Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, upon notice, on 6 September 2011:

With reference to the answer to question on notice no. 894 relating to the Pontville Detention Centre:

(1) What percentage of the new accommodation required will be by way of:

  (a) rental agreements; and

  (b) procurement.

(2) With which company, or companies, are the rental agreements and what are the value and lengths of those agreements.

(3) What is the value of the procurement agreements and with which companies are those agreements.

(4) Can a list be provided identifying which buildings will be placed on the department's asset registers.

(5) Paragraph (2) of the answer to question on notice no. 894 states that 'Rental agreements are in place or are currently being finalised for the hire of a number of other structures': can a list be provided advising which buildings have rental agreements in place and which buildings are still having rental agreements finalised.

(6) Who will bear the cost and responsibility of insurance for the:

  (a) procured facilities; and

  (b) rented facilities.

(7) Is it accepted that the so called 6 month period for the centre's life is to commence on 1 September 2011.

(8) What is the commencement date of each rental agreement and how much rental has been paid on all these buildings up to and including 31 August 2011.

(9) Has a community liaison group been established at Pontville; if so:

  (a) when was it established;

  (b) who are its members;

  (c) how were members of the liaison group chosen; and

  (d) by whom were members of the liaison group chosen.

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

(1) As at 5 September 2011, the percentage of new accommodation by the way of:

  (a) rental agreements is 81%, and

  (b) procurement is 19%.

(2) The department has rental agreements with the following companies:

(3) The value of the procurement is:

(4) The following list details the buildings currently held on the Departments asset register.

(5) Below is a list of rental agreements currently in place and those that are still being finalised.

(6) (a) Comcover will bear the insurance cost and responsibility for the procured facilities.

  (b) Comcover and Serco will bear the insurance costs and responsibility for the rented facilities.

(7) Yes.

(8)

(9) (a) The first formal meeting of the Community Consultation Group (CCG) was held on 7 September 2011.

  (b) The CCG comprises of key stakeholders and drawn from Tasmanian State Government agencies, organisations and groups that have approached Serco or DIAC with the offer of voluntary services, local government representatives, and others as guided by the Detention Services Manual, Chapter 4.

  (c) The members were chosen for their local knowledge and ability to contribute to the successful and positive operation of the centre.

  (d) The Community Consultation Group (CCG) is chaired by a member of the Council for Immigration Services and Status Resolution (CISSR). Members of the group were drawn from consultations held with State Government agencies, Local Government, Non-government Organisations and community members throughout 2011. The composition of the group was determined by the Chair of the CCG, Air Marshal Ray Funnell AC (Retd) and the DIAC Regional Manager of Pontville IDC.