Mike Kelly (Eden-Monaro, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That, in accordance with the provisions of the Public Works Committee Act 1969, the following proposed work be referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works for consideration and report: Bridging of Kings Avenue over Parkes Way at the Russell roundabout, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory.

The National Capital Authority has been appropriated funding of $26.6 million over four years to undertake the bridging of Kings Avenue over Parkes Way at the Russell round-about, Canberra, ACT. Parkes Way will be lowered and a new bridge will carry Kings Avenue traffic over Parkes Way to the Russell defence precinct. This work will also restore Kings Avenue as one side of Walter Burley Griffin’s national triangle. This project will remove one of the worst traffic bottlenecks in Canberra. The new intersection where Kings Avenue passes over Parkes Way will allow traffic movements in all directions and provide safe pedestrian access from the Russell defence precinct to Kings Park and the shores of Lake Burley Griffin. The bridging of Kings Avenue over Parkes Way will provide improved, more reliable and more readily secured transport links between Canberra city, Parliament House and the airport. The estimated cost of the proposal is $26.6 million plus GST. Subject to parliamentary approval, construction is expected to commence late this year, with completion by early 2010. 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, the following proposed work be referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works for consideration and report: Fit-out of new leased premises for the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations at Block 9, Section 31, Canberra City, Australian Capital Territory.

The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations proposes to undertake at a cost of $66.6 million plus GST, a fit-out of new leased premises at block 9, section 31, Canberra city, in the ACT. The national office of the department is located in the Canberra CBD and the Canberra airport, in leases across 21 separate buildings, with a total net lettable area of approximately 97,000 square metres. With the exception of the airport properties, most of the accommodation is in buildings which are over 15 years old and require major research and refurbishment to meet Commonwealth standards.

The new building will be constructed on the 4,801 square-metre site of the former Queen Elizabeth II nursing mothers hospital and is part of the rapidly changing City West area. The development will provide approximately 40,000 square metres of high-quality office space, 500 square metres of storage space, 418 secure basement car parks and ground level bicycle parking for 165 bikes.

Subject to parliamentary approval and the satisfactory pricing of the tendered trade packages, the integration of the fit-out is the department’s preferred option. Under this arrangement, the fit-out will be undertaken concurrently with the base building construction, which commenced in February 2008 and is scheduled for practical completion in June 2010. Occupancy is expected to occur in mid-2010. Current leases have been structured to expire no earlier than mid-2010 to avoid the risk of penalties associated with short-term holding leases. 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, the following proposed work be referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works for consideration and report: Construction of new warehousing facilities at Wadsworth Barracks, East Bandiana, Victoria.

The Department of Defence proposes to undertake the construction of new warehousing facilities at an estimated out-turned cost of $36.369 million at Wadsworth Barracks, East Bandiana, Victoria. The project will provide modern, purpose-built facilities to enhance operational capability and provide efficient logistical and warehousing support to defence. It will reduce occupational health and safety issues and operational inefficiencies associated with the existing facilities.

The proposal mainly consists of the construction of a new purpose-built soldier support warehouse and a dedicated receipts and issues area for the existing freight distribution centre. The new soldier support warehouse will be dedicated to the storage of clothing and other soldier support items and will centralise soldier support stock into one building. The balance of the project involves the demolition of vacated and redundant North Bandiana warehouses as well as minor upgrade works to the remaining North Bandiana warehouses to address occupational health and safety issues. Subject to parliamentary approval, the works will commence early next year and be completed by mid-2010. 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, the following proposed work be referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works for consideration and report: RAAF Base Tindal redevelopment stage 5, Northern Territory.

The Department of Defence proposes to undertake stage 5 of the redevelopment of RAAF Base Tindal, near Katherine in the Northern Territory, at an estimated out-turned cost of $58.7 million plus GST. RAAF Base Tindal is part of a chain of airfields stretching across Northern Australia from Learmonth in Western Australia to Townsville in Northern Queensland. It is the home base for No. 75 Squadron, a tactical fighter squadron equipped with FA18 Hornets. It is also a staging base for exercises conducted in the area.

This proposal will be a mixture of new facilities, refurbishment and extension to existing facilities and will include upgrades to the base engineering services, aircraft maintenance facilities, warehousing, new fuel tanker maintenance and liquid dry oxygen facilities, as well as catering and messing improvements. The proposed project will improve the operational and support capabilities assigned to the base, correct limitations and deficiencies with existing facilities in infrastructure and enhance the working environment for base personnel to an acceptable level. It will address occupational health and safety issues and facilities which no longer meet Australian defence standards. Subject to parliamentary approval, construction is scheduled to commence mid next year and be completed in late 2011. 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, the following proposed work be referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works for consideration and report: RAAF Base Darwin redevelopment stage 2, Darwin, Northern Territory.

The Department of Defence proposes to undertake stage 2 of the redevelopment of RAAF Base Darwin in the Northern Territory at an estimated out-turn cost of $49.8 million plus GST. RAAF Base Darwin is a major military airbase in the Northern Territory. The base primarily supports overseas deployments and transit operations, as well as major defence exercises. This is the second redevelopment plan for RAAF Base Darwin and seeks to address aged, substandard and dysfunctional infrastructure and facilities which do not comply with current standards. The redevelopment project will involve a new logistics headquarters, office accommodation, a fuel farm, a mechanical equipment workshop, a vehicle wash bay and demolition of redundant facilities. Subject to parliamentary approval, the construction phase will commence in late 2008 and be completed in 2011. 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, the following proposed work be referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works for consideration and report: Enoggera redevelopment stage 1 project, Gallipoli Barracks, Brisbane.

The Department of Defence proposes to undertake the first stage of the redevelopment of Gallipoli Barracks, Enoggera, at an estimated out-turn cost of $80.2 million plus GST. The main components of the proposed works include a new combined mess, office accommodation and upgrades to some engineering services. The proposal will significantly enhance the base support facilities and provide a safer and more effective work environment for personnel based at Gallipoli Barracks. Subject to parliamentary approval, the works will commence in late 2008 and be completed by 2011. I commend the motion to the House.

Question agreed to.