Question regarding the formal written cost estimates for the Southern Rail Link direct alignment option. The Minister states that the estimates were prepared by experienced engineers and cost estimators and detailed planning will be completed by late February, at which point the estimates will be presented to Parliament.

AnsweredQoN 640Legislative Assembly
Asked
4 December 2001
Portfolio
Planning and Infrastructure

QuestionView source ↗

SOUTHERN RAIL LINK, COST ESTIMATES FOR DIRECT ALIGNMENT OPTION
I refer to the cost estimates for the direct alignment option for the southern rail link tabled by the minister in this House on 2 August 2000. Can the minister advise the House whether formal written cost estimates were obtained for the various infrastructure components detailed in the tabled cost estimates document? Ms MacTIERNAN

AnswerView source ↗

We have had a variance of this question asked many times in this place. As I have explained, we established a team of people - experienced engineers and cost estimators - from the private and the public sectors who put together an estimate of what this project would cost. As we speak, the matter is being dealt with at the master planning stage. These estimates are estimates and were prepared by people who have a level of experience and expertise that is second to none in this State. However, at the end of the day, they are only estimates. By late February we will have completed the detailed planning and will put those estimates to this Parliament. Members will then be in a position to judge whether those preliminary estimates were correct. Until that time, this is a fruitless inquiry. We have made a set of projections based on the best advice available under the circumstances and it is now being fully assessed by a master planning team. I urge the member to wait until February when all information will be laid before the public. The member - who is determined that her proposal to send the rail via the North Pole is the best one - will then be in a position to judge and comment on whether those first estimates were correct.
Ms MacTIERNAN replied: We have had a variance of this question asked many times in this place. As I have explained, we established a team of people - experienced engineers and cost estimators - from the private and the public sectors who put together an estimate of what this project would cost. As we speak, the matter is being dealt with at the master planning stage. These estimates are estimates and were prepared by people who have a level of experience and expertise that is second to none in this State. However, at the end of the day, they are only estimates. By late February we will have completed the detailed planning and will put those estimates to this Parliament. Members will then be in a position to judge whether those preliminary estimates were correct. Until that time, this is a fruitless inquiry. We have made a set of projections based on the best advice available under the circumstances and it is now being fully assessed by a master planning team. I urge the member to wait until February when all information will be laid before the public. The member - who is determined that her proposal to send the rail via the North Pole is the best one - will then be in a position to judge and comment on whether those first estimates were correct.
We have had a variance of this question asked many times in this place. As I have explained, we established a team of people - experienced engineers and cost estimators - from the private and the public sectors who put together an estimate of what this project would cost. As we speak, the matter is being dealt with at the master planning stage. These estimates are estimates and were prepared by people who have a level of experience and expertise that is second to none in this State. However, at the end of the day, they are only estimates. By late February we will have completed the detailed planning and will put those estimates to this Parliament. Members will then be in a position to judge whether those preliminary estimates were correct. Until that time, this is a fruitless inquiry. We have made a set of projections based on the best advice available under the circumstances and it is now being fully assessed by a master planning team. I urge the member to wait until February when all information will be laid before the public. The member - who is determined that her proposal to send the rail via the North Pole is the best one - will then be in a position to judge and comment on whether those first estimates were correct.

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