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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2023-11-16 Daily Xml
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Public Works Committee: South Australia Police Barracks, 199 Grenfell Street, Adelaide

Mr BROWN (Florey) (11:38): I move:

That the 38th report of the committee, entitled South Australia Police Barracks, 199 Grenfell Street, Adelaide, be noted.

South Australia Police (SAPOL) proposes to relocate several SAPOL functions currently located at the Thebarton Police Barracks to leased premises at 199 Grenfell Street, Adelaide to enable the construction of the new Women's and Children's Hospital announced by the state government in September 2022.

Thebarton Police Barracks is a specialist multifunctional site and its functions are not replicated or accommodated at any other police site in the state. It is critical to maintain these functions and services located at the Thebarton barracks to ensure continuity of emergency service provision for the South Australian public.

This project proposes to relocate 252 personnel from the following operational branches to the Grenfell Street site: Police Security Services Branch, the Security Advice Section, the Special Operations Support Branch Unit, and the Police Operations Centre. The relocation will enable the exit of the multiple divisions from the Thebarton barracks and incorporates operational policing infrastructure over five floors of the new premises, providing contemporary accommodation, technology and facilities to support ongoing services to the community. The specialised operational fit-out will allow critical emergency management response services to support core obligations of SAPOL and the South Australian government in an efficient and sustainable manner.

When considering the relocation of the SAPOL branches, several commercial options were considered in consultation with Renewal SA and the Department for Infrastructure and Transport (DIT). SAPOL endeavoured to locate the best match for accommodation requirements and adaptability of the layout for operational fit-outs, the quality of infrastructure, location match and operational co-location of units. SAPOL undertook an internal review of their existing portfolio of vacant committed space but determined there was no suitable infrastructure to accommodate the group's relocation due to SAPOL's current accommodation portfolio being at tight capacity.

Additionally, DIT explored other vacant committed government space to match the SAPOL requirements and Renewal SA was consulted to undertake land searches for a permanent-owned option, with no suitable outcomes. Expression of interest campaigns were launched for suitable temporary lease premise options for the commercial property markets in October and November 2022 and again in January 2023. Ultimately, after consultation and assessments, it was determined that securing 199 Grenfell Street and undertaking refurbishments to accommodate the policing functions was the most suitable option of those available on the market.

The site was also selected as an appropriate police headquarters operations centre because it has infrastructure disaster resilience and existing critical IT infrastructure that can be leveraged, resulting in saving costs. SAPOL's internal Security Advice Section has cleared the site as an acceptable premise for policing operations.

SAPOL have advised the project is in the final stages of the procurement process, with construction to begin shortly after this has been finalised. The works will be delivered in a staged manner, which will provide timely relocation prior to construction and significant preparatory works for the new Women's and Children's Hospital. Delivery of the project will follow procurement and management policies as advocated by the state government and construction industry authorities.

SAPOL, DIT, the Department of Treasury and Finance and the associated consultant team have established project control and steering groups to assist in project management and will ensure regular reviews of design, documentation and construction processes. There will also be an establishment of a cost plan to include management of project costs and development of formal communication channels between end users, stakeholders and SAPOL. These initiatives endeavour to ensure the government requirements are understood and achieved throughout the course of the project.

SAPOL recognises the importance of ecologically sustainable development principles and reports that it has adopted the key environmental objectives and performance criteria in the design and delivery of the project. SAPOL committed to providing facilities with good environmental qualities to achieve good value-for-money solutions, providing a positive workplace, reducing energy and water consumption and minimising recurrent costs associated with maintaining and operating the facility. The Department for Environment and Water has assessed and approved the submission against the ecologically sustainable development guide note for planning design and delivery.

SAPOL is aware of various operational risks of failing to achieve successful delivery of the project. There is the risk of a major impairment to SAPOL's operational capacity resulting from the loss of this asset. As a result, SAPOL will apply a risk management policy and framework over the course of the project. DIT will also employ their mandated risk project management approach in conjunction with SAPOL's policies.

Due to the fast-track nature of these works, there are risks of budget overruns and design outcomes. To mitigate these risks, a multigovernance framework is in place to ensure a value-for-money outcome is reached, and design reviews will be undertaken at appropriate stages with experienced stakeholders and specialist consultants. Project governance structures have been established to ensure there is appropriate oversight and risk management during planning and delivery stages.

Extensive consultation and engagement have occurred throughout the feasibility and concept planning works for this SAPOL police barracks relocation project. Consultation with various stakeholders will continue throughout the life cycle of the project. The required communication around site planning and the logistics will be managed by SAPOL through SAPOL's communication team.

SAPOL confirms after consultation with the Department of the Premier and Cabinet Aboriginal Affairs Reconciliation unit that there are no native title implications over the site area. After consultation with the Department for Environment and Water, SAPOL confirms there are no local heritage places on the site.

The committee examined written and oral evidence in relation to the South Australia Police Barracks, 199 Grenfell Street, Adelaide project. Witnesses who appeared before the committee were Assistant Commissioner Noel Bamford from SA Police; Ms Karen Kochergen, Director of Infrastructure and Assets, SA Police; Mr Scott Bayliss, Chief Services Officer, Department of Treasury and Finance; and Mr John Harrison, Director of Building Projects, Department for Infrastructure and Transport. I thank the witnesses for their time.

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.

Motion carried.

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