Overview
On 17 September 2015, the Acting Auditor-General of New South Wales, Tony Whitfield, released a report on the Albert ‘Tibby’ Cotter Walkway which crosses over Anzac Parade in Moore Park. The Walkway’s primary function is to cater for event patrons in the precinct. Moore Park is listed on the State Heritage Register and is an open space specifically established to cater for public recreation.
Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) delivered the Walkway to an extremely tight timeframe. It was operational for the 2015 Cricket World Cup at the Sydney Cricket Ground as promised by the government. However, the World Cup deadline added substantially to the total cost of the Walkway, which is projected to be $38 million.
Transport for NSW and RMS could not provide evidence of a compelling economic or financial argument to support the construction of the Walkway or for the tight deadline. Also, the processes they adopted to provide assurance of the project’s value for money were not adequate.
Parliamentary reference - Report number #260 - released 17 September 2015