Provision of Facilities for Project Single Living Environment and Accommodation Precinct – Phase One

Purpose

Phase one of Project Single LEAP will provide up to 1,295 permanent rooms at LIA level 5 standard, distributed between RAAF Base Amberley and Gallipoli Barracks, Enoggera, Queensland and Holsworthy Barracks, NSW.¹ The standard of accommodation “aims to improve the living standards for single Australian Defence Force personnel who live in [on base] as a service requirement”.²

Need

Defence submitted that a 2003 review of LIA accommodation for ADF Members Without Dependents (MWODs) reported a shortfall of approximately 26,000 bed-spaces at the appropriate standards.³

Project Single LEAP addresses “the worst deficiencies in permanent LIA across Australia as identified in the 2003 report”.⁴

Defence stated that the

provision of high quality accommodation to ADF members in line with community standards has a direct impact on Defences’ ability to attract and retain military personnel in a problematic employment market. There is also a duty of care requirement for the Department to provide high quality, standardised living-in accommodation to personnel.⁵

Scope

Phase one of the project includes:

• financing the development of the facilities and services;
• a commissioned and fully operational LIA service, together with all associated furniture and equipment, parking, storage and facilities;
• all required infrastructure, including upgrading engineering services and other utilities as required;
• ongoing operation, repair, maintenance and replacement of the facilities and its various parts; and
• supply and conduct of the accommodation services for the facilities, including those provided by the strategic partner and those sourced through existing Garrison Support Service (GMS) and Comprehensive Maintenance Service (CMS) contracts.⁶

1,295 permanent rooms will be developed across the three sites. These will be distributed as follows:

• Holsworthy Barracks, NSW – 500;
• Gallipoli Barracks, Enoggera, Queensland – 500; and
• RAAF Base Amberley, Queensland – 295.⁷

LIA Level 5 Standard

Defence informed the Committee that

Much of the current on-base accommodation available to single ADF members is below community standards and does not meet the expectations of today’s service personnel.

[Project Single LEAP] recognises that the living environment of ADF personnel is a major contributor to defence capability, impacting on readiness, mobility, morale and esprit de corps and having a direct effect on recruitment and retention rates.⁸

The standard of accommodation to be provided through Project Single LEAP is suitable for permanent living-in personnel and is deemed level 5.⁹

The LIA level 5 standard of accommodation includes:

• sole occupancy units, with space entitlements according to rank;

39 square metres for Senior Officers;

30 square metres for Senior Non Commissioned Officers and Junior Officers; and

24 square metres for Other Ranks;¹⁰

• ensuite with shared balcony;¹¹
• undercover car parking with adjacent lock-up storage.¹²

Paragraph 33 of the Defence submission details the furnishings, fixtures and equipment provided under the LIA level 5 standard.

Project Delivery

Defence propose to

procure the buildings and infrastructure under Public Private Partnership [PPP] arrangements. This process will engage the private sector in design, construction, operation and maintenance of the Facilities, and in the provision of infrastructure and ancillary support services for a period of 30 years.¹³

Cost

The estimated cost of the proposed works is $406 million (2005-06, out-turned net present value), excluding GST. This figure includes:

• buildings and infrastructure;
• design;
• preliminaries;
• professional fees;
• service of the facilities;
• maintenance; and
• construction contingency.¹⁴

Appendix C, Submission No. 1, paragraph 4 Back

Appendix D, Official Transcript of Evidence, 29 June 2006, page 2 Back

Appendix C, op cit, paragraph 3 Back

Appendix C, op cit, paragraph 7 Back

ibid, paragraph 2 Back

Appendix D, op cit, pages 2 and 3 Back

Appendix C, op cit, paragraph 31 Back

Appendix D, op cit, page 2 Back

ibid, page 5 Back

Appendix C, op cit, paragraph 31 Back

Appendix E, Official Transcript of Evidence, 11 August 2006, page 4 Back

Appendix C, op cit, paragraph 34 Back

ibid, paragraph 76 Back

Appendix C, op cit, paragraph 73 Back