Ms CARTER - 2000-08-10
Last week it was great to hear on ABC radio that contracts for the first tender have been let for the reconstruction of Royal Darwin Hospital. Can the minister advise what this contract involves, and debunk the rubbish being peddled by the opposition that only $2m is being spent on the project this financial year?
ANSWER
It is interesting, Mr Speaker, that we set aside a week of this Chamber’s time to interrogate the budget, and in that time we tried to explain this business about a capital works …
Ms Martin: But we have the figures.
Mr DUNHAM: No, don’t flash those bits of paper around. There is a budget document and there are the …
Members interjecting.
Mr DUNHAM: That is what it is in. It is called the budget debate. So if you have problems, go back and read Hansard. What we have is the capital works program. We have the moneys that we need in a particular year and the works for that year. In the case of Royal Darwin Hospital, the works were estimated at $37.7m. You are saying there is only $2m worth of work taking place out there. We have released one contract, for project management and construction documentation, which totals nearly $1.8m already. So forget the $2m. The works that will take place during this year will be approximately $10m worth. That will be expended on construction activity this financial year.
What will happen is that program will roll, and there’s a good reason for this. It must roll because we are talking about a site that is open 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year. The idea that you could go in and do everything is just stupid. I cannot believe that they would even suggest something of this nature. What we have to do is build in one area and then move another area into it. The whole idea that this job could take place this financial year is ludicrous.
The works are well under way. The managing contractor, Sitzler Barclay Mowlam, has been appointed. As I said, some $10m of construction activity will take place this financial year. A ‘decanting’ plan has been put in place to move the wards into the areas that are completed as other work commences.
We also have, I am pleased to inform the House, on site right now in the car-parking area, the new kiosk which will be opened in the next three or four days. There is substantial scaffolding right across the front of that building to seal it. The Chief Minister will be doing a ground-breaking ceremony at lunchtime today.
Mrs Hickey: Where is the shadow minister’s invite?
Mr DUNHAM: I did give a promise that if the Labor Party was still of the belief that this work would not go ahead, I will mark a spot on the ground where a tractor will run over them. There are substantial works taking place on that campus over the next three or four years. This work has been predicated by an immense amount of thought about how we would redevelop this campus. We did not run at it. To those that say we are too patient and we should have rushed at it, we would end up with something that is not as good as what we are going to end up with. I am very proud of the schematic design and the development plans that have been put in place. I am very proud that this government is making sure that the people of the Northern Territory will be well served by the campus out at Royal Darwin.
Also in connection with the works, I can inform the House contracts worth $550 000 have been so far let on the Alice Springs Hospital redevelopment site, with all work going to local contractors. The contracts have been let. They are now obliged to do the work and we pay them. That is what letting contracts is. This government proudly stands on its record that not only are we building works of some worth, but there is substantial local content in that work, and the Territorians who use those services will benefit.
ANSWER
It is interesting, Mr Speaker, that we set aside a week of this Chamber’s time to interrogate the budget, and in that time we tried to explain this business about a capital works …
Ms Martin: But we have the figures.
Mr DUNHAM: No, don’t flash those bits of paper around. There is a budget document and there are the …
Members interjecting.
Mr DUNHAM: That is what it is in. It is called the budget debate. So if you have problems, go back and read Hansard. What we have is the capital works program. We have the moneys that we need in a particular year and the works for that year. In the case of Royal Darwin Hospital, the works were estimated at $37.7m. You are saying there is only $2m worth of work taking place out there. We have released one contract, for project management and construction documentation, which totals nearly $1.8m already. So forget the $2m. The works that will take place during this year will be approximately $10m worth. That will be expended on construction activity this financial year.
What will happen is that program will roll, and there’s a good reason for this. It must roll because we are talking about a site that is open 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year. The idea that you could go in and do everything is just stupid. I cannot believe that they would even suggest something of this nature. What we have to do is build in one area and then move another area into it. The whole idea that this job could take place this financial year is ludicrous.
The works are well under way. The managing contractor, Sitzler Barclay Mowlam, has been appointed. As I said, some $10m of construction activity will take place this financial year. A ‘decanting’ plan has been put in place to move the wards into the areas that are completed as other work commences.
We also have, I am pleased to inform the House, on site right now in the car-parking area, the new kiosk which will be opened in the next three or four days. There is substantial scaffolding right across the front of that building to seal it. The Chief Minister will be doing a ground-breaking ceremony at lunchtime today.
Mrs Hickey: Where is the shadow minister’s invite?
Mr DUNHAM: I did give a promise that if the Labor Party was still of the belief that this work would not go ahead, I will mark a spot on the ground where a tractor will run over them. There are substantial works taking place on that campus over the next three or four years. This work has been predicated by an immense amount of thought about how we would redevelop this campus. We did not run at it. To those that say we are too patient and we should have rushed at it, we would end up with something that is not as good as what we are going to end up with. I am very proud of the schematic design and the development plans that have been put in place. I am very proud that this government is making sure that the people of the Northern Territory will be well served by the campus out at Royal Darwin.
Also in connection with the works, I can inform the House contracts worth $550 000 have been so far let on the Alice Springs Hospital redevelopment site, with all work going to local contractors. The contracts have been let. They are now obliged to do the work and we pay them. That is what letting contracts is. This government proudly stands on its record that not only are we building works of some worth, but there is substantial local content in that work, and the Territorians who use those services will benefit.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016