Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) Share this | Hansard source

I am happy to take those questions. In relation to the total cost of the Inverbrackie facility, it is completely in line with the previous announcement. Yes, there were some remedial works necessary for some of the buildings, as you would expect with buildings which have not been occupied for some time. That was built into the original costing. So the total funding envelope is no different to the total funding envelope which has previously been announced.

In relation to his questions about significant economic benefit, I will take some of those details on notice but there has been significant economic benefit to the local area. As he correctly points out, a local business won the grocery contract, which is a substantial one and one that I think has been well received. A substantial number of Adelaide Hills residents have been employed at the centre. Again, I cannot recall the exact number off the top of my head, but it is a substantial number. I will take that on notice and report back to him in relation to the number of Adelaide Hills employees, but we certainly encourage Serco to employ locals wherever possible and Serco does take that approach. That has certainly been the case in relation to the Inverbrackie facility.

In relation to his questions about bushfire, there is a bushfire management plan in place. That was put in place immediately, as I outlined at a public meeting which he and I attended. That means that Serco and the department have a plan in place for managing what could be a very serious bushfire incident, and that includes evacuation plans et cetera.

In relation to the question of education, children who are resident at Inverbrackie have been attending schools from the beginning of the operation of the Inverbrackie facility. I am advised that an MOU is still being discussed with the state government, but the fundamental issue is that people are getting education. People are attending local schools, and that is working very well.

Mr Briggs interjecting—

If the honourable member has a particular concern he wishes to raise, I am more than happy to hear it. But I am not aware of any particular concerns that have been raised by local schools or local principals in relation to those questions. In relation to other questions raised and some of the details about the economic benefit, I am more than happy to report back to the honourable member in the spirit of goodwill which I have always attempted to give the local member, the honourable member for Mayo. As I say about the honourable member for Mayo, he holds an important role as chairman of the waste watch committee. It is a fine institution that has in the past played an important role in keeping governments to account, although it has gone downhill on his watch.

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