Peter Debnam MP
NSW Liberal Leader
NSW Liberal Leader Peter Debnam and Shadow Minister for Infrastructure Greg Pearce said today an examination of the NSW Budget papers revealed 257 years of delays and cost blow-outs in excess of $1.8 billion.
"This list of vital infrastructure projects demonstrates Labor simply can't deliver infrastructure projects on time or on budget," Mr Debnam said.
“It’s a catalogue of chaos – project after project way over budget and years behind schedule.”
"With such massive mismanagement, it's no wonder NSW has a budget crisis," he said.
"The most alarming aspect of the blow-outs and delays is that nearly a quarter are in Morris Iemma's former portfolio of Health.
ReplyDelete"In an indication of Premier Iemma's poor budget management, 61 of the 257 projects are from the Health Department.
"For example, Nepean Hospital's Bed Expansion program has been delayed by three years and the refurbishment of the hospital's North Block has been pushed back by two years.
"The Stage Two redevelopment of Royal North Shore Hospital has been delayed by year to 2012 – after also being delayed in 2005 by one year making the project two years late – while the cost has blown out by $286 million without any explanation from the Government," Mr Debnam said.
There are one year delays to health projects including:
• Redevelopment of Queanbeyan Hospital
• St George Hospital Sterilising Unit
• Royal Prince Alfred Stage Two redevelopment
• Sutherland Community Centre at Sylvania
• Four separate upgrade projects at Newcastle's John Hunter Hospital
There is a two year delays to health projects including:
• Gosford Hospital Upgrade
• Rozelle Mental Health Facility relocation
• Ryde Ambulance Station
• Lismore Hospital Stage One Upgrade
• Griffith Hospital Emergency Department
There is a three year delay for health projects including:
• Wyong Hospital Redevelopment
• Point of Care Clinical Information Pilot
Mr Pearce said numerous school projects were suffering from delays including:
• Chatswood High School
• Strathfield Girls High School
• Milton Public School
• Holroyd High School
• Figtree High School
• Bega High School
"Also of major concern is the seven year delay in port security in Sydney," Mr Pearce said.
"Morris Iemma must explain why this major project important for national and anti-terror security has been delayed for so long.
"The Parramatta Court precinct has blown out in cost by nearly $44 million and several Sydney Water projects, including sewer upgrades and recycled water projects have blown out by $250 million each," Mr Pearce said.