Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, upon notice, on 4 July 2011:

(1) In regards to Pontville Detention Centre:

  (a) when was the tender let for the construction of the Centre;

  (b) was Fairbrother's selected as a single select tender;

  (c) were other companies, such as Hazell Bros, Hansen Yuncken, VOS Construction and Joinery Pty Ltd, Macquarie Builders or any other company, approached in relation to putting in a tender; if not, why not;

  (d) which firm of architects was given the task of doing the drawings for the Centre;

  (e) when were the architects engaged;

  (f) when was the first lot of drawings made available;

  (g) how often have the drawings been revised;

  (h) were the architects obtained on a single select tender; if so, why; if not, what other architectural firms or businesses were approached;

     (i) when will work on the Centre commence;

  (j) when is it anticipated that work on the Centre will be completed; and

  (k) have other contractors been able to obtain work for various aspects of the Centre; if so, for each contractor can the following be provided:

     (i) the name of the contractor,

     (ii) the value of each contract, and

     (iii) how they were selected.

(2) In regard to the Northern Territory Detention centre, when is it anticipated that that Centre currently under construction will be completed.

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

(1) (a) DIAC engaged a Hobart based building company—Fairbrother Pty Ltd—via direct sourcing, as the head contractor. A number of construction works packages contractually linked to the head contractor were tendered on 11 June 2011.

(b) Yes.

(c) No. Due to a short timeframe requirement the Department's project Superintendent recommended Fairbrother Pty Ltd as the preferred builder. This was due to their capacity and knowledge to deliver the project.

(d) Bush Park Shugg and Moon (BPSM).

(e) 29 April 2011.

(f) The first concept plan was made available on 12 April 2011 at the Brighton Council meeting.

(g) As at 30 June 2011, the drawings have been revised 15 times to reflect stakeholder input and local building code requirements.

(h) BPSM were engaged off the Department's Architectural Services panel which has been competitively tested through an earlier tender exercise.

(i) The civil program commenced on 21 June 2011 and the main construction works commenced on 27 June 2011.

(j) The project is due for practical completion on 26 September 2011. Stage 1 will be complete in mid/late August 2011.

(k) Yes. Details are listed in the table below:

(2) It is anticipated that the first stage of the Northern Territory Detention Centre will be completed in late October 2011. The final stage of the Centre should be completed by late April 2012.