Judith Troeth (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On behalf of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works, I present report No. 5 of 2008, Referrals tabled March 2008, and I move:

That the Senate take note of the report.

I seek leave to incorporate my tabling statement in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The statement read as follows—

This report addresses seven referrals made to the Committee in March 2008. Namely:

• Facilities for the Hardened and Networked Army at Edinburgh Defence Precinct, South Australia, at an estimated $623.68 million;
• Upgrades at RAAF Base Darwin, at an estimated $49.83 million;
• Developments at Robertson Barracks, Darwin, at an estimated $72.12 million;
• RAAF Tindal redevelopments at an estimated $58.7 million;
• Airborne Early Warning and Control Facilities at RAAF Tindal at an estimated $64.2 million;
• Multi Role Helicopter Facilities at Nowra, Townsville, Oakey, Enoggera and Sydney at an estimated $168.7 million; and
• Developments at Enoggera Base in Brisbane at an estimated $80.2 million.

The Committee has reported on an exception only basis on issues that it thought warranted further comment and in some cases recommendation for further action. However, many more issues were raised at the public hearings and I would urge those interested in any of these works to supplement the report with the transcripts and submissions available on the Committee’s website.

In all cases, the Committee has recommended that the House resolve that the works be carried out. For two of the seven works, the Committee has made additional recommendations.

En the case of the Edinburgh Defence Precinct Development, the Committee has recommended that the Minister for Defence progress land acquisition negotiations as a matter of priority. This land under question will enhance the Army’s training capacity and any expenditure on temporary facilities whilst awaiting this acquisition would be wasted.

Secondly, the Committee has made a general recommendation that Australian Government contracts for major capital infrastructure developments include a requirement for the provision of employment and training opportunities for the local community. The Committee considers that Commonwealth agencies delivering capital works projects have an obligation to contribute to the local community by ensuring these opportunities are provided.

Concerns of the local community were also raised in the inquiry into developments at Robertson Barracks, Darwin. Local residents expressed concern about the impact of base traffic on local roads. Although this is the responsibility of the local government, the Department of Defence indicated it was keen to resolve the concerns of residents and thus the Committee has recommended that Defence facilitate a resolution to this issue.

Finally, the Multi-role Helicopter facilities project highlighted concerns about residential housing development encroaching on Defence establishments and the resulting restrictions that this places on Defence activities. The Committee has recommended that the Government negotiate with relevant State, Territory and local governments to develop protocols to manage development on land surrounding Defence establishments. While the Committee understands that residential land is at a premium, it does not want essential Defence activities to be retrospectively curtailed.

Mr President, I would like to thank the Committee for its work in relation to these inquiries. The Committee was aware that several of these projects had been delays due to the prorogation of the 41st Parliament so went to great lengths to ensure they were completed by this sitting period.

Mr President, I commend the report to the Senate.

Question agreed to.