Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment) Share this | Hansard source

On behalf of the Assistant Minister to the Minister for the Public Service, I move:

That, in accordance with the provisions of the Public Works Committee Act 1969, it is expedient to carry out the following proposed work which was referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works and on which the committee has duly reported to Parliament: The Australian War Memorial Development Project.

The Australian War Memorial is proposing new building works: refurbishment of the main memorial building and the CEW Bean building; new and upgraded galleries; and improvements to the public realm. The works will provide additional exhibition capacity to enable the Australian War Memorial to effectively tell the stories of Australian experiences of conflict and operations in a manner that preserves the national significance of the Australian War Memorial, while enhancing the visitor experience. The estimated cost of the works is $498.7 million, excluding GST, over nine years.

The project was referred to the Public Works Committee on 30 April 2020. The committee has recommended that the House of Representatives resolve, pursuant to section 18(7) of the Public Works Committee Act 1969, that it is expedient to carry out the project. Subject to parliamentary approval, the works are expected to commence immediately, with a staged completion by June 2028.

On behalf of the government, I would like to thank the committee for undertaking this inquiry. While I note that there is a dissenting report, the government agrees with the majority of the committee. I commend the motion to the House.

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