Labor MPs and crossbenchers don’t want proper reporting on key transport and infrastructure projects.
Today they blocked our amendments to the Project Development and Construction Management Amendment Bill 2020. The Liberal Nationals wanted to ensure the transfer of assets to new organisations as part of machinery of government changes, was accompanied by a detailed report on costs and values tabled in the Parliament.
The Andrews Labor Government, true to its form, always favours secrecy and invariably blocks the release of critical information.
The many projects in transport and the many historical major projects being transferred should have been properly valued at the time of transfer and reported openly in detail to the Parliament. The very modest amendments (attached) sought to sharpen reporting and ensure more information was put in the public domain.
The Liberal Nationals did not oppose the Bill but sought to amend it to see a proper report to Parliament.
Government claims that this information is in the public domain are wrong. Snippets are available, but not comprehensive information as our amendments would have ensured.
Comments attributable to the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, David Davis:
“Cost blowouts and mismanagement of projects would have been more obvious and transparent under these amendments.
“Labor can never manage money or major projects. Virtually every major project, especially transport project are either massively over budget, late, otherwise botched, or a combination of these. Of course Labor would rather secrecy to avoid embarrassment.”
