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 entitled Eighty SixthAnnual Report.

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

by leave—The committee is required by legislation to make a report every year on its work, and this report covers the committee's proceedings in 2022 both before and after the election. Apparently it lost its way under the former chair, but it—no! I take that back! During 2022 the committee reported on 10 major works, with a combined cost of over $1.2 billion. I thank the former chair, who is in the chamber today. The committee also scrutinised 290 medium works, with a combined value of over $1.8 billion. The threshold for works to be referred to the committee is currently $15 million for non-defence works and $75 million for defence works.

Since the early 1990s the committee has also reviewed medium works—those with a value over $2 million but lower than the threshold. Two million dollars does not buy as much as it used to, especially in construction. Therefore, from the end of 2022 the committee raised the lower limit of medium works to $5 million. This will allow the committee in 2023 to review fewer medium works but, when we do so, to do so with a higher degree of scrutiny.

As a final remark, I would like to thank both the current and the former members of the public works committee for their participation and contributions in 2022, particularly the current deputy chair, the member for Hinkler, and I would also like to thank the secretariat for the wonderful work they do in supporting us in all parts of the world, from Norfolk Island to the Cocos Islands and Christmas Island and everywhere in between. This committee looks forward to continuing the important oversight of proposed public works.