Ms LEE - 2012-11-28
Can you update the House on your role and that of the Department of Infrastructure in building vital infrastructure to support the three-hub economy? Are you aware of any threats to this role?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arnhem for her question. Like many new members in this Chamber, or new ministers, I was very excited to take on this role, turning up on the first day being a minister, and then turning up for the first day of parliament. I slicked back the hair, shined the shoes, got the train tracks out of the shirt. I was really pumped and excited. We made a commitment to Territorians that we would build the Territory. We have our three-hub economy. We want to build roads and bridges, get tourism going, and agriculture and horticulture to thrive and move forward. We want all these things to happen.
You asked a very important question about whether I am aware of any threats to this role and my role as the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure? I am aware of some serious threats, member for Arnhem. I am aware of the legacy left behind by Labor, the legacy of debt, deficit, deceit, waste and the list goes on. I am running around with a little brush trying to sweep things up and clean up all Labor’s mess.
One of the very sad pieces of waste and debt and mismanagement I am chasing up which stops me from building as many roads and bridges as I want, particularly in your electorate, member for Arnhem, is the asset management system, a system originally supposed to cost $19.73m. Unfortunately, it has already cost in the order of $30m. That is $10m over budget, member for Arnhem. However, the problem gets worse. The new fire and police station at Berrimah is a $10m facility. We could have built one in Arnhem, Greatorex, Namatjira or Fong Lim. We could have had better infrastructure around the Territory. It is an excellent asset but, unfortunately ...
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The minister has not touched upon the contractual dispute between Fujitsu and government. He might need to be careful about his answer.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Fannie Bay. Minister, you have the call.
Mr GILES: Member for Arnhem, the $10m could have gone a long way to building the infrastructure we need to support our three-hub economy. However, I am advised that not only have we spent $30m - $10m more than the budget - we now need another $40m to get AMS working. This is Labor mismanagement.
What could you do with $40m in your electorate? You could build two bridges at Ngukurr. Member for Arnhem, you could build a bridge over Cahill’s Crossing, you could fix the Plenty Highway, you could do work in the Tanami, you could fully duplicate Vanderlin Drive ...
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Mr GILES: There is so much we could do, but Labor’s mismanagement of that $40m ...
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, please be seated.
Mr GUNNER: The minister has not touched upon the Fujitsu contract and might need to be careful how he answers that question because of the contractual dispute between government and Fujitsu.
Madam SPEAKER: Please be seated, there is no point of order.
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! These points of order are deliberately designed to chew up ministers’ answers. I put the opposition on notice that if they persist, we will bring a motion into this House to give ministers unlimited time to answer the questions.
Ms Lawrie: Why don’t you gag Question Time altogether?
Mr ELFERINK: Okay. You are on notice.
Madam SPEAKER: Please be seated, Leader of Government Business.
Mr GILES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Do I have an opportunity to use my last 15 seconds which was wasted through a point of order?
Madam SPEAKER: No, please be seated.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arnhem for her question. Like many new members in this Chamber, or new ministers, I was very excited to take on this role, turning up on the first day being a minister, and then turning up for the first day of parliament. I slicked back the hair, shined the shoes, got the train tracks out of the shirt. I was really pumped and excited. We made a commitment to Territorians that we would build the Territory. We have our three-hub economy. We want to build roads and bridges, get tourism going, and agriculture and horticulture to thrive and move forward. We want all these things to happen.
You asked a very important question about whether I am aware of any threats to this role and my role as the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure? I am aware of some serious threats, member for Arnhem. I am aware of the legacy left behind by Labor, the legacy of debt, deficit, deceit, waste and the list goes on. I am running around with a little brush trying to sweep things up and clean up all Labor’s mess.
One of the very sad pieces of waste and debt and mismanagement I am chasing up which stops me from building as many roads and bridges as I want, particularly in your electorate, member for Arnhem, is the asset management system, a system originally supposed to cost $19.73m. Unfortunately, it has already cost in the order of $30m. That is $10m over budget, member for Arnhem. However, the problem gets worse. The new fire and police station at Berrimah is a $10m facility. We could have built one in Arnhem, Greatorex, Namatjira or Fong Lim. We could have had better infrastructure around the Territory. It is an excellent asset but, unfortunately ...
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The minister has not touched upon the contractual dispute between Fujitsu and government. He might need to be careful about his answer.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Fannie Bay. Minister, you have the call.
Mr GILES: Member for Arnhem, the $10m could have gone a long way to building the infrastructure we need to support our three-hub economy. However, I am advised that not only have we spent $30m - $10m more than the budget - we now need another $40m to get AMS working. This is Labor mismanagement.
What could you do with $40m in your electorate? You could build two bridges at Ngukurr. Member for Arnhem, you could build a bridge over Cahill’s Crossing, you could fix the Plenty Highway, you could do work in the Tanami, you could fully duplicate Vanderlin Drive ...
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Mr GILES: There is so much we could do, but Labor’s mismanagement of that $40m ...
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, please be seated.
Mr GUNNER: The minister has not touched upon the Fujitsu contract and might need to be careful how he answers that question because of the contractual dispute between government and Fujitsu.
Madam SPEAKER: Please be seated, there is no point of order.
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! These points of order are deliberately designed to chew up ministers’ answers. I put the opposition on notice that if they persist, we will bring a motion into this House to give ministers unlimited time to answer the questions.
Ms Lawrie: Why don’t you gag Question Time altogether?
Mr ELFERINK: Okay. You are on notice.
Madam SPEAKER: Please be seated, Leader of Government Business.
Mr GILES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Do I have an opportunity to use my last 15 seconds which was wasted through a point of order?
Madam SPEAKER: No, please be seated.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016