Brendan O'Connor (Gorton, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Industrial Relations) Share this | Hansard source

by leave—I want to concur with the comments made by the member for Pearce but emphasise some of the issues that were raised in the chair’s report, because they are worth raising. I think it is very important when we are seeking to accommodate our Australian defence personnel that we do so expeditiously and properly. There is no doubt as a result of our inquiry into this particular matter—and the evidence by Defence made it very clear—that there had not been any maintenance on these barracks. We are talking about a project of up to $1.2 billion in value. There had not been maintenance on these barracks for over the last decade. Indeed, the evidence concluded that the Defence estate had been allowed to be run down to the extent that there is now a requirement to invest considerable Commonwealth funds in a rebuilding project, which, says the Public Works Committee, is a disappointing reflection on the department. I think it is not only a reflection on the department, but also a reflection on the government if they are not attending to such a significant matter. I think the Public Works Committee quite rightly highlighted that concern in this report and indeed in the comments made today.

I also want to add to the matter raised by the chair of the public works committee with respect to consultation. It is important for Defence to consult with affected or potentially affected parties when there is construction or refurbishment of accommodation or other construction that involves the defence department. It is not the first time that there has been some criticism of the defence department in not consulting with councils and other bodies. I certainly think in future the defence department would be wise to ensure that consultation does occur if they believe that there is some likelihood that parties will be affected by the proposals that are put before the Public Works Committee.

I want to finally say that it is true, as the member for Pearce indicated, that we have made amendments to the Public Works Act 1969 to take into account the changing arrangements in the way in which the Commonwealth goes about these particular projects. We now have a number of methods of constructing and refurbishing buildings and we are now looking more and more at delivering the projects in accordance with public-private partnership methodology. Whilst we have made amendments, I have to agree with the member for Pearce that the amendments have not gone far enough to ensure that public moneys are properly scrutinised for very large projects. I think that there should be a review in the very near future into the operation of the act and the capacity for the public works committee to undertake its important role, which is to ensure that millions and millions of taxpayers’ dollars are spent wisely and properly and that there is value for money for such expenditure.

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