AT A PUBLIC HEARING on October 13, 2021 the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works will scrutinise a proposal from the Department of Defence for over $266 million in public works supporting Australia’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence program.
This hearing is part of the committee’s inquiry into the Department of Defence, Facilities to support LAND 19 Phase 7B Short Range Ground Base Air Defence at RAAF Base Edinburgh, South Australia, and will examine the need, scope, function and cost effectiveness of the proposed new operational support and training facilities. It will also explore how the proposed works will provide fit-for-purpose facilities and infrastructure for the 16th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery to raise, train and sustain new defence capability acquired under the LAND 19 Phase 7B Short Range Ground Based Air Defence program.
Public hearing details
Date: Wednesday, 13 October 2021 Time: 11am to 12pm (AEDT) Location: via teleconference
Note: the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works is not involved in the tendering process, awarding of contracts or details of the proposed works. Inquiries on these matters should be addressed to the relevant Commonwealth entities.
THE ONLINE green building marketplace, Planitree, is seeing strong early support from more than 280 investors in Australia and overseas with an equity crowdfunding campaign delivered by industry veterans, Birchal.
Building and construction is responsible for 39 percent of all carbon emissions, according to Plaintree, and this Australian start-up is on a mission do something about it.
Planitree aims to accelerate the adoption of green building products and services by making it faster and more convenient to find, purchase and deliver the world’s best solutions for each project – at no cost to the planet through freight carbon offset.
“To get to a net zero economy we need to build greener, faster,” Planitree founder, Jeremy Barnett said.
By setting out to bring together the best solutions for sustainability and wellness, and making it easy to specify and purchase, Planitree aims to accelerate the adoption of green building technologies.
PLASTERBOARD manufacturer Boral has issued a warning to customers that some of their fire-rated plasterboard products may be contaminated with asbestos.
The contamination affects fire-rated plasterboards containing vermiculite imported from China and was discovered in routine testing. The company has told builders to quarantine any Boral fire-rated plasterboard products pending further advice.
“Workers using Boral board need to demand the company inform them whether the products they are using are asbestos free,” CFMEU national construction secretary Dave Noonan said.
“The company says the issue only affects its fire-rated plasterboard and that the level is 0.1 percent of the 3 percent vermiculite put into the board. Yet we know there is no safe level of asbestos exposure so construction businesses must take immediate steps to quarantine potentially contaminated products and ensure workers and customers are safe.
“The CFMEU will engage with the company to eliminate the risk of exposure from factories, distribution centres and construction sites.
“This latest asbestos contamination issue confirms the CFMEU’s repeated warnings that imported building products, particularly those from China, may not be safe," Mr Noonan said.
“We have seen too many instances of building supplies that are manufactured or sourced in poorly regulated markets like China failing basic safety requirements or exposing workers or end customers to unnecessary risk.”
Boral is advising customers to quarantine the following fire-rated plasterboard products and refrain from installing, distributing or supplying them to customers:
Firestop® Plasterboard
Fire WetstopTM Plasterboard
MultistopTM Plasterboard range (3/3HI, 4/4HI, 5/5HI)
ShaftlinerTM Mould Stop Plasterboard.
Boral said it had stopped using the Chinese-sourced vermiculite and will switch to another source and is arranging for the safe removal of all unused Chinese-sourced vermiculite from their facilities at Camellia, Port Melbourne, and Pinkenba, and is testing all finished products made using vermiculite as an ingredient.
CHANGES TO LENDING markets over the last decade means there are now a wide range of finance options available for small businesses that don’t require property as security, according to a new report by the Productivity Commission.
“Every year, one in six small and medium enterprises (SMEs) seeks finance to fund and grow their business. Traditional SME loans are usually secured by property. But spurred by new technology and new data, lenders now have more capacity and confidence to lend to SMEs using other forms of collateral or even lending unsecured,” Productivity Commissioner Catherine de Fontenay said.
There are 2.4 million SMEs in Australia employing more than 7.4 million Australians.
“These businesses are the engine room of the Australian economy and a healthy small business sector is vital to the economy, especially as we recover from the COVID pandemic,” Commissioner de Fontenay said.
The report points to a significant evolution in the lending market for SMEs over the last decade, driven by technology and new business models.
While SMEs still mainly obtain their finance from the major banks, there is now a much broader range of products available from traditional and new lenders.
“A broader range of products can provide SMEs with finance more quickly and flexibly, allowing them to seize opportunities. Some SMEs may even be able to borrow for the first time,” Productivity Commissioner Malcolm Roberts said.
SMEs may not be aware of all their lending options and may not feel confident about new options. Brokers can help match them with appropriate lending options.
“Finding the right product may be challenging, but the benefits can be significant,” Commissioner Roberts said.
The report found the finance market is increasingly competitive, which will drive further improvements in access to finance for SMEs.
The full report on Small business access to finance: The evolving lending market can be found at: www.pc.gov.au.
In its Advisory report on the Security Legislation Amendment (Critical Infrastructure) Bill 2020 and Statutory Review of the Security of Critical Infrastructure Act 2018 tabled in late September, the committee has recommended that emergency powers be swiftly legislated in a standalone bill, with a second, separate bill to be introduced following further consultation.
This recommended two-step approach will enable the quick passage of laws to counter looming threats against Australia’s critical infrastructure, while giving businesses and government additional time to co-design the most effective regulatory framework to ensure long-term security of our critical infrastructure.
The PJCIS has made 14 recommendations in relation to the Bill, including proposing a split in the current proposed framework into two amended Bills:
Bill One for rapid passage – to expand the critical infrastructure sectors covered by the Act, introduce government assistance measures to be used as a last resort in crisis scenarios as well as mandatory reporting obligations; and
Bill Two for further consultation – including declarations of systems of national significance, enhanced cyber-security obligations and positive security obligations which are to be defined in delegated legislation
Chair of the committee, Senator James Paterson, said, “The committee received compelling evidence that the complexity and frequency of cyber-attacks on critical infrastructure is increasing globally. Australia is not immune and there is clear recognition from government and industry that we need to do more to protect our nation against sophisticated cyber threats, particularly against our critical infrastructure.
“However, as the regulatory framework is still undergoing co-design with each of the eleven sectors and will not be finalised until after passage of the bill, many businesses have expressed concern about this uncertainty and asked for the entire bill to be paused in the current economic climate.
“While sympathetic to the concerns of industry leaders, the committee does not believe that pausing the entire bill is in Australia’s national interests given the immediate cyber threats that our nation faces.
“The committee’s recommended solution allows for the urgent measures to pass now to equip the government with the emergency powers it needs while allowing additional time for co-design to overcome the concerns of industry about the regulatory impact.
“The passage of both bills is essential because cyber-security is not just the government’s job. Industry has a role to play too and the second bill which imposes obligations on businesses is an important part of a comprehensive response to the serious challenges we face,” Senator Paterson said.
Further information on the inquiry as well as a copy of the report can be obtained from the inquiry website.
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