Chief Minister Andrew Barr in the Playhouse at the Canberra Theatre Centre. The planned Lyric Theatre could be at risk, he says. Photo: Ian Bushnell.
Chief Minister Andrew Barr has accused the Canberra Liberals of raiding funding for the proposed 2000-seat Lyric Theatre to go towards their city stadium and convention centre proposals.
The Canberra Liberals have promised to continue with the theatre project along the same timeline as the government, but no costing on the project has been submitted to ACT Treasury.
In their costings for the stadium and the convention centre, the Liberals say they have identified provisioned funding in the 2024-25 infrastructure database worth $421.2 million for “Entertainment, Arts and Sport” project types, which will offset costs for the stadium and convention centre.
Talking to reporters about Labor’s renewal plans for the CBD, Mr Barr said these funds had been set aside mainly for the construction of the theatre but also other projects in the 10-year infrastructure plan
He said some of the Liberal Party costings were eating into the construction provision to undertake feasibility and design work for other projects.
“They will either need to tip in more money, or they are effectively saying that the theatre project won’t go ahead in its proposed form,” Mr Barr said.
That could mean a smaller theatre.
The actual construction cost needs to be determined through the second phase of procurement, but Mr Barr said the project benchmarks meant it would not be possible for the Liberals Party to do design and early works on other projects and construct a 2000-seat Lyric Theatre.
“There will be a shortfall of funding. It will be up to them to explain whether they would tip more money in or whether they are committing to build a 2000-seat Lyric Theatre as part of the Canberra Theatre Centre expansion,” he said.
“I’m very clear about what we’re doing. We budgeted for it and we’ve made the provisions, and we’ll get on with it. So if you want a 2000-seat Lyric Theatre, if you want an expanded Canberra Theatre Centre, vote Labor.”
Opposition Leader Elizabeth Lee said she had already confirmed that the Liberals would proceed with the theatre and that the money set aside in the infrastructure program was fair game given that Mr Barr had not been upfront about his costs.
“The fact is that Andrew Barr is incredibly opaque with his costings, so it is obviously open to any party looking at where the capital provisions are to say, hey, this is where there is some money for capital provisions, especially in the entertainment area,” she said.
Ms Lee later said no money from the theatre project would be reallocated and Mr Barr was attempting to undermine the Liberals’ costing process.
She said the Canberra Liberals had previously confirmed that they would not be proceeding with the $250 million entertainment pavilion Labor plans to build with a convention centre, and that funding provisioned for that project would be reallocated to a new convention centre and city stadium.
Ms Lee accused Mr Barr of providing evasive answers in Estimates when asked about provisions for major infrastructure projects including the pavilion, convention centre, and stadium.
“Andrew Barr must come clean and explain if he’s misled the Estimates Committee when he stated that the 2024-25 budget included provisions for major infrastructure projects including the pavilion, convention centre, and stadium,” Ms Lee said.
“The Canberra Liberals have committed to continuing with the Canberra Theatre expansion as per the current timeline and will not be reallocating any funds provisioned for this project to any other project.
“Given his opaque budget and his evasive answers in estimates, we are currently working with ACT Treasury to determine what capital provisions can be offset against our plans for a national convention centre and city stadium.”
The Liberals only submitted their costings for the stadium and convention centre on 11 October, the Treasury deadline.
The new theatre and the Arts and Cultural Precinct will be at the heart of the CBD. A contract is expected to be awarded in the middle of next year.
The Liberals have committed to starting four big projects in their first term if they form government: the stadium at West Basin, the National Convention Centre on the Civic pool site, the theatre and the hospital.
However, they will pull the plug on Light Rail Stage 2B to Woden, for which no cost estimate is available. The Liberals say the bill could be up to $4 billion.
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