Queensland Art Gallery Presscuttings Book 9 : Construction of the cultural centre, 1977-1981

By QUENTIN DEMPSTER Contract difficulties could add about $8 mil– lion to the cost of Queensland's riverside perform– ing arts centre in Brisban The Deputy Prcn1ier and Treasurer, Dr Edwards, said today a too-tight contract had caused problems. A co11lr,1ct C'Omplction d ale by next yC'ar 's Commonw<,nl l h Game, had bec-11 llllrca l istic, h e said, The Ga111es bep;i 11 September 30. I r Edwards promised full public cllsclosurc or th e di f ficu l – ties, by h im ~elf :tlld the Works Mini.·ter, M r Whal'Lon , a f ter final meetings with the contra(:– tors, Bnr lny Bros.. and Ll1 c• Work.· Dep. rlmenl had b •en held t.o iron out r emaining pr?blems. Dr Eclwarcls ~nid he cou ld not put a figure 0 11 the extra money the governmen t would have to l'ind becn usc it was still negoti– able. The ext rn money I. needed bccau: e or delays in complellon or the perform ing ar ts centre, tlw second tagc of Bri.·ba n e·s showplece Queensland Cultural Centre. • Denial Oov rnment sources said the cost of t h e perfonnin T a rts sIa 0 c or the proj ect wou ld be increased from $22 million to about $30 million. wl,.ieh would lw1·c 10 ome from crmso licluted ~lr T om Burn s (ALP. Lytton) yesterday releu ed u con fiden– Llnl report from Melbourne busl – nc-ss consultant. Mr W.J. North– OVC'I', In which it was r por ted the Works Department wa s un– happy with Ba rclay Bros. Dr Edwa rd~ denied Mr Burn s' claim th at lit(' cult urnl c ntre pr jerI woulcl I urn into " a nothl'I' Sydn ., prr:i Hou, c-" with ,.,,: y– ru,·kt•t 111g con~ rue· l011 c-o t,. centre delay D, Edwards ,aid today: ''I concede there hos been a difficulty with taa tight o conhoct." "Thet·c ls no rcflccllon on Ille 1)•1 ihl1Jr or con– hn::tnr. It Is n rornptcx project nnd t11c (:!.0vcn1 - mcnl Is nc·i:;otlnlin~ to IHl\'C tile strucl11rc com– pleted ns :0011 as pos– sible. •·we wlll hnl'c the best pcr formirw centre In the world 1111d lhc> flnnnclal arrnni;rmcnl~. In spite of the cllfflrull if's, will cn– nbl us 10 ensure Ii Is n c·ost-c11'1•cthc project." Tile IIWl't In~ ln\'Ol\'lng hlmst II . l\1r Whorton. Il11rcln,\' Bl'fl,; Hild lhe \Vork.1 Dcpur1111r nt \\'OU Id he he-Id \\ !thin the 11C'Xt ft'\\' \\'('Cks. nr Eclwanls snicl n con– Lrnc t l'Oll1p lt•tin11 dnlfl IJJ,' n C X I ·' C II r . s C Ill · m,mw('alth Ci:1rnt•s 111 Oc– tober lud be-en 1111rcalis– tlc.