John McVeigh (Groom, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

On behalf of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works, I present the committee's report entitled Report 1/2019: referral made October 2018.

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

by leave—This is the first report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works for 2019, which is in regard to a referral in October 2018 in which the Department of Infrastructure, Regional Development and Cities proposed the replacement of the wharf crane and mooring systems on Christmas Island in Australia's Indian Ocean Territories.

Christmas Island depends on reliable port facilities for the delivery of essential supplies and for the export of phosphates, a key resource in the island's economy. The existing wharf crane and mooring systems are aged, have a number of safety concerns and are incurring escalating and ongoing repair costs.

This project will replace the existing wharf crane and upgrade the mooring systems at Flying Fish Cove, reconfigure the mooring systems at Smith Point, and remove port infrastructure at Nui Nui which is no longer required. The estimated cost of these works is $26.2 million, excluding GST.

The committee found no issues of concern with this project during the course of its inquiry, and recommends that the proposed works should proceed. I'm sure the member for Lingiari would be pleased with that conclusion and recommendation. I commend the report to the House.

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