Rob Oakeshott MP
LYNE MP Rob Oakeshott has responded to a statement made by Garry Bannister Constructions director Dianne Bannister in Monday’s Port News.
The statement was in regard to his lack of response to her over the Reed Constructions Australia Pty Limited payment default.
Mrs Bannister advised she was told on Friday of the major construction company being placed in voluntary administration.
The Bannisters have been trying to get payment of $113,000 in overdue retention funds on six Building the Education Revolution (BER) projects, some of it since August last year.
Mrs Bannister said she had contacted Port Macquarie MP Leslie Williams and Mr Rob Oakeshott but “neither have even given a reply”.
Mr Oakeshott said Mrs Bannister contacted their office on March 13, 2012, and the MP’s staff had contacted the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations on March 14 and again on April 17.
Mr Oakeshott’s office has provided the Port News with a copy of correspondence received by staff from a department adviser on April 19 and provided to Mrs Bannister the following day.
The correspondence states: “As Mr Bannister’s contract is with The Reed Group and The Reed Group has been paid all it is due from the NSW BER Integrated Program Office, we can only suggest that Mr Bannister continue to pursue The Reed Group and seek to engage with where the NSW Government is in terms of their determination”.
It further states the author will “forward your concerns to the NSW Minister for Education and Communities”.
Mr Oakeshott said he was “still waiting on a response from the NSW Government, which administered, managed and implemented BER projects in NSW public schools, and was contract manager on arrangements between many Mid-North Coast schools and the Reed Group.”