Rick Wilson (O'Connor, 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 Report 1/2022: referrals made December 2021.

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

by leave—The report considers two proposals referred to the committee in December 2021. The first project is the Services Australia fit-out of new leased premises at 205 North Quay in Brisbane, Queensland, at an estimated cost of $89.36 million, excluding GST. Services Australia currently leases nine different sites within the Brisbane area, housing 3,559 back-of-house and corporate staff. This project aims to consolidate these nine sites and 11 leases into one fit-for-purpose office space by 2025. The project also aims to enhance staff collaboration and to improve operational effectiveness by having all staff located in one purpose-built space.

The second project is the Department of Home Affairs' fit out of 808 Bourke Street in Docklands, Victoria. The project has an estimated cost of $34.26 million, excluding GST. The aim of this project is to consolidate the department's current 1,740 staff located across three sites in the Melbourne central business district and Docklands area prior to the expiry of their leases in 2023. Similarly, these works aim to optimise operational efficiencies through the co-location of staff and to improve the ability of the department to provide services to the public.

I would like to thank both Services Australia and the Department of Home Affairs for their comprehensive presentations and briefings to the committee. I would also like to thank my fellow committee members for their consideration of these works during the summer recess, enabling both projects to be considered in a timely and efficient manner. Particularly, I would like to thank the secretariat—Klara Fay and Fran Denny—for their great work over the summer break as well.

In considering the projects examined in Report No. 1 2022, the committee recommended that the House find it expedient that both projects proceed. I commend the report to the House.