Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party, Minister for Small Business) Share this | Link to 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: Australian War Memorial, Treloar E Large Technology Objects Store Project, Mitchell, ACT.

As I advised the House when referring this project to the Public Works Committee, the Australian War Memorial is proposing to construct a single-level storage facility on the Commonwealth-owned site at Mitchell, Australian Capital Territory, to accommodate the planned acquisition of large technology objects. The Treloar collection's storage facility at Mitchell is an essential asset and the Australian War Memorial's conservation facility and store for large pieces of military equipment, including aircraft, vehicles, boats, missiles and guns. There is an immediate requirement for increased collection storage, as there is a significant planned handover of collections from the Department of Defence once additional storage capacity is available. These include a P-3C Orion, an F/A-18 Classic Hornet, and Seahawk and Squirrel naval helicopters, which are due to be retired in the coming decade.

The project will provide approximately 5,288 square metres of total floor space. No internal fit-out is proposed. The estimated cost to deliver the project is $16.1 million, excluding GST. This includes a provision for contingencies, cost escalation and associated professional fees. The committee has conducted an inquiry and it is of the view that the project signifies value for money for the Commonwealth, and constitutes a project which is fit for purpose and expedient to carry out. On behalf of the government, I'd like to thank the committee for, once again, undertaking a timely inquiry. Subject to parliamentary approval, construction is expected to commence in January 2018 and is expected to be completed by December 2018. 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: Explosive Ordnance Logistics Reform Program Project.

As I advised the House when referring this project to the Public Works Committee, the Department of Defence is proposing to provide additional explosive ordnance logistics infrastructure across Australia. Defence's explosive ordnance logistics network is a key enabler to the capabilities of the Australian Defence Force and provides direct support to the Navy, Army and Air Force. The project will provide new infrastructure for the explosive ordnance network, including storage, processing and administration facilities. The proposed facilities will modernise and align the capacity of the network with the Australian Defence Force's operational tempo. The estimated cost to deliver the project is $230.9 million excluding GST. This includes the construction costs, management and design fees, furniture, fittings and equipment, contingencies and an escalation allowance.

The committee has conducted an inquiry and is of the view that the project signifies value for money for the Commonwealth and constitutes a project which is fit for purpose and expedient to carry out. On behalf of the government I'd like to thank the committee for, once again, undertaking a timely inquiry. Subject to parliamentary approval, construction is expected to commence in early 2018 and is scheduled to be completed by late 2020 in all areas. 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: HMAS Cerberus Redevelopment, Western Port Bay, Victoria.

As I advised the House when referring this project to the Public Works Committee, the Department of Defence is proposing to remediate and upgrade facilities and infrastructure at HMAS Cerberus to better support Navy and Australian Defence Force training operations and base-support services functions. HMAS Cerberus, located at Western Port Bay in Victoria, is the principal and largest training establishment of the Royal Australian Navy, with approximately 6,000 training places annually, over 300 courses, with an average of 1,100 trainees on courses at any one time throughout the year. The project will provide opportunities to improve current site environmental conditions by addressing inefficiencies in engineering services. The project will have a positive social and economic benefit for the region, with the total number of personnel engaged by the project estimated at 1,100 over the proposed delivery time frame.

The estimated cost to deliver the project is $463.1 million, excluding GST. This includes construction costs, management and design fees, information communication technology, fittings and equipment, contingencies and allowance for escalation. The committee has conducted an inquiry and is of the view that the project signifies value for money for the Commonwealth and constitutes a project which is fit for purpose and expedient to carry out. On behalf of the government, I would like to thank the committee for, yet again, undertaking a timely inquiry. Subject to parliamentary approval, construction is scheduled to begin in late 2017 and is expected to be completed by mid-2025. With that, I commend this motion to this 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: IP Australia Accommodation Project: Building Refresh Discovery House, Woden, ACT.

As I advised the House when referring this project to the Public Works Committee, IP Australia proposes to renew its tenancy, undertake a building refresh and introduce enhanced amenities at its head office in Discovery House, Woden, which in the Australian Capital Territory. The building refresh will provide a new, modern fit-out and create an efficient, adaptable and sustainable workplace designed to support flexible work practices, provide a childcare facility and achieve the whole-of-government occupational density target of 14 square metres of office space per occupied work point. It is anticipated that at the conclusion of the works 2,000 square metres of surplus office space will become available to sublet to another government agency.

The estimated cost to deliver the project is $39.7 million, excluding GST. This includes all capital construction works, fixture fittings and furniture, design, project management, and consultancy costs. The committee has conducted an inquiry and is of the view that the project signifies value for money for the Commonwealth and constitutes a project which is fit for purpose and, indeed, expedient to carry out. On behalf of the government, I'd like to thank the committee for, once again, undertaking a timely inquiry. Subject to parliamentary approval, construction is scheduled to start in February 2018 and to be completed by December 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: JP2008 Phase 5B2 Wideband Satellite Capability—Satellite Ground Station—East Facilities Project.

As I advised the House when referring this particular project to the Public Works Committee, the Department of Defence is proposing to construct facilities to support a satellite ground station at Kapooka Military Area near Wagga Wagga in the Riverina in New South Wales. The project will provide facilities to enable anchoring of enhanced wideband satellite communications. The proposed works will involve the construction of a transmission building, foundations for three satellite dishes, and associated supporting infrastructure and engineering services. The proposed site is an open field inside the southern boundary of the Kapooka Military Area. The facility will be serviced by a small number of maintenance personnel and operated remotely. The capital investment in infrastructure will bring economic benefits to the local economy during construction and throughout its ongoing sustainment. The estimated cost of delivering the project is $34 million excluding GST. This includes the construction cost, professional service fees, management fees, contingencies and an allowance for escalation. The committee has conducted an inquiry and is of the view that the project signifies value for money for the Commonwealth and constitutes a project which is fit for purpose and expedient to carry out. On behalf of the Commonwealth government I'd like to thank the committee for, once again, undertaking a timely inquiry. Subject to parliamentary approval, construction is scheduled to begin in mid-2018 and is expected to be completed by late 2019. I commend the motion to the House.

Question agreed to.