Independent report shows Canberra must spend more on road planning

The Federal Government has been caught out by an independent report released today that said it needs to invest more money in road planning.

Minister for Transport and Main Roads Paul Lucas said the Evans and Peck report into cost estimation procedures showed that both State and Federal governments could do better.

“Main Roads has acknowledged it could do more to better predict construction costs,” Mr Lucas said.

“And it is constantly looking at measures that can help keep projects costs down.

“This report will help provide better accuracy in costings. And Main Roads has indicated it will accept all ten recommendations the report makes.”

“But the big sting in the report is the criticism of the Federal Government’s failure to commit money for early project planning.

“This backs up what I have said again and again and again – early planning money for vital road works mean more accurate costings and faster delivery.”

Mr Lucas said Mr Vaile was criticising Queensland for cost increases on one hand, while justifying Canberra blow-outs on Federal Government projects as simply the cost of doing business.

Trying to explain away a $500 million increase in the cost of the Goodna Bypass in just six months, Mr Vaile told Brisbane radio earlier today: “There is going to be cost blow-outs.”

And it’s not just Mr Vaile saying it. Treasurer Peter Costello told The Australian Financial Review in May that: “If you look at road construction, for example, the price of projects has gone up quite a lot in recent years. One of the reasons is there is so much going on.”

And Mr Costello knows that’s true because he’s seeing blow-outs in Federal Government projects, like the $1 billion increase in their air-warfare destroyers and the $250 million blow-out in their Seasprite helicopters, which are six years late.

“I guess Mr Costello should add the Goodna Bypass to Canberra’s blow-out blacklist.”

Mr Lucas emphasized it was the Federal Government that commissioned, accepted and released a report into the Goodna Bypass that said it would only cost $2.3 billion.

“Only six months ago, Canberra was saying the Goodna Bypass would cost $2.3 billion,” Mr Lucas said.

“Now it looks like the total cost will be at least $2.8 billion.

“This is a Federal Government road. Canberra – not Queensland – said it would cost $2.3 billion when they released the estimate.

“This increase means it will now cost $1.6 billion more than our preferred option of upgrading the existing Ipswich Motorway.”

Mr Lucas said Member for Blair Cameron Thompson, who had championed the bypass over an upgrade, would have to answer questions to other Liberal and National party members in Queensland.

“Mr Thompson is the $3 billion man,” Mr Lucas said.

“Queenslanders should be asking their local Liberal or National party Federal Member why Cameron Thompson could get almost $3 billion for an 8km road in his electorate that would leave little extra for other projects around Queensland.

“This is typical of a Federal Government that looks for every excuse to draw attention away from its own failings.

“It’s what happens when you’re tired after 11 years in government.

“The voters should bypass Canberra at the ballot box.”

Media inquiries: Robert Hoge 3237 1942