Only $330 million?

From Hansard — Public transport: automatic ticketing

I refer the Minister for Transport to his statement in today’s Herald Sun newspaper that:

“Perhaps with 20/20 hindsight we may have tackled things in another way and not signed a contract for a system that had not been trialled anywhere else in the world.”

Given this extraordinary admission of failure, whom does the minister hold responsible for this $330-million fiasco? Is it the Premier, is it the Treasurer, or is it the former transport minister, who is now comfortably ensconced in the Agent-General’s office in London?

— John Brumby, then leader of the opposition, Questions without Notice, 18/11/1997

Only $330 million? Sounds like a bargain next to Myki, which is costing $494 million plus operating costs = $1.35 billion.

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PS. A figure from the Opposition in today’s Herald Sun claiming the $3.3m fit-out of the Department of Transport offices would have bought three trains appears to me to be inaccurate. In 2002, 58 3-car trains cost $332m, or $5.7m each. Also, it appears to be implying the money was spent at Nauru House — I though most of the bureaucrats had moved out of there to the SX Building next door, though some may remain.