Kirsten Livermore (Capricornia, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On behalf of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works, I present the third report for 2013 relating to referrals made May 2013.

In accordance with standing order 39(f) the report was made a parliamentary paper.

by leave—On behalf of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works, I present the third report of 2013, addressing referrals made 2013. This report deals with two referrals, with an estimated total cost of $115.9 million. The first inquiry examined the development and construction of housing for Defence at Warner in Brisbane, Queensland. The project cost is $91.3 million. The project will develop land for housing construction and Defence Housing Australia will build 130 dwellings for Defence members and their families. The 355 other residential allotments will be sold to the general public. The committee was assured that Defence Housing Australia and its contracted consultants have undertaken the appropriate risk assessments in determining that the filling works for tranche 2 of the Warner site are appropriate. The committee is satisfied with this project and recommends that it proceed.

The second inquiry examined the redevelopment and construction of housing for Defence at Sandford road, Enoggera, also in Brisbane, Queensland. The project cost is $24.6 million. The project will demolish the current seven two-storey brick and weatherboard town houses, which are outdated and do not meet Defence guidelines. Defence Housing Australia will then construct seven new townhouses and 48 apartments, all to be occupied by Defence members and their families. The site adjoins Gallipoli Barracks at Enoggera. The committee was impressed with the proposed design and congratulates Defence Housing Australia on maximising the use of such a valuable piece of land adjacent to Gallipoli Barracks.

The committee is satisfied with this project and recommends that it proceed. I would like to thank members and senators for their work in relation to these inquiries. This is the last report for the 43rd Parliament. During this parliament the committee has completed 47 inquiries with a total value of over $5.8 billion. I have been chair of the committee for the last ten inquiries and have been fortunate enough to step into the role with the committee already having a well-established bipartisan approach to its scrutiny of public works.

I thank the previous chair, the member for Page, for paving the way with her excellent work as chair. I also thank all other members of the committee for their dedication. I also take this chance to thank the committee secretariat, Dr Alison Clegg, Anthony Overs and Fiona Gardner, for their professionalism and for the good-natured way that they kept us focussed on our tasks as we travelled around Australia. Finally, I acknowledge the contributions made by the member for Mallee to the work of this committee. The member for Mallee has been a member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works for the majority of his parliamentary career going back to 1996 and his dedication and integrity have been invaluable. His expertise, enthusiasm and corporate memory will be sorely missed and I wish him well for his post-parliamentary life. I commend the report to the House.