions. There have been a series of very deliberate and extended periods of time available for the Liberal Party to ask detailed questions about this very important infrastructure project, and they have failed. They have failed comprehensively to capitalise on them. Mr Coe refers—
Opposition members interjecting—
MR CORBELL: They do not like it, do they, Madam Deputy Speaker? They want their arguments heard but they are prepared to talk over anyone who puts a contrary view.
There is already a standing referral from this place to the Standing Committee on Planning, Environment and Territory and Municipal services, providing two opportunities every year, for a minimum of three hours on each occasion, for detailed questioning on the capital metro project by that standing committee, of which Mr Coe is a member.
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