Minister for Defence Marise Payne and Minister for Indigenous Affairs Nigel Scullion have launched an Indigenous joint-venture to deliver the $213 million Bayinguwa critical wharf works project at Garden Island Defence Precinct, the RAN’s Sydney base.
The Bayinguwa Delivery Team is a joint venture between Pacific Services Group (PSG) Holdings and Lendlease. PSG Holdings, an Indigenous owned SME, managed the design of the works.
“This project was announced by the Prime Minister in his 2018 Closing the Gap speech. ‘Bayinguwa’ is the Aboriginal name for Garden Island in Sydney,” Minister Payne said.
“The engagement of the Bayinguwa Delivery Team is first-and-foremost about delivering high quality works for Garden Island. The Garden Island Bayinguwa Delivery Team will be responsible for managing the demolition of two deteriorated wharves and constructing a single new wharf in their place.
“These works are essential to ensure the RAN can safely berth and maintain its ships at Garden Island, which is the major home-port on the east coast of Australia.”
“The Indigenous Procurement Policy (IPP) has supercharged the Indigenous business sector, driving rapid growth in the demand for Indigenous goods and services across a diverse variety of industries,” Minister Scullion said.
“The IPP has resulted in more than 1000 Indigenous business across the country winning contracts worth over $1.084 billion since the IPP’s commencement in July 2015, up from just 30 Indigenous businesses winning $6.2 million in 2012-13.”
“All contracts under the IPP are delivered on a value for money basis, meaning the Commonwealth does not pay more for the goods and services it would otherwise be procuring.”
“The average Indigenous workforce of IPP firms is 50 per cent, compared to non-Indigenous businesses which have an average Indigenous workforce of 0.7 per cent, meaning if we get more Indigenous Australians into business we get more Indigenous Australians into work.”
The total project value is $213 million and construction is due to commence in September 2018 for completion in February 2022.
It is anticipated that the project will generate up to 150 jobs at the peak of construction with opportunities available for local industry and Indigenous involvement.