Mr BALDWIN - 2002-03-07
According to staff on the 5th floor, last night the government met with representatives of the Brunei Property and Development Company. Given your position relating to that company’s involvement in the redevelopment of the old Darwin Hospital site, do you still stand by the comments that you made about the company and its progress in developing the site, as reported in last Saturday’s NT News, that the company plans to develop the old Darwin Hospital site should be brought back to a three- to five-year contract? Do you still intend to take such action, or are you now planning to give that company an extension?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Daly for his question. However, I am surprised he asked this question because he should know better. He was the Minister for Lands, Planning and Environment before me. I stand by my comments that we should not lock away land for 10 years. I also noted the comments of the Leader of the Opposition that there are two escape clauses in the contract, and if the government wants to take it back- what a surprise! There isn’t even a contract, because you made an offer. The previous government offered the developer on 15 March 2001. The government asked the developers to come back with an offer, with the acceptance and payment of a deposit by 11 April 2001. On 12 April 2001, the developers came back and they asked for an extension until 11 May. Well, they came back with a reply to the offer of the government on 15 June 2001. The then minister was alarmed because he realised and he found out one of the participants withdrew. He wrote to them advising them of what he had been informed, and questioned whether they wanted to proceed with the development. The developers came back and advised him they had another participant and they wanted to continue to develop the land.
Nothing was done after that until we took power. On 10 September, I wrote to the developers asking them to tell me what they are going to do with the land. They came back to us and they advised that do not yet have a contract. They understood the developers did not have a contract, but they were still interested in putting proposals to us. Yesterday, members of the Brunei Corporation had dinner with the Chief Minister, and this morning I spoke to one of the representatives of the Brunei Corporation, who once again told me that they knew they did not have a contract with the previous government. They know they do not have a contract, but they are prepared to come and hold discussions with us.
Madam Speaker, I stand by my comments. However, if I am going to sign an agreement with any developer, I am going to sit down and sign a proper contract with proper escape clauses.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Daly for his question. However, I am surprised he asked this question because he should know better. He was the Minister for Lands, Planning and Environment before me. I stand by my comments that we should not lock away land for 10 years. I also noted the comments of the Leader of the Opposition that there are two escape clauses in the contract, and if the government wants to take it back- what a surprise! There isn’t even a contract, because you made an offer. The previous government offered the developer on 15 March 2001. The government asked the developers to come back with an offer, with the acceptance and payment of a deposit by 11 April 2001. On 12 April 2001, the developers came back and they asked for an extension until 11 May. Well, they came back with a reply to the offer of the government on 15 June 2001. The then minister was alarmed because he realised and he found out one of the participants withdrew. He wrote to them advising them of what he had been informed, and questioned whether they wanted to proceed with the development. The developers came back and advised him they had another participant and they wanted to continue to develop the land.
Nothing was done after that until we took power. On 10 September, I wrote to the developers asking them to tell me what they are going to do with the land. They came back to us and they advised that do not yet have a contract. They understood the developers did not have a contract, but they were still interested in putting proposals to us. Yesterday, members of the Brunei Corporation had dinner with the Chief Minister, and this morning I spoke to one of the representatives of the Brunei Corporation, who once again told me that they knew they did not have a contract with the previous government. They know they do not have a contract, but they are prepared to come and hold discussions with us.
Madam Speaker, I stand by my comments. However, if I am going to sign an agreement with any developer, I am going to sit down and sign a proper contract with proper escape clauses.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016