Parliamentary Committees

Public Works Committee: North-South Corridor Darlington Upgrade Project

Mr CREGAN (Kavel) (11:02): I move:

That the 27^th report of the committee for the Fifty-Fourth Parliament, entitled 'North-south corridor Darlington upgrade interim report', be noted.

The north-south corridor Darlington upgrade project involves the upgrade of a section of Main South Road in the suburb of Darlington. When completed, the works are expected to contribute towards a nonstop motorway between the Southern Expressway and the intersection of Ayliffes Road and Shepherds Hill Road.

In May 2019, the Public Works Committee became aware of reports of water damage to a revetment wall that was part of the project site. At its meeting on 16 May 2019, the Public Works Committee resolved to open an inquiry into certain aspects of the north-south corridor upgrade project. The terms of reference for the inquiry included the cause of the failure of sections of revetment wall at the project site; the impact, including costs of the failure of sections of revetment wall on the project; and any other matter reasonably connected to the failure of the revetment wall at the site.

As you will know, Mr Speaker, much of the processes of the Public Works Committee are open to the public. Accordingly, the committee considered it important to hold public hearings for this inquiry. The committee contacted stakeholders and invited their participation in a public hearing for the purposes of the inquiry on Thursday 20 June 2019 at Parliament House. Stakeholders included the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure, Gateway South and Aurecon, who were in turn engaged by the department to undertake an independent review.

The committee has since considered oral and written evidence addressing the inquiry's terms of reference and is deliberating to inform its final report. In consequence of that matter, the committee's interim report is the report that I address today. It provides what might be rightly described as a snapshot in time of evidence received. Accordingly, we hope that it provides some assistance to members and other interested parties by way of interim reflection. I can report to the house that the Public Works Committee met this morning and adopted a final report for this inquiry as well.

Motion carried.