Gillard must release BER costings as promised
21 Sep 2010
Media release The release today of another damning report into the 'School Hall' program highlights the need for Julia Gillard to make good on her election promise to publish all costings for every State and Territory BER project.
The report of the New South Wales Parliamentary Inquiry shows that the NSW Labor Government has manifestly failed to deliver value for money and has also confirmed fee double dipping and overcharging.
This mirrors the findings of the BER Implementation Taskforce report, released during the Federal election campaign, which singled out the NSW Government as the worst BER manager nationally.
The 'Orgill' Taskforce report also revealed that the Prime Minister had overseen the waste and mismanagement of potentially billions of dollars in taxpayer's money. As a face-saving exercise Ms Gillard agreed to all of the Taskforce's recommendations, promising to implement them if elected.
On top of that list of recommendations was a call for all costings in every State and Territory to be released:
"In the interest of transparency and public accountability, the Taskforce recommends that each education authority publish school specific project cost data related to BER P21 in a nationally common structure with consistent definitions."
The scandalous mismanagement and waste in the program dubbed the 'school hall rip-off' was a key factor in the Labor Party losing its parliamentary majority.
If the three Ministers now 'job-sharing' the education portfolio don't present a clear timeframe for the release of all the BER costings by the end of the week, then the Opposition will be forced to take action when Parliament reconvenes.
September 20, 2010
MEDIA CONTACT:
Adam Howard
0400 414 833