Peter Garrett (Kingsford Smith, Australian Labor Party, Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth) Share this | Hansard source

To the member for Parkes, I am aware that Reed Constructions have entered voluntary administration. I should point out to the member that in fact responsibility for the BER is in Minister Shorten's hands and I will certainly direct your question to his office for an additional answer. What I can say is that we know that Ferrier Hodgson have been appointed as the administrator. We recognise, as I know everybody here would, that it does impose significant and considerable difficulties on builders such as the builder in your electorate that you referred to when a building company of this size enters into these difficulties. We do know that any claims for subcontractors for unpaid moneys are now managed as appropriate by the insolvency practitioner.

But I would make the point in concluding this answer and before I hand over to Minister Ellis that this is a matter that Barry O'Farrell as Premier of New South Wales cannot ignore. These are issues, as I understand it, that in part go to the delivery of projects to the New South Wales government. On that basis, as the New South Wales government has effective on-ground responsibility for the delivery of those projects, it is entirely appropriate that the New South Wales government be held to account for the delivery of the investment that the Commonwealth provided, through the states, for Building the Education Revolution.

Mr Coulton interjecting—

There is an interjection from the member opposite, but the fact of the matter is simply this: it is up to those state authorities who are in receipt of the investment that is provided by the Commonwealth to ensure that it is appropriately and properly given effect to. That is what has to happen. If there is a reason why a particular builder finds itself going into liquidation on a matter of delivery through the state entities then clearly it is a responsibility of the state government to be able to answer that question as well. I will conclude my answer there, because I think Minister Ellis is going to take up a question from the member for Aston.

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