Debates Day 1 - Tuesday 23 May 1995
Parliamentary Record 11
Debates for 7th Assembly 1994 - 1997; ParliamentNT; Parliamentary Record; 7th Assembly 1994 - 1997
1995-05-23
Made available by the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory
English
Debates
Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory
Darwin
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DEBATES - Tuesday 23 May 1995 and it will assist the further economic growth and prosperity of Alice Springs. Private sector construction in the Alice Springs region is also moving ahead at a steady rate. Ongoing planned tourism projects include a major expansion at the Ayers Rock Resort at a cost of $31m, and an upgrade of the Kings Canyon resort at an estimated cost of $3m. At Ayers Rock, an additional 60 rooms will be added to Desert Gardens and 30 units will be upgraded in Emu Walk, together with an upgrade of the commercial retail centre. In addition 44 units are to be added for staff accommodation. At the Kings Canyon resort, hotel rooms are to be increased from 70 to 96, backpacker accommodation is to increase from 70 to 100 places, and additional accommodation for 16 staff is to be constructed. An important policy initiative undertaken by the government, in conjunction with the construction industry, is the implementation of a procedure known as partnering. In implementing major capital works projects, my department has adopted the partnering process which requires all those involved on a project to work together as a team to solve issues and eliminate contractual claims and disputes. Partnering is about cooperation, with a view to achieving the best outcome for all parties. An initiative of the department, outlined to the parliament in a pre-budget statement last week, is the commercialisation of 4 business units within my department. These units, the Darwin Bus Service, NT Fleet, the Government Printing Office and the NT Construction Agency, will charge fees for services, identify all significant costs in providing those services and make the costs transparent. Commercialisation will result in efficient utilisation of resources by both service users and deliverers. I wish all those involved every success with that initiative. A further development undertaken by government in the field of capital works and maintenance is the concept of total asset management. The Chief Minister endorsed the adoption of total asset management as the appropriate philosophy to be implemented by departments and agencies in the management of the governments assets portfolio. The focus of total asset management, also known as TAM, is service delivery by providing a logical framework for assessment and utilisation of the asset portfolio, keeping in mind that fixed assets are only a part of the mechanism in delivery of government services. I turn now to capital works in the transport area of my portfolio, in particular the upgrading and maintenance of the Northern Territory road network. As part of the governments firm commitment to the upgrading of the national highway system in the Territory, the main thrust of this years budget is the continuation of a two-lane seal and upgrading of stream crossings along the Victoria Highway. Total capital works expenditure on the Victoria Highway in 1995-96 will be $9.2m. Major projects include: the reconstruction of 9 km of road in the Snake Creek area at $3m; reconstruction of roadworks in the West Baines area, including minor bridges over West Baines River and Scorpion Creek, at $4.4m; and reconstruction of 9 km of road and widening the seal from the escarpment to Lost Creek at $1.8m. On the Stuart Highway, the reconstruction of 12 km of isolated failed sections south of Ti Tree will occur at a cost of $lm. In relation to rural arterial roads, the governments priority in 1995-96 is the upgrading and sealing of 17 km of the Kakadu Highway at a cost of $3.5m. Mrs Padgham-Purich: What about Hopewell Road? 3483