Page 4279 - Week 11 - Thursday, 25 October 2018
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However, we acknowledge that there has been some delay. That has resulted from the movement of, generally, gas infrastructure on the road. We have, unprompted, decided to conduct an audit into that, to learn about what we can do around governance, processes and planning for future road projects.
MR COE: Minister, under the contract is it the contractor or the government who is responsible for the delays? Who is actually bearing the risk of the cost blow-outs? Have all variations been agreed upon by the government?
MR STEEL: I thank the opposition leader for his question. At this stage there is no reason to believe that there will be a cost blow-out in relation to Gundaroo Drive stage 1. That was made very clear in the Canberra Times article.
As I mentioned in my previous answer, some of the delays have been caused as a result of delays associated with the changes to the Jemena gas infrastructure which did take longer than anticipated. Those risks have already been stated. But of course our government also committed at the last election, as a result of feedback from the community, to install a signalised intersection at the corner of Mirrabei Drive and Gundaroo Drive as well as adding an additional lane on Mirrabei Drive, which is already making a difference this week to road congestion in the area.
Mr Coe: On a point of order on relevance, the second part of my supplementary was: have all the variations been agreed to? To this point the minister has not addressed it.
MADAM SPEAKER: You have time left, minister. Do you have anything to add?
MR STEEL: I just mentioned that the government made a variation to that project as a result of our commitment at the election to install a signalised intersection on Mirrabei Drive.
MS LAWDER: Minister, when will the auditor’s report be given to the government? Will the government make the report public?
MR STEEL: I thank the member for her supplementary. As I mentioned, we have, unprompted, undertaken this audit. I look forward to receiving it before the end of the year. Of course, we will learn from that audit what improvements we can make to future projects and future procurement around roads.
Community councils—insurance
MS LE COUTEUR: My question is to the Chief Minister and relates to insurance for community councils and community groups. Chief Minister, in a previous Assembly, community councils and the Greens successfully lobbied the ACT government to facilitate affordable insurance for the ACT’s community councils. Why has the ACT government now ceased facilitating insurance for these important community consultative bodies?
MR BARR: The government has not ceased to support community councils in relation to insurance provisions. What has transpired since those initial insurance
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