Karen Andrews (McPherson, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On behalf of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works I present report 4 of 2014 referrals made March 2014, AIR 9000 Phase 5C Replacement Chinook Facilities Project, Townsville, Queensland; and Defence Terrestrial Communications Network Facilities and Infrastructure Project. I seek leave to make a short statement in connection with the report.

Leave granted.

by leave—On behalf of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works I present the committee's fourth report of 2014, addressing referrals made in March 2014. This report deals with two referrals, both from the Department of Defence, with a total estimated cost of $185.9 million.

The first referral was for the AIR 9000 Phase 5C Replacement Chinook Facilities Project in Townsville, Queensland. The project cost is $54.8 million. The Replacement Chinook Facilities Project proposes to provide new and upgraded facilities for the 5th Aviation Regiment RAAF Base Townsville to support the introduction and operations of the new helicopters and associated integration systems.

The facilities proposed include those directly associated with the storage, security and maintenance of the new helicopters as well as facilities for the indirect capability requirements, such as working accommodation, training needs and infrastructure engineering services works. The project will enhance the Army's Land Force and Aviation capability by improving efficiencies in the delivery of the capability through the position of either new or expanded and modified facilities. The committee conducted an inspection, public hearing and in camera hearing, on the project, in Townsville. Consequently, it is satisfied that the project has merit, in terms of need, scope and cost and recommends that the project proceed.

The second inquiry in this report is Defence's Joint Project 2047 Phase 3 Defence Terrestrial Communications Network Facilities and Infrastructure project, referred to as JP2047. The project cost is $131.1 million. The purpose of JP2047 is to upgrade, replace, standardise and rationalise the information and communications technology facilities and communications infrastructure. Work will be carried out at 282 geographically dispersed Defence owned and leased sites within Australia, in all states and territories. The project will transform the Defence Terrestrial Communications Network, once completed in June 2016.

The committee received a private briefing, followed by a public and a private hearing on the project, from representatives of the Department of Defence, Point Project Management and Telstra Corporation, in Canberra. The committee is satisfied that the project has merit, in terms of need, scope and cost, and recommends that the project proceed. I would like to thank members and senators for their work in relation to these inquiries and I also thank the secretariat for their ongoing support to the public works committee. I commend the report to the house.