Bligh Government’s record building program preserved

09 December 2008

Treasurer Andrew Fraser has announced that the Bligh Government will deliver in full its planned $17 billion capital works program in 2008-09.

“Rising unemployment caused by a slowing global economy will be our biggest challenge and that’s why we are committed to delivering our program.

“The program is estimated to support 119 000 jobs in the Queensland economy and that’s why we are taking tough decisions to keep it going, to keep it moving and to keep our economy moving.”

Mr Fraser said major projects across the state remain on track.

“We are going ahead with the Gateway Bridge duplication, we are going ahead with the Eastern Busway, we are going ahead with the Gold Coast Hospital, and we are going ahead with the Abbot Point Coal Terminal expansion.

“It is crucial we move forward with our building program to keep Queenslanders in jobs and give communities the infrastructure they need.”

The Mid Year Review process included a number of changes that have been made to the program over the forward estimates.

“We have allocated $170 million in funds for the expansion of the Cleveland Youth Detention Centre in Queensland, to meet an identified need.

“We’ve also just announced the urgent approval of a $42.5 million, 38 kilometre pipeline to pump water to the township of Cloncurry from the Ernest Henry Mine.”

Since the Budget the government had also announced a new $60 million program for installing solar power in schools.

Mr Fraser said it was necessary to defer the start of construction on the Police Academy at Westgate to accommodate the changes.

“The Police Academy is an important project and we remain absolutely committed to its delivery.

“The one silver lining from the changed economic outlook is the prospect that construction prices might come off the boil – if that’s the case then we will look to bring the project back into play earlier.

“We have worked hard to accommodate existing commitments, and that means we have had to reprogram some planned expenditure to accommodate other changes.”

Mr Fraser said the Coordinator General’s decision about bringing forward the environmental mitigation of the Traveston Crossing Dam has changed the expenditure profile for the dam, with preliminary estimates showing more than $100m to be spent upfront before construction could commence if the dam is approved.

The measures anticipated were included in the previous cost estimates for the dam, and are not additional expenditure.

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Treasurer’s Office – 3224 6361