John McVeigh (Groom, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On behalf of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works, I present the committee's report Referrals made July 2019.

Report made a parliamentary paper in accordance with standing order 39(e).

by leave—On behalf of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works I present the committee's second report for 2019. The report considers two proposals re-referred to the committee in July that had lapsed in the 45th Parliament.

The first is the Point Wilson Waterside Infrastructure Remediation Project in Victoria. The Department of Defence sought approval from the committee to proceed with the project in order to remediate the Point Wilson Explosives Area waterside infrastructure, to recommence explosive ordnance importation at the site. The estimated cost of this project is $218.9 million, excluding GST.

The second proposal is the Australian Taxation Office fit-out of leased premises in Moonee Ponds in Victoria. The ATO sought approval from the committee to proceed with the project as the current facilities are ageing and in need of an upgrade to support business requirements. The estimated cost of this project is $35.5 million, excluding GST.

The committee recommended that the House find it expedient that both projects proceed. However, the committee also requested that the Department of Defence provide an annual progress report for the Point Wilson Waterside Infrastructure Remediation project, as well as detailed reports on the final costs of each completed element.

The second report reflects work largely completed by the committee in the 45th Parliament. The committee determined not to repeat the inquiry process for these projects in the 46th Parliament, reflecting the rigorous work of the previous committee and that there had been no significant changes to the proposed projects since the original referral. Accordingly, I thank members of the PWC of the 45th Parliament for their expertise in conducting the inquiry, as well as members of the PWC in the current parliament for concluding this process. I commend the report to the House.