1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,240 Speaker 1: Joining me live in the studio right now is the 2 00:00:02,360 --> 00:00:04,400 Speaker 1: Deputy Opposition leader Jared Maylee. 3 00:00:04,480 --> 00:00:06,920 Speaker 2: Good morning, Good morning, Katie, Good morning listeners. 4 00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:10,000 Speaker 1: Now, Jared, we've been talking this morning about the expensive 5 00:00:10,039 --> 00:00:12,960 Speaker 1: toilet block down at Cullhum Bay, but that's obviously a 6 00:00:13,000 --> 00:00:15,920 Speaker 1: council issue. I know that there's been plenty of people 7 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:20,120 Speaker 1: questioning when exactly this playground that's due to be constructed 8 00:00:20,120 --> 00:00:23,080 Speaker 1: at Miley Point it's going to be complete, and exactly 9 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:25,880 Speaker 1: how much it's going to cost now. It sparked my 10 00:00:25,960 --> 00:00:27,880 Speaker 1: interest a couple of weeks ago, or last week, i 11 00:00:27,920 --> 00:00:29,680 Speaker 1: should say, when we found out there'd been a seven 12 00:00:29,720 --> 00:00:33,879 Speaker 1: million dollar blowout to the underground car park at Parliament 13 00:00:33,920 --> 00:00:36,920 Speaker 1: House due to a spestos and I thought to myself, gee, wheez, 14 00:00:37,240 --> 00:00:39,080 Speaker 1: how much is it going to cost us now to 15 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:42,160 Speaker 1: get building at Miley Point when we know that there'd 16 00:00:42,159 --> 00:00:46,040 Speaker 1: been an asbestos issue. The NT News have come out 17 00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:48,960 Speaker 1: today with a good report, a really good story by 18 00:00:49,040 --> 00:00:52,520 Speaker 1: Natasha Emic saying that the Northern Territory government's already spent 19 00:00:52,920 --> 00:00:55,920 Speaker 1: two point seven million, sorry most of it's two point 20 00:00:56,000 --> 00:00:59,200 Speaker 1: seven million dollar budget to build that playground, despite the 21 00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:04,560 Speaker 1: constructions still looking quite desolate shared how much is it 22 00:01:04,600 --> 00:01:05,240 Speaker 1: going to cost? 23 00:01:05,280 --> 00:01:07,479 Speaker 2: Who would know? We just don't know how this could 24 00:01:07,480 --> 00:01:10,360 Speaker 2: be another white elephant. They spent a lot of money. 25 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:13,960 Speaker 2: Remember this was a design and construct contract, so I'm 26 00:01:14,080 --> 00:01:16,280 Speaker 2: wondering what were the terms of references? At the very 27 00:01:16,319 --> 00:01:18,840 Speaker 2: beginning was their support planning by the minister. So these 28 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:21,080 Speaker 2: people have just started building the next minute, they've got 29 00:01:21,400 --> 00:01:25,160 Speaker 2: variation after variation, and I asked some questions and estimate 30 00:01:25,160 --> 00:01:28,360 Speaker 2: about this, and the Minister didn't know what was going 31 00:01:28,360 --> 00:01:30,120 Speaker 2: on and couldn't tell me what the variations were and 32 00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:32,320 Speaker 2: took one of those questions on notice. So they're going 33 00:01:32,319 --> 00:01:35,119 Speaker 2: to get back to me about that, because from my understanding, 34 00:01:35,520 --> 00:01:39,440 Speaker 2: is a two point four million dollar contract to design 35 00:01:39,440 --> 00:01:41,760 Speaker 2: and construct by DTA contractors. 36 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:43,279 Speaker 3: They've already varied it by. 37 00:01:43,200 --> 00:01:47,120 Speaker 2: About one point one million for asbestos. But you can't 38 00:01:47,160 --> 00:01:49,320 Speaker 2: tell me that the government didn't know there was going 39 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:51,400 Speaker 2: to be a specialist an area to start with. Well, 40 00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:53,480 Speaker 2: so why wasn't that in the terms of references to 41 00:01:53,480 --> 00:01:55,480 Speaker 2: deal with the start with? Because as we all know, 42 00:01:55,600 --> 00:01:58,080 Speaker 2: the contract gets awarded and the variations come on top 43 00:01:58,120 --> 00:02:00,680 Speaker 2: of it, and the variation after very and that's just 44 00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:03,240 Speaker 2: a waste of government money of taxpayers money, Jared, do 45 00:02:03,280 --> 00:02:03,840 Speaker 2: you think that. 46 00:02:03,720 --> 00:02:07,280 Speaker 1: This actually raises a bigger issue here when it comes 47 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:10,800 Speaker 1: to tendering within the Northern Territory government, like with those 48 00:02:10,840 --> 00:02:14,200 Speaker 1: tenders going out that they're not maybe taking into account 49 00:02:14,280 --> 00:02:17,320 Speaker 1: some of those variations and how much they can blow out. 50 00:02:17,480 --> 00:02:19,600 Speaker 2: Well, I think that's exactly what happened at the underground 51 00:02:19,639 --> 00:02:23,280 Speaker 2: or above ground car park. That tender was released before 52 00:02:23,320 --> 00:02:25,960 Speaker 2: the design was done. So how do you really go 53 00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:29,000 Speaker 2: and quote a tend who hasn't been designed proper yet. 54 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:30,079 Speaker 3: It's like building a shed at home. 55 00:02:30,080 --> 00:02:31,560 Speaker 2: You wouldn't get a bider to come and build the 56 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:33,600 Speaker 2: shed and then go I want some doors now, I 57 00:02:33,639 --> 00:02:35,760 Speaker 2: want a verana on the front because, as we all know, 58 00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:38,160 Speaker 2: those variations that get expensive because you have to change 59 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:40,560 Speaker 2: the plan to get those things involved. And it's just 60 00:02:40,680 --> 00:02:43,040 Speaker 2: it's taxpayers money being wasted again and again. 61 00:02:43,280 --> 00:02:44,320 Speaker 3: Does the government really. 62 00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:46,280 Speaker 1: Need to look at doing things a little bit differently? 63 00:02:46,480 --> 00:02:48,120 Speaker 1: You know the way that they do this tendering, Do 64 00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:49,560 Speaker 1: they need to change it some wash? 65 00:02:49,680 --> 00:02:52,520 Speaker 2: They definitely need to change it. They have blown out 66 00:02:52,520 --> 00:02:54,520 Speaker 2: the budget in the last four and a half years, 67 00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:57,040 Speaker 2: gone from one point eight billion up to eight point four. 68 00:02:57,600 --> 00:02:59,560 Speaker 2: We know COVID hit this year, we know we're going 69 00:02:59,639 --> 00:03:02,560 Speaker 2: to have a a decrease in revenue. Something needs to 70 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:05,399 Speaker 2: change and we can't just keep wasting taxpayers money because 71 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:07,200 Speaker 2: that's what it is remembered, this is our money. Our 72 00:03:07,200 --> 00:03:10,440 Speaker 2: tax may be being spent by the government on projects 73 00:03:10,440 --> 00:03:12,880 Speaker 2: which is get varied and varied, and we end up 74 00:03:12,880 --> 00:03:15,480 Speaker 2: with a yes, a playground, but how much is it. 75 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:15,880 Speaker 3: Going to cost? 76 00:03:15,960 --> 00:03:18,120 Speaker 1: Well, and that's the big concern. And look, you know, 77 00:03:18,240 --> 00:03:20,120 Speaker 1: I think the playground there is a good idea. 78 00:03:20,480 --> 00:03:22,280 Speaker 3: How do I I think it's a great idea. 79 00:03:22,760 --> 00:03:25,920 Speaker 1: You know, you do wonder just how much the espestocial 80 00:03:25,919 --> 00:03:28,880 Speaker 1: removal and everything's going to going to cost in the end. 81 00:03:29,320 --> 00:03:32,680 Speaker 1: And much like the situation at Parliament House, I would 82 00:03:32,680 --> 00:03:36,000 Speaker 1: have thought that there would have been some surveying done 83 00:03:36,200 --> 00:03:38,680 Speaker 1: prior to find out just how deep that is spestos 84 00:03:38,720 --> 00:03:41,240 Speaker 1: went and just how big an issue it was going 85 00:03:41,280 --> 00:03:43,120 Speaker 1: to be before the work started. 86 00:03:43,360 --> 00:03:45,600 Speaker 2: Well, that all goes back to the terms of references 87 00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:49,000 Speaker 2: in the contractor design and construct, and when you're designing 88 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:51,640 Speaker 2: and constructing the playground, that needs to be taken into account. 89 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:53,960 Speaker 2: So this just really shows a poor planning on behalf 90 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:56,560 Speaker 2: of the government, because like I said earlier, they knew 91 00:03:56,560 --> 00:03:57,880 Speaker 2: that if that's what it was going to be there, 92 00:03:57,920 --> 00:03:59,720 Speaker 2: it should have been undealt with at the very beginning. 93 00:03:59,760 --> 00:04:02,040 Speaker 2: A lot of variation in the end, which increased the cost, 94 00:04:02,120 --> 00:04:04,760 Speaker 2: because as the newspaper pointed out, there seems all the 95 00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:07,320 Speaker 2: money's spent and there's a picture of it. At the moment, 96 00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:09,000 Speaker 2: it's just a dirt. 97 00:04:08,880 --> 00:04:12,040 Speaker 1: And obviously it's going to take some time until it's completed, 98 00:04:12,520 --> 00:04:13,760 Speaker 1: you know, twenty twenty one. 99 00:04:14,560 --> 00:04:16,720 Speaker 3: You know, how. 100 00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:18,680 Speaker 1: Do we change things so that this doesn't continue to happen. 101 00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:20,480 Speaker 1: I know that it's easy for us to say, obviously 102 00:04:20,480 --> 00:04:23,200 Speaker 1: you're inn opposition, not just a social commentator, but how 103 00:04:23,240 --> 00:04:26,080 Speaker 1: do we sort of make some changes here to ensure 104 00:04:26,120 --> 00:04:29,360 Speaker 1: that taxpayers aren't going to be left further out of 105 00:04:29,440 --> 00:04:31,040 Speaker 1: pocket than what they think they're going to be. 106 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:33,360 Speaker 2: Right at the same suggest needs to be further oversight 107 00:04:33,400 --> 00:04:36,000 Speaker 2: from the government in the very beginning, because the planning 108 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:38,080 Speaker 2: of these producces need to be done correctly. So the 109 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:40,160 Speaker 2: terms and conditions when they go out to the contract, 110 00:04:40,160 --> 00:04:42,599 Speaker 2: they're done and the variations have kept to a bare minimum. 111 00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:44,719 Speaker 2: And I understand there's always going to be some variations 112 00:04:44,720 --> 00:04:47,760 Speaker 2: because I come across some resource or a power line 113 00:04:48,080 --> 00:04:49,760 Speaker 2: or a phone line that's in the wrong spot, and 114 00:04:49,839 --> 00:04:52,880 Speaker 2: I accept that for sure, but this particular one one 115 00:04:52,920 --> 00:04:54,599 Speaker 2: point one million dollar for asbestos. 116 00:04:54,960 --> 00:04:56,240 Speaker 3: We knew it was going to be there, So why 117 00:04:56,320 --> 00:04:57,440 Speaker 3: wasn't that at the beginning? 118 00:04:57,560 --> 00:04:59,120 Speaker 2: And that could have been soaked into the cost of 119 00:04:59,200 --> 00:05:01,600 Speaker 2: the actual designing, constructing the set of like I said earlier, 120 00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:04,520 Speaker 2: added on the back of it, more variations, more taxpos 121 00:05:04,560 --> 00:05:05,200 Speaker 2: money wasted. 122 00:05:05,440 --> 00:05:06,919 Speaker 1: Yeah, and it makes me think, you know, how do 123 00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:08,960 Speaker 1: we do things in the private sector, because I know 124 00:05:08,960 --> 00:05:10,960 Speaker 1: if there was a blowout like that in the private sector, 125 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:12,520 Speaker 1: you'd be seriously questioning, you. 126 00:05:12,440 --> 00:05:14,520 Speaker 2: Know why what you do is like any quote, if 127 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:16,960 Speaker 2: someone comes around and build you a new toilet and 128 00:05:17,000 --> 00:05:19,039 Speaker 2: they quote you for three thousand dollars, then give you 129 00:05:19,080 --> 00:05:21,159 Speaker 2: bill a five thousand dollars, you say, well, there's a quote. 130 00:05:21,160 --> 00:05:24,120 Speaker 2: He's your three thousand dollars, thanks for coming, of course, 131 00:05:24,160 --> 00:05:26,320 Speaker 2: And that's what happened in the private industry. But in 132 00:05:26,320 --> 00:05:29,120 Speaker 2: the government it seems to be variation after variation, and 133 00:05:29,160 --> 00:05:32,120 Speaker 2: the variations aren't something which may come out of the 134 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:34,240 Speaker 2: blue there before and then you was going to happen, 135 00:05:34,279 --> 00:05:35,880 Speaker 2: so why not deal with it at the beginning to 136 00:05:35,960 --> 00:05:37,080 Speaker 2: reduce costed? 137 00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:39,599 Speaker 1: Did you ask? And look, I don't know whether you did, 138 00:05:39,880 --> 00:05:42,479 Speaker 1: but did you ask during the estimates process? You know, 139 00:05:42,520 --> 00:05:46,599 Speaker 1: when you talk about the infrastructure spend as a whole, 140 00:05:46,720 --> 00:05:49,760 Speaker 1: I suppose, and then you talk about those variations. Do 141 00:05:49,800 --> 00:05:54,120 Speaker 1: we have any idea how much that's cost us over 142 00:05:54,160 --> 00:05:56,599 Speaker 1: the last financial year with the different projects that we've 143 00:05:56,600 --> 00:05:58,640 Speaker 1: sort of had, you know, up and running. 144 00:05:58,400 --> 00:06:01,040 Speaker 2: Well in relation to the playground, and I asked specific 145 00:06:01,080 --> 00:06:03,599 Speaker 2: questions about that and the minutes of timely there was 146 00:06:03,600 --> 00:06:07,080 Speaker 2: a two point four million dollars design and construct and 147 00:06:07,120 --> 00:06:09,120 Speaker 2: then I asked her was any variations since she said 148 00:06:09,160 --> 00:06:11,640 Speaker 2: there was one point one million? And then I asked 149 00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:14,600 Speaker 2: her what are there in other vary agents? And she 150 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:15,360 Speaker 2: couldn't answer that. 151 00:06:15,800 --> 00:06:18,320 Speaker 1: I'd be really interested to know, yeah, and I'd be 152 00:06:18,360 --> 00:06:21,400 Speaker 1: really interested to know with you the various projects that 153 00:06:21,520 --> 00:06:24,400 Speaker 1: are happening around the place. Obviously we've spoken about the 154 00:06:24,440 --> 00:06:28,559 Speaker 1: seven million dollars differentiation at the car park at Parliament House. 155 00:06:28,600 --> 00:06:30,280 Speaker 1: Then we're talking about Miley Point. 156 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:32,320 Speaker 2: And we could also bring up the bus stop as well. 157 00:06:32,360 --> 00:06:34,640 Speaker 2: There's another four hundred and thirty two thousand dollars of 158 00:06:34,720 --> 00:06:36,919 Speaker 2: a bus stop that'd be moved and brought back, and 159 00:06:36,960 --> 00:06:40,159 Speaker 2: that was that bus stop was there again the terminal references. 160 00:06:40,200 --> 00:06:41,400 Speaker 2: What was going to do with the bus stop at 161 00:06:41,400 --> 00:06:43,080 Speaker 2: the very beginning, it wasn't done correctly? 162 00:06:43,200 --> 00:06:44,760 Speaker 3: How do you get moved? How do you get brought back? 163 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:46,120 Speaker 3: Four hundred and thirty. 164 00:06:45,920 --> 00:06:47,799 Speaker 2: Two thousand dollars of taxpayers money wasted? 165 00:06:47,880 --> 00:06:49,719 Speaker 1: Well, and you just, I mean, you do just wonder, 166 00:06:49,839 --> 00:06:52,040 Speaker 1: Like obviously we all accept and like you said, right 167 00:06:52,080 --> 00:06:53,640 Speaker 1: from the get go, we all accept that there's going 168 00:06:53,680 --> 00:06:56,680 Speaker 1: to be variations. We all understand that's you know, particularly 169 00:06:56,760 --> 00:06:59,599 Speaker 1: people listening right now who work in the construction sector, 170 00:06:59,640 --> 00:07:02,080 Speaker 1: they would better than you and I I'm sure, but 171 00:07:02,240 --> 00:07:05,000 Speaker 1: I just reckon it'd be really interesting to see sort 172 00:07:05,040 --> 00:07:07,719 Speaker 1: of how much change there was in that space in 173 00:07:07,760 --> 00:07:10,480 Speaker 1: the infrastructure spend, to see whether you know how many 174 00:07:10,520 --> 00:07:14,560 Speaker 1: millions of dollars have actually have actually gone to different 175 00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:17,040 Speaker 1: variations on various projects and. 176 00:07:16,960 --> 00:07:18,640 Speaker 2: They're the only ones that we know about, and maybe 177 00:07:18,640 --> 00:07:20,760 Speaker 2: all the other contracts and variations out there, it just 178 00:07:20,840 --> 00:07:23,640 Speaker 2: must be such a high amount that it almost be 179 00:07:23,640 --> 00:07:24,760 Speaker 2: embarrassing to find out. 180 00:07:24,920 --> 00:07:27,920 Speaker 1: Well, I'll tell you what, always something that's you know, 181 00:07:27,960 --> 00:07:31,560 Speaker 1: always something happening around the place and always interesting to 182 00:07:31,600 --> 00:07:35,080 Speaker 1: look at, but you know, maybe a little more interesting 183 00:07:35,120 --> 00:07:36,880 Speaker 1: if it wasn't taxpayers money. 184 00:07:36,720 --> 00:07:37,240 Speaker 3: Exactly right. 185 00:07:37,280 --> 00:07:39,200 Speaker 2: It's easy to spend money, and it's even easier to 186 00:07:39,240 --> 00:07:41,560 Speaker 2: spend other people's money, but when you earn it yourself, 187 00:07:41,680 --> 00:07:43,320 Speaker 2: you always keep it in your pocket just a little 188 00:07:43,320 --> 00:07:45,280 Speaker 2: bit deeper because it's your money and you don't want 189 00:07:45,280 --> 00:07:46,400 Speaker 2: to get a wasted Yeah. 190 00:07:46,480 --> 00:07:50,360 Speaker 1: Well, Jerreed Maylee, the deputy opposition leader, Hey, just very quickly, 191 00:07:50,560 --> 00:07:53,200 Speaker 1: I know that you've been out delivering We know, well 192 00:07:53,280 --> 00:07:56,240 Speaker 1: Jerry would he he was always out delivering his news 193 00:07:56,320 --> 00:07:59,000 Speaker 1: that here's no doubt about that. I understand you've been 194 00:07:59,040 --> 00:08:01,520 Speaker 1: trying to deliver your and we've been told by a 195 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:03,680 Speaker 1: couple of people that they've seen you riding around on 196 00:08:04,200 --> 00:08:05,720 Speaker 1: a scooter. What's going on? 197 00:08:06,200 --> 00:08:06,880 Speaker 3: Yeah, well that's right. 198 00:08:07,120 --> 00:08:09,920 Speaker 2: This week I've been out delivering Nelson Notes issue too, 199 00:08:10,280 --> 00:08:11,679 Speaker 2: and I'm going to try and do it every quarter 200 00:08:11,680 --> 00:08:12,320 Speaker 2: depending on the weather. 201 00:08:12,360 --> 00:08:13,760 Speaker 3: And it's a bit raining out there at the moment, but. 202 00:08:13,800 --> 00:08:16,280 Speaker 2: Yes, I've got two and I've got three little steps 203 00:08:16,280 --> 00:08:19,200 Speaker 2: through fifty cc scooters and I put a helmet on 204 00:08:19,240 --> 00:08:21,840 Speaker 2: a long sleeve shirt and some lotion. I'm out zooming 205 00:08:21,840 --> 00:08:24,400 Speaker 2: around Howard Springs and going to a house by house 206 00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:26,720 Speaker 2: and putting a Nelson notes in each people's driveway. 207 00:08:26,760 --> 00:08:28,320 Speaker 1: What's been the reaction from people? 208 00:08:28,320 --> 00:08:30,240 Speaker 3: Have they been wondering who you are? 209 00:08:31,280 --> 00:08:33,040 Speaker 2: I think they have because I think because of the 210 00:08:33,080 --> 00:08:35,640 Speaker 2: increased crime in the area. I notified the police in 211 00:08:35,679 --> 00:08:36,960 Speaker 2: toyl was going to do it to make sure they 212 00:08:37,040 --> 00:08:39,040 Speaker 2: got any complaints. But people have been pulling up on 213 00:08:39,120 --> 00:08:40,640 Speaker 2: the side right ask me what I'm doing and make 214 00:08:40,679 --> 00:08:42,440 Speaker 2: sure I'm not casing the joint. And I tell them 215 00:08:42,480 --> 00:08:44,240 Speaker 2: who I am and show them my Nelson notes and 216 00:08:44,240 --> 00:08:46,480 Speaker 2: everyone happy and I give it Nelson them out of 217 00:08:46,480 --> 00:08:48,640 Speaker 2: the way they go. So but a lot of friendly 218 00:08:48,679 --> 00:08:50,880 Speaker 2: dogs out there, must admit, Oh are they all friendly? 219 00:08:51,160 --> 00:08:52,120 Speaker 3: Well some of them. 220 00:08:52,160 --> 00:08:53,760 Speaker 2: Some gates get missed because they go up to them 221 00:08:53,800 --> 00:08:56,120 Speaker 2: and the dogs come barking. So it's just too dangerous. 222 00:08:56,120 --> 00:08:57,240 Speaker 2: So we just moved to the next house. 223 00:08:58,040 --> 00:09:00,160 Speaker 1: Oh well, good luck, good luck with getting all of 224 00:09:00,200 --> 00:09:02,560 Speaker 1: those delivered. Thanks for coming in this morning. We appreciate 225 00:09:02,600 --> 00:09:02,960 Speaker 1: your time. 226 00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:04,360 Speaker 3: Thank you, thank you, thank you.