Evidence given to the Legislative Council Budget and Finance Committee had revealed the Rann Government was trying to hide some of the Adelaide Oval blowout costs in other Budget lines.
Government witnesses today confirmed that the following parts of the Adelaide Oval project were not included in the $535 million latest estimates for the project:
• Up to $40 million for the footbridge across the Torrens (now part of the Convention Centre project budget);
• Up to $15 million for transport projects assisting movement of buses in and out of Adelaide Oval (now part of DTEI budget); and,
• Up to $11 million for an open-air car park south of the Torrens (now likely to be part of the Convention Centre project budget).
“So, this is another $66 million of budget costs over and above the $535 million latest estimate for the project,” Shadow Minister for Finance Rob Lucas said today.
“This still doesn’t include the $50 million cost for the underground car park which no-one has yet agreed to fund and also doesn’t include extra costs to make the Adelaide Oval FIFA compliant for World Cup fixtures.”
Other issues raised in evidence today include:
• Mr Carter said the best we could expect by 31 August now would be a “conditional agreement” to proceed rather than a final decision as previously promised;
• The Government has a $30 million second mortgage over the property at Adelaide Oval;
• Mr Foley’s Chief of Staff, Stephen Mullighan, told Mr Carter not to discuss costs or blowouts at an Adelaide Oval project meeting with Mr Foley on 3 March 2010 (17 days before the election);
• Mr Carter didn’t tell Mr Foley of the blowout after being advised at a meeting on 22 February because Leigh Whicker had told him he had already briefed Mr Foley.
The Budget and Finance Committee will take further evidence from Stadium Management Authority Chair, Ian McLachlan, on Friday 23 July and from Under Treasurer Jim Wright on Monday 26 July 2010.