Mr BURKE - 2004-10-14
The Chief Minister referred to today’s Business Review, and I note …
Ms Martin: Good reading it was, too!
Mr BURKE: Yes, it actually is good reading. I get sick of seeing your photo in there because I do not know what you are actually doing to promote the Northern Territory – and wasting taxpayers’ money - but the rest of it was good reading, actually.
Seriously, minister, the fate of the $90m Chinatown project is being speculated about in this review. I notice also, in tenders on-line from your department that, for tenders closing on 17th of this month, there is 4500 m2 of government office space to be leased in the Darwin central business district. Is that office space relevant to this Chinatown development?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, yes, we have gone out to tender for 4500 m2 of office space …
Mr Dunham: Same space?
Madam SPEAKER: Just wait until the minister answers.
Mr HENDERSON: …to accommodate the Department of Justice. The government is still committed to the Chinatown project …
Mr Burke: So we have 9000 m2 out there now? George Cridland will love that.
Mr HENDERSON: Under the policy of this government for the allocation of office space, we have quite a number of office accommodation contracts coming up over the next few years. When Chinatown is built, we will be able to take up the commitment that we went to tender for.
However, at this particular point in time, the project has been delayed. I am sorry to see it delayed because I personally believe it will be a great project for Darwin. However, it is a commercial project. It is not a government project, it is a private sector project. We have made a commitment to take up office space in that project, and that commitment still stands. In the meantime, we have a requirement to accommodate the Department of Justice in one location, and that is what we have gone to tender for.
Mr BURKE: I have a supplementary question, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: What is your supplementary?
Mr BURKE: I ask the minister simply to confirm whether this is additional to the 4500 m2, so that there is 9000 m2 of office space going out to tender – 4000 m2 committed, and 4500 m2 still to be committed.
Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, this is a timing issue. The 4500 m2 that was required to accommodate the Department of Justice is required now; that is why we have gone out to tender. The commitment we made to take up office space in that Chinatown development still stands. However, the project has been delayed. It is not new office space, it is the same space.
However, we have a number of contracts expiring for office space over the year, and decisions will be made, within the appropriate guidelines, at the time that the Chinatown project is completed. Until such time as it is completed, we are getting on with the job and putting out the 4500 m2 for the Department of Justice.
Ms Martin: Good reading it was, too!
Mr BURKE: Yes, it actually is good reading. I get sick of seeing your photo in there because I do not know what you are actually doing to promote the Northern Territory – and wasting taxpayers’ money - but the rest of it was good reading, actually.
Seriously, minister, the fate of the $90m Chinatown project is being speculated about in this review. I notice also, in tenders on-line from your department that, for tenders closing on 17th of this month, there is 4500 m2 of government office space to be leased in the Darwin central business district. Is that office space relevant to this Chinatown development?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, yes, we have gone out to tender for 4500 m2 of office space …
Mr Dunham: Same space?
Madam SPEAKER: Just wait until the minister answers.
Mr HENDERSON: …to accommodate the Department of Justice. The government is still committed to the Chinatown project …
Mr Burke: So we have 9000 m2 out there now? George Cridland will love that.
Mr HENDERSON: Under the policy of this government for the allocation of office space, we have quite a number of office accommodation contracts coming up over the next few years. When Chinatown is built, we will be able to take up the commitment that we went to tender for.
However, at this particular point in time, the project has been delayed. I am sorry to see it delayed because I personally believe it will be a great project for Darwin. However, it is a commercial project. It is not a government project, it is a private sector project. We have made a commitment to take up office space in that project, and that commitment still stands. In the meantime, we have a requirement to accommodate the Department of Justice in one location, and that is what we have gone to tender for.
Mr BURKE: I have a supplementary question, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: What is your supplementary?
Mr BURKE: I ask the minister simply to confirm whether this is additional to the 4500 m2, so that there is 9000 m2 of office space going out to tender – 4000 m2 committed, and 4500 m2 still to be committed.
Mr HENDERSON: Madam Speaker, this is a timing issue. The 4500 m2 that was required to accommodate the Department of Justice is required now; that is why we have gone out to tender. The commitment we made to take up office space in that Chinatown development still stands. However, the project has been delayed. It is not new office space, it is the same space.
However, we have a number of contracts expiring for office space over the year, and decisions will be made, within the appropriate guidelines, at the time that the Chinatown project is completed. Until such time as it is completed, we are getting on with the job and putting out the 4500 m2 for the Department of Justice.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016