Page 1297 - Week 04 - Thursday, 7 April 2016
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suggested. That agency is a behemoth. There are lots of good people in that agency, of course, but if the actual structure does not support good governance then in effect they are not able to do their job as well as they could.
We on this side of the chamber want to make sure that all agencies, including TAMS, are genuinely backed and genuinely resourced appropriately. All ministers in a future Liberal government will do just that. We will back the public servants to deliver important services to Canberrans, as opposed to constantly rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic, which is currently happening.
Legislative Assembly—accommodation
Statement by Speaker
MADAM SPEAKER: For the information of members I provide an update on the accommodation project for the expanding Assembly. Since my last update, the first phase of refurbishments within the Assembly building has been completed. New office space for some OLA staff, the media and some ancillary rooms were handed over in early March. Members, if they have not had the opportunity, may walk down the ground floor corridor adjacent to the Canberra theatre and inspect the facilities.
On Monday of next week our contractors plan to hand over the refurbished north side of level 2, comprising three ministerial suites and an executive meeting room. Initially and temporarily, Mr Rattenbury will occupy one of those suites to allow his current suite to be refreshed, and a similar arrangement is scheduled for Mr Corbell in early May. When Mr Rattenbury returns to his refreshed suite towards the end of this month, Dr Bourke will move to level 2. Congratulations, Dr Bourke. Ms Fitzharris will relocate to one of the new suites next week. Again, congratulations, because Ms Fitzharris does not have a great office. That is my personal view.
The works on level 1, comprising three new members’ suites and enhanced meeting and catering facilities, are on track to be handed over by the end of May. Members will be aware that throughout the rest of the building work has been completed progressively to refresh offices and corridors, with carpet laying largely completed. Over the next fortnight new locks and keys will be installed throughout the building, and the accommodation project team and security manager will provide further details to building occupants about the schedule for this work. Members are reminded that this is necessary because the current locking and key arrangement does not have the redundancy necessary to provide for the additional doors in the refurbished area.
A final scheduled office relocation for non-executive members whose suites have not been refreshed is being finalised by the contractor and the accommodation project team, and members will be kept informed.
A significant additional part of the project was the upgrade of dated elements of the building’s air-conditioning system and the refresh of the general bathrooms and some kitchen areas, principally the kitchen of the reception room. About 25 per cent of the scheduled work on air-conditioning units is now complete, and work on the upgrade of bathrooms and some kitchen areas will start in May. All of this work will continue until the end of July.
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