Ms CARTER - 2001-10-17
Madam Speaker, can the minister explain why a tender for stage 2A of East Arm Port, worth more than $30m, has not been let, despite the tender closing on the 5th of last month? For the minister’s information, I am referring to tender number T011525 for the construction of a 110 m wharf extension and bulk liquids birth, and not the tender awarded by the previous government for the other stage 2 work on 30 July.
I seek leave to table documents relating to this project obtained from the government’s own web site that shows this tender has not yet been let.
Leave granted.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the response to tenders for this project, as I understand, are currently being evaluated. I thank the member for her question.
The question is not asking me, I hope, to circumvent the requirements to have tenders evaluated thoroughly and fairly. Those kind of practices may have occurred under the former administration, but I can assure the member that nothing like this has changed …
Mr BURKE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The allegation the minister starts off his comments with is that tenders were not decided and assessed fairly.
Madam SPEAKER: What is your point of order?
Mr BURKE: Well, the point is it is an unfair allegation. If he wants to make a comment in that regard - he is talking about fraud, aided and abetted by government – let him do it as a substantive motion.
Madam SPEAKER: I do not think that was the intent of his comments. Perhaps the minister would explain again exactly what he is saying in his answer to the question. Give him a little bit of leeway, being a new minister.
Mr AH KIT: I would appreciate that, Madam Speaker, because they are jumping up too quick and not awaiting the answer that I wish to give.
Stage 2 of the East Arm Port development consists of two major projects. The first of these is the construction of the container terminal and railway embankment …
Mr Dunham: Yes.
Mr AH KIT: … and I am glad the member for Drysdale agrees. Work on this component of Stage 2 of the new port development is well underway and is due for completion at the end of October 2002.
The second component of Stage 2 of the new port development relates to a further extension of the wharf by 110 m and construction of a bulk liquids berth. As I stated at the outset, the tenders for this stage of the port development are currently being evaluated by the department, as I understand it.
I would like to comment briefly on the whole issue of capital works funding and its mismanagement by the former CLP government. NT Treasury have recently advised the government that the extent of underfunding of the capital works repairs and maintenance budgets announced in this year’s CLP budget is as high as $45m. This is equal to underfunding of an additional $39m on top of the deficit revealed in the earlier analysis of the CLP’s last budget, compiled by Treasury and Professor Allan. This is just one more consequence of the black hole left by the former CLP government. The government is working to repair the damage done by successive years of reckless Country Liberal Party financial mismanagement, but this situation cannot be turned around overnight.
I seek leave to table documents relating to this project obtained from the government’s own web site that shows this tender has not yet been let.
Leave granted.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the response to tenders for this project, as I understand, are currently being evaluated. I thank the member for her question.
The question is not asking me, I hope, to circumvent the requirements to have tenders evaluated thoroughly and fairly. Those kind of practices may have occurred under the former administration, but I can assure the member that nothing like this has changed …
Mr BURKE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The allegation the minister starts off his comments with is that tenders were not decided and assessed fairly.
Madam SPEAKER: What is your point of order?
Mr BURKE: Well, the point is it is an unfair allegation. If he wants to make a comment in that regard - he is talking about fraud, aided and abetted by government – let him do it as a substantive motion.
Madam SPEAKER: I do not think that was the intent of his comments. Perhaps the minister would explain again exactly what he is saying in his answer to the question. Give him a little bit of leeway, being a new minister.
Mr AH KIT: I would appreciate that, Madam Speaker, because they are jumping up too quick and not awaiting the answer that I wish to give.
Stage 2 of the East Arm Port development consists of two major projects. The first of these is the construction of the container terminal and railway embankment …
Mr Dunham: Yes.
Mr AH KIT: … and I am glad the member for Drysdale agrees. Work on this component of Stage 2 of the new port development is well underway and is due for completion at the end of October 2002.
The second component of Stage 2 of the new port development relates to a further extension of the wharf by 110 m and construction of a bulk liquids berth. As I stated at the outset, the tenders for this stage of the port development are currently being evaluated by the department, as I understand it.
I would like to comment briefly on the whole issue of capital works funding and its mismanagement by the former CLP government. NT Treasury have recently advised the government that the extent of underfunding of the capital works repairs and maintenance budgets announced in this year’s CLP budget is as high as $45m. This is equal to underfunding of an additional $39m on top of the deficit revealed in the earlier analysis of the CLP’s last budget, compiled by Treasury and Professor Allan. This is just one more consequence of the black hole left by the former CLP government. The government is working to repair the damage done by successive years of reckless Country Liberal Party financial mismanagement, but this situation cannot be turned around overnight.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016