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: Construction of housing for Defence on Gordon Olive Estate at McDowall, Brisbane, Queensland.

Defence Housing Australia proposes the development of a five-hectare infill site in the Brisbane suburb of McDowell, Queensland, at an estimated total outturn cost of $27.2 million, inclusive of GST and land acquisition. The development will provide an additional 51 homes for Australian Defence Force personnel and their families who are serving in the Brisbane area and particularly for those serving at Gallipoli Barracks, Enoggera. In addition to the 51 defence houses, the development of the site will also include 10 lots suitable for detached housing and a 5,000-square-metre area that is suitable for the construction of up to 36 low-level apartments. These lots will be sold. The estate will be called the Gordon Olive Estate, honouring the memory of Brisbane-born Battle of Britain pilot and distinguished community figure Gordon Olive CBE, who died in 1987. The estate is conveniently located five kilometres north of the Gallipoli Barracks at Enoggera and 12 kilometres north of the Brisbane CBD. The proposal forms part of an ongoing effort to increase the amount of defence housing in Brisbane and to replace houses for which leases are expiring and/or which do not meet the new and improved standard of Defence Force housing that was introduced in 2007.

Community standard housing for families is vital to the Australian Defence Force in attracting and retaining skilled personnel in the Defence Force. The Gordon Olive Estate has been designed to meet the requirements for Brisbane City Council development approval. Development of the site will be governed by Defence Housing Australia through a number of contractors and in accordance with Defence Housing Australia’s national specification covering performance and design requirements for Defence Housing Australia houses. Subject to parliamentary approval, construction will commence in May 2010 and be completed by June 2011. I commend the motion to the House.

Question agreed to.