David Coleman (Banks, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That, in accordance with the provisions of the Public Works Committee Act 1969, it is expedient to carry out the following proposed work which was referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works and on which the committee has duly reported to Parliament: Engine Test Cell 1 Upgrade, RAAF Base Amberley, Queensland.

The Department of Defence is proposing to upgrade the engine maintenance and testing facility at the RAAF Base Amberley, Queensland, to maintain the fleet of classic Hornets, Super Hornets, Growlers and new F-35 aircraft. The 2016 defence white paperreinforces the importance of investing in vital enabling capability, including upgrading of testing facilities. The proposed work minimises the need for new infrastructure, as it will use the existing purpose-built facility with an upgrade and will provide the best value for money out of all the options considered. It is anticipated that throughout the project up to 120 personnel may be employed on-site at various stages and that a significant percentage of the tendered work packages will provide opportunities for local small- to medium-size enterprises. The Public Works Committee has conducted an inquiry and is of the view that the project is value for money for the Commonwealth and constitutes a project that is fit for purpose and expedient to carry out.

On behalf of the government, I would like to thank the committee for once again undertaking a timely inquiry. Subject to parliamentary approval, consultation is scheduled to commence mid-2018 and is expected to be completed by late 2019. I commend the motion to the House.

Question agreed to.

I move:

That, in accordance with the provisions of the Public Works Committee Act 1969, it is expedient to carry out the following proposed work which was referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works and on which the committee has duly reported to Parliament: Joint Health Command Garrison Facilities Upgrade Project.

As advised when this project was referred to the Public Works Committee on 7 December of last year, the Department of Defence is proposing to provide health facilities on Defence bases to meet its requirement of maintaining the health and wellbeing of Australian Defence Force personnel for operational preparedness. The 2016 defence white paper reinforced the importance of health care as a key military enabler. Defence proposes to upgrade existing Joint Health Command healthcare facilities at 13 locations around Australia. The Joint Health Command provides the Australian Defence Force with pre and post deployment and proactive health care for operational preparedness.

Existing health facilities have several issues affecting Joint Health Command's ability to deliver effective healthcare services, including ageing buildings, non-compliance with building codes and infection risks due to outdated facilities. A key objective of this project is to deliver facilities to support consistent and efficient health care across Defence. The project proposes to refurbish five existing health centres and construct eight new health centres, where it is not possible to refurbish or upgrade existing facilities. The project will generate employment opportunities in the construction sector in regional areas, including sites across most mainland states and territories.

The committee has conducted an inquiry and is of the view that the project is considered value for money for the Commonwealth and constitutes a project that is fit for purpose and expedient to carry out. On behalf of the government, I would like to thank the committee for, once again, undertaking a timely inquiry. Subject to parliamentary approval, construction is expected to commence in mid-2018 and be completed by mid-2020. I commend the motion to the House.

Question agreed to.

I move:

That, in accordance with the provisions of the Public Works Committee Act 1969, it is expedient to carry out the following proposed work which was referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works and on which the committee has duly reported to Parliament: Joint Project 157—Replacement aviation refuelling vehicles infrastructure project.

As advised when this project was referred to the Public Works Committee on 7 December, the Department of Defence is proposing to undertake infrastructure works to support the upgrade of the existing aviation fuel tankers and elevating hydrant vehicle fleets. The proposed work is consistent with the fuel infrastructure upgrade policy set out in the 2016 defence white paper. This project will deliver new and upgraded facilities across 14 military air bases within Australia, and at the Royal Malaysian Air Force Base Butterworth.

The new aviation refuelling fleet will require supporting facilities, including fuel-spill containment, fuel-treatment systems, vehicle shelters, and vehicle circulation and access roads. The extent of the infrastructure works by site varies as a result of the differing allocations of equipment and the availability of appropriate space within existing infrastructure. The works will also sustain and provide training to the required deployable Australian Defence Force workforce to operate Defence or allied aviation refuelling vehicles. The proposal will generate short-term employment opportunities and opportunities for suppliers, predominantly in the building, construction and labour markets, at 14 sites across Australia.

The committee has conducted an inquiry and is of the view that the project is considered value for money for the Commonwealth and constitutes a project that is fit for purpose and expedient to carry out. On behalf of the government, I would like to thank the committee for, once again, undertaking a timely inquiry. Subject to parliamentary approval, construction is expected to commence in mid-2018 and be completed by late 2019, and I commend the motion to the House.

Question agreed to.

I move:

That, in accordance with the provisions of the Public Works Committee Act 1969, it is expedient to carry out the following proposed work which was referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works and on which the committee has duly reported to Parliament: Maritime Operational Support Capability facilities project.

The Department of Defence proposes to upgrade the facilities and infrastructure at HMAS Stirling in Rockingham, Western Australia, and the Garden Island defence precinct and Randwick Barracks in Sydney, New South Wales, to support the Maritime Operational Support Capability, MOSC, project. The Australian Defence Force will replace the ageing HMA ships Success and Sirius with a single class of auxiliary oiler replenishment vessels.

The MOSC project will provide fit-for-purpose facilities and infrastructure to support the new vessels. The project will employ a diverse range of skilled consultants, contractors and construction workers and will include opportunities for upskilling and on-the-job training to improve employability prospects on future projects. The project will employ a construction workforce of about 65 personnel, with 50 at HMAS Stirling, and 15 at the Randwick Barracks.

The committee has conducted an inquiry and is of the view that the project is considered value for money for the Commonwealth and constitutes a project that is fit for purpose and expedient to carry out. On behalf of the government, I would once again like to thank the committee for again undertaking a timely inquiry. I commend the motion to the House.

Question agreed to.

See this speech in context