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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2024-11-28 Daily Xml
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Public Works Committee: Kangaroo Island Health Service Infrastructure Upgrade

Mr BROWN (Florey) (11:48): I move:

That the 106th report of the committee, entitled Kangaroo Island Health Service Infrastructure Upgrade and New Workforce Accommodation, be noted.

The submission from the Department for Health and Wellbeing (SA Health) proposes to upgrade the infrastructure by creating a new non-clinical support facility to support the delivery of high-quality services at the Kangaroo Island Health Service as well as build new co-located workforce accommodation to support sustainable workforce models. The health service falls within the Barossa Hills Fleurieu Local Health Network and is the only hospital on Kangaroo Island.

The island has a resident population of nearly 5,000 people as well as a significantly greater variable population due to visitors, primarily driven by tourism. The facility provides a range of acute services, including in-hospital care, surgical, general practice, obstetrics, outpatient services and residential care for people with dementia and the elderly. The original building was constructed in 1929, with various extensions and refurbishments undertaken since, including the most recent major facility upgrade in 2004.

In 2020, SA Health, the local health network and the Kangaroo Island Health Advisory Council agreed on the necessity of a master plan to guide the island's health services. The plan provides a clear map to develop infrastructure assets to support health services for the entire Kangaroo Island community. A review of the existing facility identified that the kitchen is reaching its end-of-service life and is inadequate to service the increased capacity predicted in the master plan. Additionally, the health service is currently not equipped with an onsite laundry, requiring outsourcing to a third party, presenting operational complications and financial burdens.

Lastly, to support the required infrastructure upgrades the hospital requires additional staff amenities. After these findings, the review recommended the building of a nonclinical support facility to adjoin the current building, including a new kitchen, laundry and supply services department. To support these operations, the project will also require two loading docks and a new connecting roadway.

Additionally, the review identified that short-term accommodation has been problematic for fly-in fly-out workers during popular tourist periods and that public services are challenged by a lack of accommodation for both visiting staff and specialists and government agency personnel. Beyond the ordinary hurdles this presents to the health service, it also critically challenges emergency responses, like those seen in the 2019-20 bushfires. As part of the upgrades, this project aims to ease this shortage through the construction of permanent onsite single-bed apartments that provide short-term accommodation for visiting medical and ancillary workers and professionals. By adopting a similar modular design, the project allows for fabrication to occur on the mainland, thereby reducing construction costs.

The nonclinical support facility works include an external structure adjoining the existing facility; three service risers from the basement to the ground floor, including connections for power, water and waste; emergency lighting and ventilation; loading docks, lifts and emergency stairs; and infrastructure that is flexible for future upgrades. The onsite accommodation works will include eight modular single-bedroom apartments, bathrooms, kitchen and living space, and a private outdoor area. Lastly, the civil works as part of the project include the demolition of the former Island Resort Motel, the undertaking of earthworks, the construction of access roads, and the installation of stormwater, sewerage, waste and service infrastructure.

Construction is expected to begin in January of next year, and the new infrastructure is anticipated to be operational in early 2026. The total cost of the works is $15½ million, comprised of $10 million from the state government, $5 million through the commonwealth government infrastructure department Regional Recovery Partnership grants program, and the remaining $500,000 from a state-funded regional assets sustainment program. A portion of the works will be built on land recently purchased by SA Health.

SA Health states that the delivery of the project will follow best practice principles for project procurement and management, as advocated by the state government and construction industry authorities. Professional service contractors have been engaged by the Department for Infrastructure and Transport, which will also procure the construction contractor. To qualify for invitation to tender, all contractors are to maintain the department's prequalification levels for design and delivery of state government infrastructure projects. The Minister for Infrastructure and Transport will act as principal for all contracts.

The project will develop formal communication channels between end users, stakeholders, the local health network and SA Health to ensure government requirements are met, including the implementation of gateway approvals at key milestones. An executive leadership team and a project control group will form a two-tier governance structure to manage planning and delivery of the project. The project team has identified the following project risks: managing the scope of the project to align with the approved budget, for which planning will aim for appropriate design and construction contingencies; carrying out construction works in proximity to an operational clinical environment, for which the project will maintain clear and ongoing communications with site management and consumers; and the potential that unknown site conditions may impact contingencies.

The project team has established formal processes to ensure sustainable principles are incorporated in all phases of the project's life cycle. These include the configuration of mechanical systems and modular construction to adapt to adverse conditions; innovative design and the maximisation of building monitoring and management to increase efficiency of energy and water usage; optimisation of the building form and orientation to leverage natural heating and cooling; use of water-efficient tapware and rainwater storage; installation of heating, cooling and hot water services to minimise emissions; and the selection of environmentally responsible materials.

The central archive has identified no record of Aboriginal sites in the proposed locations. An examination of local heritage at the site has identified Carnarvon House, which displays historical, economic and social themes of importance to Kingscote. Discussions are underway with local heritage and council to confirm the proposed design does not impact this historic house.

The project team has been in consultation with corporate services staff while developing facility concepts and design details, and further interested stakeholders have been engaged regarding the planning and concept phase. The project contractor has liaised with the local Kangaroo Island Council, Heritage and the Department for Infrastructure and Transport regarding development and site constraints. Furthermore, the local health network has commenced consultation with relevant industrial groups and will manage required communications concerning site planning and logistics.

The committee examined written and oral evidence in relation to the Kangaroo Island Health Service Infrastructure Upgrade and New Workforce Accommodation project. Witnesses who appeared before the committee were Max Sankauskas, Acting Director, Capital Projects Infrastructure, Department for Health and Wellbeing; Bronwyn Masters, Chief Executive Officer, Barossa Hills Fleurieu Local Health Network; Chris Steele, Project Manager, Department for Infrastructure and Transport; and Shae Taylor, Associate, Grieve Gillett Architects. I thank the witnesses for their time. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank you, Mr Speaker, for the written statement that you provided in support of the project in your electorate.

Based upon the evidence considered and pursuant to section 12C of the Parliamentary Committees Act 1991, the Public Works Committee reports to parliament that it recommends the proposed public work.

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (11:56): I would like to commend this motion regarding the Kangaroo Island Health Service Infrastructure Upgrade and New Workforce Accommodation project. I think this sounds like very sensible spending in country health, which we never see enough of. Something like this, especially in a place like Kangaroo Island, which is naturally isolated from the mainland, is going to be a real lift for the area. I am sure the Mayor of Kangaroo Island, Michael Pengilly, the former member for Finniss, will be quite pleased that this is happening. I think it will be a real boost for the residents of Kangaroo Island to have this vital infrastructure upgrade so that they can get a lot more of their health services nearer to home. Certainly, in regard to the accommodation, I think that is a vital upgrade as well so that people who do need to fly in to deliver those services can be accommodated appropriately to do that, so I support the works.

The SPEAKER (11:57): Before I go back to the member for Florey, I would also like to thank the committee for their work on behalf of the people of Kangaroo Island. I would like to thank the government as well that took a $10 million pledge to the election to upgrade Kangaroo Island hospital.

Mr BROWN (Florey) (11:57): I just want to take this opportunity to thank the member for Hammond for his contribution and also to recognise your ongoing support, Mr Speaker, for this important project in your electorate. From speaking to people in the government about this particular project, I know that your assistance has been absolutely vital in making sure that it is properly planned, so thank you.

Motion carried.

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