Mr AH KIT - 1995-11-29
Alice Springs Prison was budgeted originally to cost $20m. That cost has now blown out to somewhere in the vicinity of $30m to $35m. We have received advice that the No 1 sewage pond wall has failed and over 500 000 L of raw sewage is spreading out over the countryside. Was the problem due to a failure in design, construction or operation? What effect will this have on the project's already serious cost blow-out?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I am not aware of any problems with the sewage ponds there. In relation to the so-called cost blow-out, the jail's design and scope have changed somewhat over the period since it was first announced. The capacity has been doubled. The use of the jail for high-security prisoners is a development since the initial announcement was made. Of course, there were blow-outs in costs. One of the best ones opposition members identified was in relation to the electrical cabling. They claimed in this House that the electrical cabling could not handle the amperage required to service the jail. What they forgot to tell us was that the cables were not in the ground at that stage. It was a design argument that a couple of engineers were having.
Mr Bailey: So we were right.
Mr PALMER: You were not right. You claimed in this House that the cables could not handle the load. In fact, the cables were not in place. At the end of the day, the design did work and has continued to work.
In relation to the sewage ponds at Alice Springs Prison, I will endeavour to obtain an answer for the member for Arnhem.
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ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I am not aware of any problems with the sewage ponds there. In relation to the so-called cost blow-out, the jail's design and scope have changed somewhat over the period since it was first announced. The capacity has been doubled. The use of the jail for high-security prisoners is a development since the initial announcement was made. Of course, there were blow-outs in costs. One of the best ones opposition members identified was in relation to the electrical cabling. They claimed in this House that the electrical cabling could not handle the amperage required to service the jail. What they forgot to tell us was that the cables were not in the ground at that stage. It was a design argument that a couple of engineers were having.
Mr Bailey: So we were right.
Mr PALMER: You were not right. You claimed in this House that the cables could not handle the load. In fact, the cables were not in place. At the end of the day, the design did work and has continued to work.
In relation to the sewage ponds at Alice Springs Prison, I will endeavour to obtain an answer for the member for Arnhem.
Page 1083
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016