Janelle Saffin (Page, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On behalf of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works, I present the committee's report entitled Report 4/2011: referrals made May to June 2011.

In accordance with standing order 39(f), the report was made a parliamentary paper.

by leave—On behalf of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works, I present the fourth report of 2011, addressing referrals made May to June 2011. This report deals with four inquiries with a total estimated cost of $117.6 million. In each case, the committee recommends the House of Representatives agree to the works proceeding. The report includes additional recommendations to the Department of Defence for preparing future proposals for the committee's consideration and a recommendation to develop protocols for dealing with contaminated sites on Defence properties. The new works include a fit-out of new leased premises for the Human Services portfolio in Canberra, a fit-out of new leased premises for the Australian Taxation Office in Brisbane, contamination remediation works at RAAF Base Williams at Point Cook in Victoria and a specific nutritional capability project for the Defence Science and Technology Organisation at Scottsdale in Tasmania.

Let me first deal with the fit-out of the new leased premises for the Human Services portfolio. The works are needed to accommodate a large portion of the portfolio's staff currently housed in different locations around Canberra. The majority of these leases are due to expire over the next three years. This proposal will reduce the number of leases and consolidate locations in line with the corporate office accommodation strategy. The committee was informed during the inquiry that the department undertook an initial procurement process for the works between 2007 and 2010 which was unsuccessful. The department had to undertake further negotiations with the first and second ranked tenderers before achieving a suitable proposal. The committee was concerned about this process, and notes in its report that all agencies should ensure their tender processes are robust and sufficiently informed by market conditions to avoid failure. Notwithstanding these concerns, the committee is satisfied that the project has merit and should proceed.

Moving to the second fit-out of Commonwealth leased premises, the committee considered a proposed fit-out of new premises for the Australian Taxation Office in the heart of Brisbane. This proposal will consolidate two premises currently housing ATO staff into a single building, achieve greater operational efficiencies, improve the standard of accommodation for staff and meet compulsory Commonwealth standards on its environmental impacts. The committee is satisfied that this project has merit and will achieve its outcomes of meeting Commonwealth property management guidelines, increase the department's ability to adapt to changing accommodation requirements in the future and achieve more collaborative work practices.

Chapter 4 of the report deals with proposed contamination remediation works at a former fire training area at RAAF Base Williams at Point Cook in Victoria. The committee inspected this site on 26 July 2011, witnessing firsthand the need for the works. The site was used in the 1980s for firefighting training. As a result, the soil now contains approximately 950,000 litres of toxic liquid waste called dense non-aqueous phase liquid. This liquid contains over 120 chemicals. While the toxic liquid is not yet in contact with nearby Port Phillip Bay, groundwater has moved through the soil on the site, dissolving chemicals which are now discharging into the bay. The physical barrier between the toxic substance and the bay is reducing due to coastal erosion, increasing the pressing need for contamination remediation works on the site. Whilst the committee observed that Defence continues to monitor the site and undertake rigorous testing, it is patently clear that remediation works are urgently needed to prevent future damage. As outlined in this report, the committee notes there are a number of other Defence sites around Australia that will require contamination remediation works in the near future. The committee recommends in its report that Defence ensure that all remediation works are of the highest standard and that contamination is removed entirely from each site. Defence must actively engage with and inform local land users, authorities and community groups, and demonstrate that each site poses no risk to human health or the environment. I move to the final proposal considered by the committee. This is the specific nutritional capability project for the Defence Science and Technology Organisation at Scottsdale in Tasmania. The project aims to address the shortcomings of the current facility. A cell culture laboratory will be established to enable DSTO to investigate the impact of nutrition on health and performance outcomes using modern techniques. It will present opportunities in the field of nutrigenomics and improve research and development into nutrition to meet the specific needs of the Australian Defence Force.

The committee inspected the current facility, which limits DSTO's ability to meet ADF directives and taskings in relation to nutrition and food science capabilities. The project is anticipated to cost $18.7 million. In reaching this proposal, DSTO considered a number of options which were brought to the committee's attention. Defence had also considered relocating the site to elsewhere in Australia; however, they did not address this option in their submissions to the committee.

Whilst the committee is satisfied that Defence considered all options available for the project proposal, the committee recommends that each and every option considered by Defence be discussed at length in their submissions for the committee's consideration in the future. I know the locals were very pleased that it is staying exactly where it is—but that is a separate issue.

I would like to thank members and senators for their work in these inquiries. In particular, I would like to thank and welcome Senator Alex Gallacher and Senator Anne Urquhart, who joined the committee since the tabling of our last report. I commend the report to the House.

(Quorum formed)