Mr BALCH - 2001-05-29
The member for Wanguri and several other members opposite have continually claimed that this government is not meeting its promise of constructing a new skate park in the northern suburbs. Minister, can you provide the House with details on the progress of the skate park that the opposition claimed we would never build, and do you have any information about when the skate park will be completed?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, one would think the opposition would be happy that we have delivered on the promise to complete a skate park for the benefit of the kids of the northern suburbs. Indeed, it is practically complete and it is situated at Lake Leanyer. The only criticism I heard recently about it is from the Labor Party who claim that access to it is somehow compromised by the lack of a pedestrian crossing there. In fact, there has been a signalised crossing there for six years. Traffic lights! You can’t miss them. They could not possibly have gone past it.
I went there last Saturday and there were about 50 or 60 kids taking advantage of this broken promise, enjoying this broken promise, and the only criticism I had was from a couple of kids who said it was a bit late because they now have Commodores and they got rid of their bikes and skateboards. But they enjoyed this broken promise. There is about $150 000 worth of broken promise there.
Mr Henderson: But there was no money for it in last year’s budget.
Mr PALMER: That shows why these blokes cannot be trusted in government. They have no idea. You have a capital works program which is published in the budget which the Treasurer will go through and which I will detail. We also have a large amount of money in what is called minor new works. We do not list ad nauseam, ad infinitum those projects of less than $150 000 that are included under various departmental allocations for minor new works. We do list in the budget papers major capital works, as we should. There is certain flexibility in the minor new works budget, and this year I would imagine it coming in at $30m or $40m to undertake works such this. When this government says it will deliver, it delivers.
Next Wednesday we will be officially opening the skate park. I understand on the following Saturday there will be a competition there. The kids of the northern suburbs who I spoke to there - and I understand the Minister for Health, my colleague, has been there over the weekend - are absolutely thrilled with this government. They are absolutely thrilled with the input that they have been able to have into the design and construction of the skate park and, as I said, this government will stand by its promises because we deliver.
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, one would think the opposition would be happy that we have delivered on the promise to complete a skate park for the benefit of the kids of the northern suburbs. Indeed, it is practically complete and it is situated at Lake Leanyer. The only criticism I heard recently about it is from the Labor Party who claim that access to it is somehow compromised by the lack of a pedestrian crossing there. In fact, there has been a signalised crossing there for six years. Traffic lights! You can’t miss them. They could not possibly have gone past it.
I went there last Saturday and there were about 50 or 60 kids taking advantage of this broken promise, enjoying this broken promise, and the only criticism I had was from a couple of kids who said it was a bit late because they now have Commodores and they got rid of their bikes and skateboards. But they enjoyed this broken promise. There is about $150 000 worth of broken promise there.
Mr Henderson: But there was no money for it in last year’s budget.
Mr PALMER: That shows why these blokes cannot be trusted in government. They have no idea. You have a capital works program which is published in the budget which the Treasurer will go through and which I will detail. We also have a large amount of money in what is called minor new works. We do not list ad nauseam, ad infinitum those projects of less than $150 000 that are included under various departmental allocations for minor new works. We do list in the budget papers major capital works, as we should. There is certain flexibility in the minor new works budget, and this year I would imagine it coming in at $30m or $40m to undertake works such this. When this government says it will deliver, it delivers.
Next Wednesday we will be officially opening the skate park. I understand on the following Saturday there will be a competition there. The kids of the northern suburbs who I spoke to there - and I understand the Minister for Health, my colleague, has been there over the weekend - are absolutely thrilled with this government. They are absolutely thrilled with the input that they have been able to have into the design and construction of the skate park and, as I said, this government will stand by its promises because we deliver.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016