Finance and Administration
Christmas Island Permanent Immigration Reception and Processing Centre - completion of construction
| 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | |
| Department of Transport and Regional Services | 7.3 | - | - | - |
| Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs | -74.7 | - | - | - |
| Department of Finance and Administration | 49.0 | 50.2 | 23.3 | - |
The Government will provide additional funding of $55.2 million over four years for the construction of the Christmas Island Permanent Immigration Reception and Processing Centre (the Centre). The Government has decided that the contract will be re-tendered and the project will be managed by the Department of Finance and Administration.
This will involve a capital allocation of $184.2 million to Finance and $7.3 million to Transport and Regional Services. The capital allocation to Finance includes a transfer of $136.4 million from the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs, including transfer of $61.7 million in 2002-03.
The success of the Government's policy on unauthorised boat arrivals has resulted in no new unauthorised boat arrivals since December 2001. This has afforded the opportunity to review the size and scope of the proposed centre, and takes into account greater detention security and fire suppression and compliance requirements. The need for fast tracking the project is no longer necessary.
The facility will be scaled down from a 1,200 person purpose-designed and built centre to an 800 place facility, with 426 purpose-designed and built places and the balance being designed to provide basic contingency capacity. The re-tendered project will involve a more traditional delivery methodology including the tender of a detailed design and a fixed price construction contract.
The funding provided to Finance will cover the costs of constructing the centre, including the costs of consultants and contractors and Finance staff managing the project. These costs are included in the capital component of the project as all managerial oversight costs are capitalised in this type of project. The Department of Transport and Regional Services has been provided with funding to construct the services infrastructure and housing for the staff who will run the centre. The Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs will manage the Centre when it is completed.
See also the related expense measure titled Christmas Island Permanent Immigration Reception and Processing Centre - completion of construction in the Finance and Administration portfolio.
Employment National - winding-up
| 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | |
| Department of Finance and Administration | - | - | - | - |
The Government announced on 14 May 2002 that the marketable parts of Employment National Limited could be sold with the remainder to be wound-up from 30 June 2003. The Government will provide additional equity funding of up to $6 million in 2003-04 to Employment National to ensure that it has sufficient resources to meet its obligations during the wind-up process. Funds will be drawn upon as required with any surplus funds returned to the Commonwealth.
This measure will have no impact on fiscal balance as equity injections to agencies outside the General Government Sector only affect the composition of the Commonwealth's investment in financial assets.
Ministerial Communications Network - refurbishment and enhancement
| 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | |
| Department of Finance and Administration | 5.0 | 5.1 | 3.0 | - |
The Government will provide $13.1 million over three years to refurbish and enhance the Ministerial Communications Network. A secure, reliable and up-to-date communications network is essential to the effective functioning of the Executive Government, particularly in the current heightened security environment.
The existing communications network has been found by an independent review to be unreliable and prone to failure.
The new network will provide better quality services and deliver a more robust, high speed and secure communications network to the Ministers, their staff, agencies and the Cabinet Office.
See also related expense measure titled Ministerial Communications Network - refurbishment and enhancement in the Finance and Administration portfolio.