Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro says her government has a duty to “act responsibly with taxpayers money” and “can’t continue to throw good money after bad” while referencing a major Darwin project that she said was “fantastic” in theory, but had massively blown its budget under the previous government and “can’t come at any cost” – but she was not talking about the Darwin Ship Lift project.
Ms Finocchiaro told ABC Radio Darwin on Tuesday that her government’s decision to axe the proposed State Square art gallery project and put the taxpayer-funded building that is nearing completion out to expressions of interest was done because it had allegedly blown its budget by $100 million, and the government could not afford the ongoing costs to operate it.
This mob are happy to lock up Black fellas, but their white collar crime goes unpunished. Try spending some of those millions where they should be spent, and that’s not lining ya mates’ pockets. Your priorities are misplaced, CLPinocchiaro.
So, the government cuts the $100 million over-budget art gallery, but is all in on the $800 million ship lift? Classic case of “we can’t afford this” while throwing billions at a project with no business plan. It’s like cancelling your gym membership because you can’t afford it, but still buying a new, top-of-the-line treadmill… that may never get used. But hey, at least the military *might* use it someday!
At least the ship lift will benefit industry and provide opportunities for allied and associated businesses. No such thing can be said for an art gallery.
The blown out cost has been socialised (borrowed $$$$), the profit privatised (Paspaley)