New Treasurer Gladys Berejiklian must now fund $2.1b light rail project she commissioned as Transport Minister
ANDREW Constance takes on the transport minister’s job knowing that the woman who has replaced him as Treasurer, Gladys Berejiklian, has commissioned the most expensive tramway in the world.
NSW
Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW. Followed categories will be added to My News.
ANDREW Constance takes on the transport minister’s job in the knowledge that the woman who has replaced him as Treasurer, Gladys Berejiklian, has commissioned the most expensive tramway in the world — the $2.1 billion Eastern Suburbs light rail.
And Ms Berejiklian, who became NSW’s first woman treasurer in a portfolio swap, will now be charged with ensuring the ambitious transport project she commissioned does not blow a hole in the state budget under Mr Constance’s watch.
Based on current figures it will cost about $170 million a kilometre to deliver the 12.5km line running from Circular Quay to Randwick and Kingsford.
Critics have unfavourably compared it with the most expensive light line ever built in the US, Seattle’s Central Link, which caused local controversy with its cost of about $125 million per kilometre when completed in 2009.
OPINION: BAIRD PUTS LAW AND ORDER TOP OF THE AGENDA
PICCOLI SURVIVES CHALLENGE AS DEPUTY NATIONALS LEADER
Ms Berejiklian defended the cost of the project yesterday, saying: “I appreciate major public transport infrastructure is expensive but ... it’s a brown fields project. You’re actually building it in the most (important) part of our country’s economy and that causes very large challenges.
“Once we sign a contract and we have got the final budget for the project, our aim is to bring all these projects under budget and within the timeframe.”
Sydney’s CBD and South East Light Rail will run on the street except for a shallow “cut and cover tunnel” under Moore Park and a bridge over South Downing St.
In Australia, the Gold Coast light rail cost about $92 million a kilometre, while estimates for a proposed Canberra network put the cost at about $49 million a kilometre.
The government’s project director for the Sydney line, Jeff Goodling, conceded at a conference last week: “It’s an expensive project.”
The new line is being built under a 15-year public-private partnership with joint venture ALTRAC Light Rail, a consortium of two French transport giants, Transdev and Alstom, as well as a leading Spanish infrastructure builder Acciona, and Capella Capital.
The government will contribute the $2.1 billion over a number of years. The City of Sydney has kicked in $220 million of that money.
Mr Goodling said the high cost could be partly explained by the $75 million cost of protecting or moving about 2000 electricity and telecommunications cables as well as gas, water and sewerage pipes under George St.
New state cabinet gets tough on justice
By ANDREW CLENNELL STATE POLITICAL EDITOR
NEW Police and Justice Minister Troy Grant says he wants to get the next police commissioner from within NSW police, saying he saw how the “international experience” failed when Englishman Peter Ryan was recruited in the 1990s.
Mr Grant also yesterday said he would be reviewing the Police Integrity Commission and other watchdogs to see if mergers could take place.
Premier Mike Baird and Mr Grant unveiled the new Baird cabinet yesterday with Gladys Berejiklian taking Treasury, Andrew Constance Transport and Infrastructure, Jillian Skinner retaining Health and Duncan Gay keeping Roads, Maritime and Freight.
Adrian Piccoli — who faced down a challenge from four other Nationals for the deputy leadership of the Nationals yesterday — kept Education but had responsibility for TAFE taken off him and given to National John Barilaro, while Early Childhood was given to National Leslie Williams.
The cabinet reshuffle was not without blood, with two of Mr Piccoli’s challengers, former Primary Industries Minister Katrina Hodgkinson and former Land and Water Minister Kevin Humphries, dumped yesterday. Two Liberals — former Fair Trading Minister Matthew Mason-Cox and former Mental Health Minister Jai Rowell — were also axed yesterday.
The appointment of Mr Grant, and of Liberal David Elliott to the Corrective Services portfolio, appears to be about toughening up the government’s law and order approach. Their appointments were counterbalanced by the appointment of moderate Gabrielle Upton to the Attorney-General’s job with former Attorney-General Brad Hazzard taking on her old job of Family and Community Services.
Mr Grant, a former country cop of 22 years, said he would be open to getting a police commissioner from interstate but not from overseas. Commissioner Andrew Scipione is due to retire in September.
“I was in the police force when we went down that path before and ... that didn’t work for us,” Mr Grant said.
####
Homeward bound: Aussies depart Israel amid Iran war
More than 100 Australians and their family members are on their way home from Israel after Australian Defence Force personnel and diplomats helped their flight leave Tel Aviv late on Tuesday night.
Tradies lose jobs after wild brawl erupts on Sydney street
Contractors working for property developer Meriton have been terminated after shocking video emerged of a huge street brawl outside a construction site, involving tradies trading punches, kicks and hard hat blows. WATCH the brawl