Mr AH KIT - 1995-10-19
On Tuesday night, the member for Wanguri presented information in relation to the feature clocks in Parliament House. Can the minister explain why the government paid $43 380 for the display clocks in the Parliament House when the subcontractor submitted a quote for only $24 050 to Robert Drews of Meldrum Burrows, the consultant for the project? Mr Speaker I seek leave to table the documents relating to this matter.
Leave granted.
Can the minister explain why the project supervision allowed this to happen, and advise how extensive was this practice of price mark-ups on the Parliament House construction?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, can you imagine it - the member for Wanguri at a little soiree in Paddington, Sydney - no doubt near the Prime Minister's house, in the vicinity of shops, nice boutiques etc? Over a glass of cold chardonnay and imported cheese and olives, the conversation would have turned naturally to clocks - modernistic clocks, French clocks, grandfather clocks. The member for Wanguri returned to Darwin a year ago with a story from a clockmaker, whom he had met at Paddington, about the poor treatment she had suffered at the hands of Northern Territory government. Indeed, we did build this magnificent building and pay for the clocks. However, we employed a project manager who, in turn, employed a builder who employed subcontractors. I think the role of the Territory government in this is 7 or 8 times removed from this business. In fact, I understand that a team was involved in building and making the clocks. There were clockmakers, glass people, forgers ..
Mr Poole: And the New Parliament House Committee.
Mr PALMER: And the New Parliament House Committee was oversighting the construction of this magnificent structure.
Mr Coulter: This is the same lady who told him: `Please do not get involved'.
Mr PALMER: Probably, she said to him, over the cheese and biscuits; `John, I just do not want to be involved with you'.
We could dismantle this building, brick by brick, stone by stone and timber panel by timber panel, and we would find probably that there was a mark-up on everything. That is in no way unusual. As a government, we did not go direct to the clockmakers.
Members interjecting.
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Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr PALMER: I do not know what the mark-up was. I do not know whether the figure quoted related to the clocks, or the installation of the computerised equipment which controls the clocks or something else. If it is a matter of serious concern, I am sure the member for Wanguri or the member for Arnhem could write to me and obtain a briefing. I am prepared to provide them with the information.
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Leave granted.
Can the minister explain why the project supervision allowed this to happen, and advise how extensive was this practice of price mark-ups on the Parliament House construction?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, can you imagine it - the member for Wanguri at a little soiree in Paddington, Sydney - no doubt near the Prime Minister's house, in the vicinity of shops, nice boutiques etc? Over a glass of cold chardonnay and imported cheese and olives, the conversation would have turned naturally to clocks - modernistic clocks, French clocks, grandfather clocks. The member for Wanguri returned to Darwin a year ago with a story from a clockmaker, whom he had met at Paddington, about the poor treatment she had suffered at the hands of Northern Territory government. Indeed, we did build this magnificent building and pay for the clocks. However, we employed a project manager who, in turn, employed a builder who employed subcontractors. I think the role of the Territory government in this is 7 or 8 times removed from this business. In fact, I understand that a team was involved in building and making the clocks. There were clockmakers, glass people, forgers ..
Mr Poole: And the New Parliament House Committee.
Mr PALMER: And the New Parliament House Committee was oversighting the construction of this magnificent structure.
Mr Coulter: This is the same lady who told him: `Please do not get involved'.
Mr PALMER: Probably, she said to him, over the cheese and biscuits; `John, I just do not want to be involved with you'.
We could dismantle this building, brick by brick, stone by stone and timber panel by timber panel, and we would find probably that there was a mark-up on everything. That is in no way unusual. As a government, we did not go direct to the clockmakers.
Members interjecting.
Page 935
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr PALMER: I do not know what the mark-up was. I do not know whether the figure quoted related to the clocks, or the installation of the computerised equipment which controls the clocks or something else. If it is a matter of serious concern, I am sure the member for Wanguri or the member for Arnhem could write to me and obtain a briefing. I am prepared to provide them with the information.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016