APPROPRIATION (ADELAIDE TO DARWIN RAILWAY) BILL 2000 Second Reading Speech

Northern Territory Second Reading Speeches

APPROPRIATION (ADELAIDE TO DARWIN RAILWAY) BILL 2000

(This an uncorrected proof of the daily report. It is made available under the condition that it is recognised as such.)

Mr Speaker, I move that the bill be now read a second time.

As foreshadowed at the time of the 2001 Budget, I now introduce a special Appropriation Bill to provide for the additional government contribution required for this, the largest single capital works project in the Territory’s history. It is also one of the largest in Australia’s history.

A special Appropriation Bill is necessary for a number of reasons. The total Territory contribution could not be included as part of the budget as the final financial arrangements were not clear at that time. Also the way in which the contributions from the other governments will be made is not yet resolved. This Bill provides a flexibility for other government’s payments to flow through the Territory if that is deemed appropriate. While there is still a little more work to do before contractual and financial close, the $480m in contributions by the three governments, the Commonwealth, South Australia and the Northern Territory are agreed.

In any event it is proper that the allocation for this project is provided for in a separate act to the 2000/2001 Appropriation Act due to the magnitude of the project in terms of both cost and the impact it will have on the Northern Territory. This Bill will provide the framework for the transparency and accountability required in relation to funding a major project of this importance.

The limit of the Northern Territory’s contribution to the Adelaide to Darwin railway is $165m as specified in the Australasia Railway Corporation Act. The 2000/2001 budget has already allocated $50m of this amount to the Northern Territory railway with the balance of the Territory’s contributions under this bill being $115m. It is not clear at this stage the mechanisms that the Commonwealth and the South Australian governments will use to provide their contributions to the project. One option is to channel their contributions through the Northern Territory government. This bill provides a means for the Territory to forward the funds to the project. This bill provides the next key step in bringing the railway to finality. This project will deliver 1 300 to 2 000 jobs in the Territory over the next 3 years as well as significant business for sub-contractors and flow-on benefits across the Territory. I commend the bill to honourable members.

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