Tramlines

Mr WINGARD (Mitchell) (14:44): To the Treasurer again: can the Treasurer confirm to the house that he did forget the report?

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN (Lee—Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Minister Assisting the Minister for Planning, Minister Assisting the Minister for Housing and Urban Development) (14:44): Mr Speaker, this is clearly an issue which falls within my portfolio responsibilities. As I made reference to at the time when the question came up in December, I had no knowledge of it. In fact, I think as the member for Mitchell made reference (I can't recall whether it was in the house or publicly in the media), he was surprised that I didn't know. That might be, from my perspective, an euphemistic way of acknowledging my sentiment when I wasn't briefed by my department about it, and that's been acknowledged.

Really, the nub of the matter is that some work was undertaken by a contractor, on behalf of the department, to deliver the tram project. That work has been found not to be up to scratch. There have been some discussions between the contractor and the department. That company is now undertaking some rectification works, and the department advises me that those rectification works are anticipated to address the terms of the contract that was originally entered into between the department and the contractor.