Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Finance) 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: Project JP154 Phase 1—Defence Counter Improvised Explosive Device Capability Facilities and Infrastructure Project.

The Department of Defence proposes to deliver new and refurbished purpose-built facilities and associated infrastructure to support a sustainable defence counter improvised explosive device capability into the Australian Defence Force. The project will enhance current ADF capability to combat the ongoing threat to our personnel operating in areas of conflict.    These works form part of the first phase of Project JP154, and I note that the Minister for Defence announced first-pass approval for phase 2 of this project yesterday. As the minister noted in that announcement, the use of improvised explosive devices is increasing globally and they are being employed by a range of groups, including insurgents, terrorists, and conventional and unconventional military forces.

During the winter break I had the opportunity to visit the Middle East as part of the ADF's parliamentary exchange program and was able to experience firsthand the risks that our defence personnel take when operating in that troubled region and in particular the risks posed by improvised explosive devices. The facilities that are the subject of this referral will support research and development, engineering acceptance and testing, and storage and training for force protection electronic countermeasures equipment. The facilities will be located at a number of existing Defence locations across Australia, with the most significant works to be undertaken at Nurrungar and Edinburgh in South Australia. The works are valued at $24.6 million, excluding GST. This includes provision for management and design, construction, furniture, fittings and equipment, contingencies, and escalation.

Subject to parliamentary approval, construction is scheduled to commence in South Australia in April 2015 and is planned to be completed on other all sites by mid-2016. These are important works, 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, the following proposed work be referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works for consideration and report: Project JP3029 Phase 2—Defence Space Surveillance Telescope Facilities Project.

The Department of Defence is proposing to construct a space surveillance telescope facility at the Naval Communication Station Harold E. Holt in Exmouth, Western Australia. The facility is the cornerstone of a Space Situational Awareness Partnership between Australia and the United States of America, announced in November 2010 following the Australia-United States Ministerial, or AUSMIN, Conference. At the 2012 AUSMIN, both governments agreed to work towards locating a space surveillance telescope on Australian soil. Space is becoming increasingly congested, with active satellites and discarded space junk posing a collision risk to space assets. Space situational awareness will give the operators of space based capabilities the ability to anticipate the influence of other space objects and to take action to ensure continued and unimpeded operations of space vehicles.

The project is valued at $63 million, excluding GST. This includes all design and construction delivery costs, including furniture and fittings, equipment, contingencies, and escalation. The facility will be located within an existing Defence facility, the Naval Communication Station Harold E. Holt near Exmouth, which offers the best conditions for optimal telescope functionality of the sites available. Subject to parliamentary approval, construction is expected to begin in early 2015 and to be completed by mid-2016. I commend the motion to the House.

Question agreed to.