Shayne Neumann (Blair, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Ageing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On behalf the Special Minister of State, 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: Air warfare destroyer ship sustainment facilities at Garden Island, Randwick Barracks and HMAS Watson, Sydney, NSW.

The new air warfare destroyer will replace the Navy's Adelaide class guided missile frigates with three Hobart class air defence capable ships.

The air warfare destroyers currently under construction in three shipyards in Newcastle in New South Wales, Williamstown in Victoria and Osborne in South Australia will be the most intense and complex warships introduced into service in the Royal Australian Navy. The first new air warfare destroyer, HMAS Hobart, is due for delivery in 2016. The air warfare destroyer ship sustainment facilities project will provide permanent maintenance, systems support and infrastructure at Garden Island and training facilities at Randwick Barracks and HMAS Watson in Sydney New South Wales.

Garden Island in Sydney will be operational base for the new air warfare destroyers, and the project proposes to co-locate and share certain facilities with the new landing helicopter dockships that will also operate from Sydney. At Garden Island there will be berthing infrastructure upgrades to the walls and a new shared three-storey office building to accommodate personnel involved in maintaining and keeping the ships operational. At Randwick Barracks there will be new air warfare destroyer training centres for crews which also co-locate and share certain facilities with the landing helicopter dock training centre. At HMAS Watson there will be a new air warfare destroyer command team trainer to practise and hone the ship's command teams in the profession of maritime warfare.

The estimated cost of the proposal is $109.9 million plus GST and includes all delivery costs from management and design fees, construction costs, information communication technology, furniture, fittings and equipment, contingencies and allowance for escalation. Capital investment in the project will have economic benefits for the Sydney region and local industry with significant opportunities for subcontractors in the construction industry over the next three years. In its report the Public Works Committee has recommended that these works should proceed. Subject to parliamentary approval, construction is expected to commence later this year and be completed by late 2015. On behalf of the government, I would like to thank the committee for its support and I commend the motion to the House.

Question agreed to.

On behalf of the Special Minister of State, I move:

The Air 9000 Phase 8 project is a key Defence capability initiative that would deliver 24 MH60R Seahawk Romeo maritime combat helicopters with associated support systems and weapons. The MH60R Seahawk Romeo will replace the existing 16 ageing S70B2 Seahawk helicopters and will provide Navy with advanced anti-submarine warfare capabilities. Infrastructure and building works are required to support the operations, maintenance training and ordinance storage facilities that are to be constructed at HMAS Albatross near Nowra in New South Wales, HMAS Stirling in Western Australia and Twofold Bay at Eden in New South Wales.

This capital investment will bring economic benefits to these locations for the local industry, with significant opportunities for subcontractors and construction industry associated therewith over the next four years. Works at HMAS Albatross are anticipated to generate an estimated 100 full-time jobs over a period of 16 months, peaking at approximately 260 full-time jobs. Works at HMAS Stirling are anticipated to generate an estimated 15 to 20 full-time jobs for each of the three project elements over a period of 46 months, peaking at approximately 45 full-time jobs. Works at Twofold Bay are anticipated to generate an estimated 15 full-time jobs over a period of six months, peaking at approximately 25 full time jobs.

The estimated cost of the proposal is $201.3 million plus GST and includes all delivery costs including management and design fees, construction costs, information communication technology, furniture, fittings and equipment, contingences and an allowance for escalation. In its report, the Public Works Committee has recommended that these works proceed. Subject to parliamentary approval, staged construction is scheduled to commence in late 2013 and is planned to be completed on all sites by mid-2017. On behalf of the government, I would like to thank the committee for its support and I commend the motion to the House.

Question agreed to.

On behalf of the Special Minister of State, I move:

The Australian Broadcasting Commission, the ABC, currently operates three sites in Melbourne: one at Southbank and two at Elsternwick. In 1999, the ABC purchased the site immediately adjacent to its existing Southbank Centre with the long-term objective of consolidating all its Melbourne based staff and operations, with the exception of television outside broadcast operations, on one site at Southbank. The proposed Melbourne Accommodation Project will achieve this objective together with a range of other ABC strategic, functional and financial objectives.

In an era of converging media, the proposed MAP will build an efficient and flexible working environment for ABC staff that reflects and supports the ABC charter. The proposal also aligns with a range of government policy objectives in the areas of the transition to digital television and digital radio services in metropolitan areas, environmental sustainability and the delivery of high quality and diverse broadcasting services including international television. The project involves construction of purpose built accommodation on the site immediately adjacent to the current Southbank broadcast site in Sturt street, Southbank. The consolidated facility will house all ABC radio, television and online production in Melbourne as well as broadcast and support facilities. The estimated cost of the project is $176.4 million, including project management, design, construction, building fit-out and the ABC's broadcast technological fit-out.

In its report, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works has recommended that these works proceed and, subject to parliamentary approval, construction is scheduled to commence in late 2013 with project completion estimated to be late 2016. On behalf of the government, I would like to thank the committee for its work and support. I commend the motion to the House.

Question agreed to.

On behalf of the Special Minister of State, 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: Construction of a new post-entry quarantine facility at Mickleham, Victoria.

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry currently leases and operates five post-entry quarantine facilities for the management of imported animals and plants under the Quarantine Act 1908. Existing leases on all properties are due to expire between 2015 and 2018 with no opportunities for lease extensions. The new facilities are required to satisfy contemporary quarantine standards and meet all future demands, particularly in the area of high-risk species. A single consolidated facility has been determined to be the best option to respond to this need. The proposed post-entry quarantine facility project will be delivered by the Department of Finance and Deregulation, which owns the project site and facility. The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry will operate and manage the proposed entry quarantine facility. The estimated cost of the proposal is $293.1 million plus GST and includes all of the costs associated therewith. The land for the project was purchased in Mickleham, Victoria, at a cost of $35 million in June 2012, utilising funds provided for this purpose in the 2011-2012 budget. In its report, the Public Works Committee has recommended that these projects and works proceed. Subject to the parliamentary approval, the construction will commence in late 2013 and will be completed by late 2018. On behalf of the government, I would like to thank the committee for its support. I commend the motion to the House.

Question agreed to.

On behalf of the Special Minister of State, 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: Defence Science and Technology Organisation Human Protection and Performance Division security and facilities upgrade, Fishermans Bend, Melbourne, Victoria.

The Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) is the leading Defence organisation agency charged with applying science and technology to protect and defend Australia and its national interests. In addition to the specialist advice and innovative solutions DSTO provides to the Australian Defence Force, the expertise that resides in DSTO also delivers unique capabilities to support the Australian government's broader national security requirements.

The DSTO Human Protection and Performance Division—HPPD—is located at the DSTO Melbourne site, Victoria, which is also known as DSTO Fishermans Bend. The mission of the HPPD is the application of innovative science to improve the protection and performance of personnel in physically challenging environments. The project proposes to enhance site security at DSTO Fishermans Bend and to rectify inadequacies in existing facilities to improve their ability to generate capability in support of the ADF and other Australian government organisations and agencies. The estimated project cost is $41.1 million plus GST and includes construction costs and management fees et cetera.

In its report, the public works committee has recommended that these works proceed. Subject to parliamentary approval, construction is expected to commence in mid-2013 and be completed by early 2016. On behalf of the government, I would like to thank the committee for its support and I commend the motion to the House.

Question agreed to.

On behalf of the Special Minister of State, 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: Infrastructure and upgrade works to establish a Regional Processing Centre on Manus Island, Papua New Guinea.

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship proposes to develop a new regional processing centre located on Manus Island, Papua New Guinea. The project aims to support the government's program to improve the capacity to process claims from irregular maritime arrivals from Australia in response to recommendation nine of the report of the Expert Panel on Asylum Seekers. The Manus Island Regional Processing Centre is required to provide suitable facilities for the accommodation, health, welfare and processing of irregular maritime arrivals and appropriate accommodation facilities for staff. In its report, the public works committee has recommended that these works proceed subject to parliamentary approval and following a detailed design process. Construction works are planned to commence in mid-2013 with construction to be completed by early 2014. On behalf of the government, I would like to thank the committee for its support and I commend the motion to the House.

Question agreed to.