Graham Perrett (Moreton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On behalf of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works, I present the committee's report numbered 1 of 2023, Department of Employment and Workplace Relations and the Australian Electoral Commission – proposed fit-out of new premises at London Quarterblock 40, section 100, Canberra City, ACTand other worksone of the most romantic names ever!—and I ask leave of the house to make a short statement in connection with the report.

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 our first report for 2023. This report considers two proposals referred to the committee in October and November last year, with a combined value of just under $230 million. The first proposal is a joint work from the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations and the Australian Electoral Commission for a proposed fit-out of new premises on London Circuit here in Canberra. The second proposal, from the Department of Defence, is for phase 2 of the redevelopment of the Cultana Training Area in South Australia.

The proposed fit-out of new premises in Canberra will consolidate both the department of employment and the Electoral Commission with a combined workforce of 4,500 into a single location. Currently, the departments are spread across 11 lease buildings that have deficiencies and inadequacies caused by ageing infrastructure. The new fit-out will be in a newly constructed building and will give both departments an opportunity to have a more flexible approach to their work spaces. The total cost of the proposed project is just under $150 million.

The second proposed project covered in this report is the Cultana Training Area redevelopment phase 2. This project will deliver upgrades to the Cultana Training Area, enabling the delivery of more complex training and improving usability and safety. The Cultana Training Area currently has limited ability to support and deliver urban training and vehicle activities, so this project will include road upgrades and infrastructure to support training, including a permanent live-fire training facility, ammunition transfer points, and the enhancement of the current tier 1 urban operations training facility to a tier 2 facility. The total proposed cost for the project is $79.8 million.

The committee heard about Defence's engagement with the four traditional owner groups that have links to the Cultana land, and notes the Indigenous Land Use Agreement. The committee encourages Defence to ensure there are opportunities for Indigenous businesses in this project. The committee thanks all those who provided written and oral evidence in support of these inquiries. We also thank personnel of the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, the Australian Electoral Commission and the Department of Defence for their very professional presentations on these two projects. For both projects, the committee recommends that it is expedient that the proposed works are carried out. I commend the report to the House.