Mr WOOD - 2004-06-15
The government has said that there are now three consortia left to be considered for the new waterfront development. When asked why the people could not see the three designs, I think the words used hinged on that over-worked phrase ‘commercial-in-confidence’. Why cannot the public at least look at the broad outlines of the design, so they can see what designs are being put forward, see if any of our natural or built environment will be disturbed, and - horror of horrors - even allow them to say which design they prefer?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I can assure the member for Nelson that, when we are developing the waterfront, there will be some disturbance of what is down there. That is a fact of life; we are building. We are changing what is currently an abandoned industrial site, which can be the gateway to Darwin when it is developed. I believe it is a very exciting thing that we are doing change.
We have gone through a process of calling for expressions of interest. We had three who came to the final round. Their bids were received in May. I remind the member for Nelson and others that this is $100m of government money for the convention and exhibition centre, and the rest is a private sector project. It is not simply a matter of the bits of the process. There are lots of aspects of this to do with risk, and where risk is transferred, to do with the financial aspect, and this is a very complex process. It is not actually something that you could say would be easily decided between the bidders.
It is commercial-in-confidence; that is a fact of life for this process. It is part public/private partnership and part private development. When the successful bidder is announced, then that process will be published. There will be a considerable public process, there will be consultation happening, and there will be lots of opportunity for comment.
In the interim, what those consortia have put to government is their intellectual property. That is how these projects run around the country, and that is the terms with which we go into this marketplace. It is a fair process. It is one that is exciting for the Territory. It is one that will produce, for $100m investment in the waterfront, a major project to recast the face of Darwin as it greets the water, and produce for Darwin a convention centre that will actually stimulate our tourism market. The flow-on from business is considerable.
It is an exciting project, and there will be full opportunity, as there has been, for the community to offer the consortia what they would like to see at that waterfront - some of the parameters, the importance of the environment, the public stake, the private stake. All those have been done very comprehensively and have gone to the consortia, and they are reflected in the bids.
It is a very exciting time for the Territory, and I certainly believe our community will look forward to the successful bidder being announced, probably in August, and having a full opportunity to make comment and talk with the successful consortia about the waterfront.
[Editor’s Note: Question Time ceased due to proposed motion of censure being moved.]
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I can assure the member for Nelson that, when we are developing the waterfront, there will be some disturbance of what is down there. That is a fact of life; we are building. We are changing what is currently an abandoned industrial site, which can be the gateway to Darwin when it is developed. I believe it is a very exciting thing that we are doing change.
We have gone through a process of calling for expressions of interest. We had three who came to the final round. Their bids were received in May. I remind the member for Nelson and others that this is $100m of government money for the convention and exhibition centre, and the rest is a private sector project. It is not simply a matter of the bits of the process. There are lots of aspects of this to do with risk, and where risk is transferred, to do with the financial aspect, and this is a very complex process. It is not actually something that you could say would be easily decided between the bidders.
It is commercial-in-confidence; that is a fact of life for this process. It is part public/private partnership and part private development. When the successful bidder is announced, then that process will be published. There will be a considerable public process, there will be consultation happening, and there will be lots of opportunity for comment.
In the interim, what those consortia have put to government is their intellectual property. That is how these projects run around the country, and that is the terms with which we go into this marketplace. It is a fair process. It is one that is exciting for the Territory. It is one that will produce, for $100m investment in the waterfront, a major project to recast the face of Darwin as it greets the water, and produce for Darwin a convention centre that will actually stimulate our tourism market. The flow-on from business is considerable.
It is an exciting project, and there will be full opportunity, as there has been, for the community to offer the consortia what they would like to see at that waterfront - some of the parameters, the importance of the environment, the public stake, the private stake. All those have been done very comprehensively and have gone to the consortia, and they are reflected in the bids.
It is a very exciting time for the Territory, and I certainly believe our community will look forward to the successful bidder being announced, probably in August, and having a full opportunity to make comment and talk with the successful consortia about the waterfront.
[Editor’s Note: Question Time ceased due to proposed motion of censure being moved.]
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016