Mr WOOD - 2009-10-22
In January, floods devastated part of the Barkly Highway at the Rankin River, and, on 9 November, tenders closed for a contract for new roadworks designed to prevent the road being washed away again. Considering the road was washed away in January this year, and we are only three months away from January next year, why have the tenders been called for so late, and why was this tender not awarded earlier to avoid the risk of rain washing the road away again?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his question. As he has stated in the House, very heavy rains in that area, much more than the 1-in-50-year event, caused a metre of water to flow over the top of the road. There was a culvert involved and the road was undermined and washed away. As members would be aware, the road had to be closed from one direction, allowing the other direction to pass through, and it was quite disruptive to transport coming through the Barkly Highway.
As the member for Nelson alluded to, a tender has been let, I believe it was yesterday. It has been let to Ostojic Pty Ltd, to the value of $1.7m. That contract is to construct a larger, 3 m x 3 m culvert, replacing the former culvert, to reform the batter - which is the incline at the side of the road - and strengthen it, and also put the seal from the road over the batter to further strengthen it so the torrent will not lift the road, or is less likely to lift the road again. There is also money in that contract to construct a 1.6 km detour while those works are being undertaken.
The member for Nelson’s specific question was quite reasonable given the impending Wet Season and the likelihood of rain washing it away again at the height of the Wet Season. I understand that, basically, it comes down to a consultancy which was let to Sinclair Knight Merz in January 2009 to report on the mode of the failure of the Barkly Highway/Rankin River crossing, assess the original design, and provide advice on any improvements. A preliminary report with design options to reduce the risk of such a disaster occurring again was provided in March 2009. There was a number of design options put forward, and they are considered before adopting the preferred design. Then, there was a process, including an on-site inspection, and the tender process.
The advice I have regarding this particular work is that it will be completed in eight weeks, and it is expected to be completed by the end of this year. In essence, member for Nelson, it has been quite a complicated design issue, as I am advised. The contract has been let and the construction will be completed in eight weeks.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Nelson for his question. As he has stated in the House, very heavy rains in that area, much more than the 1-in-50-year event, caused a metre of water to flow over the top of the road. There was a culvert involved and the road was undermined and washed away. As members would be aware, the road had to be closed from one direction, allowing the other direction to pass through, and it was quite disruptive to transport coming through the Barkly Highway.
As the member for Nelson alluded to, a tender has been let, I believe it was yesterday. It has been let to Ostojic Pty Ltd, to the value of $1.7m. That contract is to construct a larger, 3 m x 3 m culvert, replacing the former culvert, to reform the batter - which is the incline at the side of the road - and strengthen it, and also put the seal from the road over the batter to further strengthen it so the torrent will not lift the road, or is less likely to lift the road again. There is also money in that contract to construct a 1.6 km detour while those works are being undertaken.
The member for Nelson’s specific question was quite reasonable given the impending Wet Season and the likelihood of rain washing it away again at the height of the Wet Season. I understand that, basically, it comes down to a consultancy which was let to Sinclair Knight Merz in January 2009 to report on the mode of the failure of the Barkly Highway/Rankin River crossing, assess the original design, and provide advice on any improvements. A preliminary report with design options to reduce the risk of such a disaster occurring again was provided in March 2009. There was a number of design options put forward, and they are considered before adopting the preferred design. Then, there was a process, including an on-site inspection, and the tender process.
The advice I have regarding this particular work is that it will be completed in eight weeks, and it is expected to be completed by the end of this year. In essence, member for Nelson, it has been quite a complicated design issue, as I am advised. The contract has been let and the construction will be completed in eight weeks.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016