Deborah O'Neill (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes:

(i) the importance of jobs on the Central Coast, and the vital role that governments can play in delivering those opportunities, stimulating the local economy, and stimulating quality infrastructure that benefits business, workers, and the broader community,

(ii) the broad community opposition to the Federal Government's announced intention to build a Commonwealth government building on prime waterfront land already earmarked for other projects, including a Regional Performing Arts Centre,

(iii) the Federal Government's decision to do a deal with the New South Wales Government wherein the New South Wales Department of Education will sell off at least one third of the site of the now demolished Gosford Public School, thus breaking with community expectations,

(iv) the lack of clarity around the cost of the land, and how developers and/or the owners of the site will recoup lost income from only constructing a four storey building on a site zoned for up to 16 storeys,

(v) the serious concerns around the tender process wherein some applicants appeared to be given additional information about the proposal, creating unfair advantages, and

(vi) the lack of transparency with which this site was chosen, with no community consultation, local tenderers overlooked, and other potential sites ignored; and

(b) calls on the Federal Government to:

(i) abandon its decision to locate its new building on the Gosford Waterfront, and for a new location to be determined,

(ii) immediately halt all proceedings in regard to the proposed Gosford Australian Taxation Office development on the Old Gosford Public School site,

(iii) broadly consult with the community in their planning for any infrastructure investment on the Central Coast,

(iv) apply procurement principles that advantage local developers and builders for the project to ensure better local job opportunities, and

(v) honour its commitment to provide $10 million to match equal funds from the local council and the New South Wales State Government to advance a centre for performing arts on the Gosford Waterfront as an integrated iconic element of the revitalisation of the Old Gosford Public School site.

Scott Ryan (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Scott Ryan (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am advised that the Australian government is not purchasing land in Gosford and is not constructing an office building in Gosford. The government will lease premises for 600 employees, the majority being Australian Taxation Office staff. The ATO released an expression of interest in October 2014 to commence the procurement process. The EOI specified required dimensions for commercial offices premises within a 1.5 kilometre radius of Gosford city centre. The EOI noted the ATO would consider premises to be constructed or refurbished or in existing condition. The Doma Group, the preferred tenderer, will construct a new building on a site that Doma Group has secured from the New South Wales government. Doma Group will seek a development application approval from the local council.

Deborah O'Neill (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Deborah O'Neill (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What we have going on here is a government that has engaged in a very, very obscure process of putting an ATO building in Gosford without consulting the community, and putting it on a site that belonged to the Gosford school community. That site has long been understood by the community to be an iconic space in which the redevelopment of Gosford would happen, in particular a performing arts centre, with community participation. Instead, what we have is a dodgy deal done in darkness by this government with the state government. They have put in the Doma Group to do it—from Canberra, not from the Central Coast—and they are going to pay them $70 million over the next 10 years in rent. This is a shameful use of taxpayers dollars, against the will of the community. I call on the government to halt this process and consult the community before they waste that money. They need to put the ATO in the middle of Gosford not on that site. (Time expired)

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that the motion moved by Senator O'Neill be agreed to.