MEDIA RELEASE
17 September 2015
$38 Million Dud Bridge Was Mismanaged and Poorly Planned: Auditor General Report
The NSW Auditor-General’s report to parliament on the Tibby Cotter Walkway, tabled today, shows poor management, inadequate assurance, and a disregard for cost in the planning and delivery of Tibby Cotter Bridge said Greens NSW MP and Transport spokesperson Dr Mehreen Faruqi.
Dr Faruqi said:
“The report shows that the complete failure of the bridge as a transport project is due to the poor management, inadequate assurance, and a disregard for cost every step of the way. This is the new normal in NSW.
“Sadly, this is indicative of a general approach to transport planning by the Baird government which prioritises the ribbon-cutting and delivery of projects over the attainment of actual transport benefits for people.
“There’s no point in “getting on with the job” if the job is going to be a complete waste of money and distraction from building genuine transport projects that will work for people.
“The strict, self-imposed deadline of the Cricket World Cup was an idiotic move, particularly noting that the government knew about the World Cup coming to Sydney since 2011, but construction didn’t start until March 2014.
“Neither a final business case nor a cost-benefit analysis were ever prepared, and the project was pushed through.
“The report is quite clear: Transport for NSW and RMS “did not demonstrate that the Walkway represented value for money and was worth building”.
“This is $38 million of public money and we have ended up with a complete lemon, with very few people using the bridge at all.
“Roads Minister Duncan Gay is prepared to throw taxpayers’ money around like confetti to achieve his useless thought bubbles,” Dr Faruqi said.
Media Contact: Mike de Waal (02) 9230 2194 / 0413 681 482.
More information:
“Albert ‘Tibby’ Cotter Walkway” Report http://www.audit.nsw.gov.au/publications/latest-reports/albert-tibby-cotter-walkway
‘Audit condemns Tibby Cotter Bridge cost blow-out’ http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/audit-condemns-tibby-cotter-bridge-cost-blowout-20150917-gjokug.html