The State Labor Government’s failure to answer a Parliamentary Question on the final cost of the Kurnell desalination plant prompts even more questions over what the Government may be trying to hide, according to the Opposition’s WasteWatch Chairman, Jonathan O’Dea.
Last month Mr O’Dea submitted a question on notice to the Minister for Water asking:
What was the total final cost of constructing the desalination plant and related infrastructure and bringing it to a fully operational state?
The following answer was provided by the Minister last Thursday:
I am advised Sydney Water's Board approved a budget of $1,896 million prior to construction. Sydney's … desalination plant was delivered on time and under budget.
“What the Water Minister did not say was that Labor’s costly desalination plant was well and truly over it’s original budget,” Mr O’Dea said.
“The State Labor Government increased the budget from an original $1.3 billion in November 2005[i] to $1.76 billion in June 2007[ii] to $1.83 billion in July 2007[iii] and then to $1.89 billion in June 2008[iv]”
“Under the incompetent State Labor Government the budget for the desalination plant repeatedly blew out, as did the date of completion.
“On 25 June 2007, then Premier, Morris Iemma announced that the plant would be finished by September 2009[v]. This was then revised to late 2009[vi]. The plant was initially delivered in late January 2010 and was not fully operational until some months later,” said Mr O’Dea.
“The Keneally Labor Government’s spin continues to demonstrate its desperation, deception, financial mismanagement and waste,” Mr O’Dea said.
[i] NSW Auditor General, Auditor General’s Report to Parliament 2007 Volume Four, 2007, 156
[ii] Morris Iemma, Iemma Announces Key Milestones on Sydney Water Infrastructure, 25 June 2007. It was at this time that the government announced the desalination plant would have an increased capacity.
[iii] NSW Auditor General, Auditor General’s Report to Parliament 2009 Volume Seven, 2009, 56
[iv] Ibid
[v] Morris Iemma, Iemma Announces Key Milestones on Sydney Water Infrastructure, 25 June 2007
[vi] NSW Auditor General, Auditor General’s Report to Parliament 2007 Volume Four, 2007, 166
