Inquiry Into the Redevelopment of the Mon Repos Turtle Centre
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Inquiry into the redevelopment of the Mon Repos Turtle Centre Report No. 26, 56th Parliament Innovation, Tourism Development and Environment Committee March 2020 Inquiry into the redevelopment of the Mon Repos Turtle Centre Report No. 26, 56th Parliament Innovation, Tourism Development and Environment Committee March 2020 Innovation, Tourism Development and Environment Committee Chair Mr Duncan Pegg MP, Member for Stretton1 Deputy Chair Mr Jon Krause MP, Member for Scenic Rim Members Ms Sandy Bolton MP, Member for Noosa Mr Mark Boothman MP, Member for Theodore2 Ms Cynthia Lui MP, Member for Cook Mrs Charis Mullen MP, Member for Jordan Committee Secretariat Telephone +61 7 3553 6662 Fax +61 7 3553 6699 Email [email protected] Technical Scrutiny +61 7 3553 6601 Secretariat Committee webpage www.parliament.qld.gov.au/itdec Acknowledgements The committee acknowledges the assistance provided by the Department of Environment and Science, the Department of Housing and Public Works and the staff of the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service at the Mon Repos Turtle Centre. 1 On 4 February 2020, the Leader of the House appointed the Member for Bancroft, Chris Whiting MP, as substitute Chair of the committee for the Member for Stretton, Duncan Pegg MP, to attend the committee’s meetings and hearings from 10 to 11 February 2020. 2 On 7 February 2020, the Leader of the Opposition appointed the Member for Bundaberg, David Batt MP, as substitute member of the committee for the Member for Theodore, Mark Boothman MP, to attend the committee’s meetings and hearings from 10 to 11 February 2020. Inquiry into the redevelopment of the Mon Repos Turtle Centre Contents List of Tables iii Abbreviations iv Chair’s foreword v Recommendation vi Committee conclusions vii 1 Introduction 1 1.1 Role of the committee 1 1.2 Scope of the inquiry 1 1.3 Inquiry process 2 2 Background 3 2.1 Location and site 3 2.2 Turtle conservation and research 4 2.3 Historic and cultural heritage 4 2.4 Regional tourism 5 2.5 Turtle experiences at the centre 5 2.5.1 Mon Repos Turtle Encounters 5 2.5.2 Mon Repos Turtle Tales 6 2.6 Operation and stakeholders 6 2.6.1 Operational responsibilities 6 2.6.2 Stakeholders 6 3 Terms of Reference 9 3.1 Purpose of the work 9 3.2 Necessity and advisability of the work 9 3.2.1 Option assessment process 10 3.2.2 Scope of public works 11 3.2.3 Photographs of the redeveloped facility 12 3.3 Suitability of the works for the purpose 12 3.3.1 Location and site suitability 12 3.3.2 Size and scale 13 3.3.3 Access to and from the site 14 3.3.4 Café and catering facilities 16 3.3.5 Technical and environmental performance 17 3.3.6 Department response to stakeholder views 18 3.4 Value for money achieved by the work 18 3.4.1 Benchmarking 19 3.5 Estimated revenue and project costs 20 3.5.1 Project costs 20 3.5.2 Estimated recurrent costs and revenue 21 3.6 Public value of the work, including the impact of the work on the community, economy and environment 22 3.6.1 Community 22 Innovation, Tourism Development and Environment Committee i Inquiry into the redevelopment of the Mon Repos Turtle Centre 3.6.2 Economy 23 3.6.3 Environment 24 3.7 Procurement methods for the work 26 3.7.1 Project time frames 26 3.7.2 Major consultants and contractors 26 3.8 Balance of public and private sector involvement in the works 27 3.9 Performance of the constructing authority and consultants and contractors for the work 27 3.9.1 Compliance with contractual obligations 28 3.9.2 Timely completion of works 28 3.9.3 Requests for information 28 3.9.4 Variations to the project 29 3.10 Other issues raised by stakeholders 30 3.10.1 Local artwork 30 3.10.2 Traffic management in the region leading to Mon Repos 30 3.11 Future developments 30 3.11.1 Negotiations to purchase neighbouring land 30 3.11.2 Future business opportunities 31 3.11.3 Project evaluation 32 Appendix A – Detailed questions asked of the Department of Environment and Science 33 Appendix B – Submitters 35 Appendix C – Witnesses at public briefing 36 Appendix D – Witnesses at public hearing and forum 37 Appendix E – Project budget as at November 2019 38 Appendix F – Approved variation costs as at 3 February 2020 39 Statement of Reservation 44 ii Innovation, Tourism Development and Environment Committee Inquiry into the redevelopment of the Mon Repos Turtle Centre List of Tables Table 1: Project budget .............................................................................................................................. 20 Table 2: Estimated recurrent costs ............................................................................................................ 21 Table 3: Estimated revenue ........................................................................................................................ 21 Table 4: Ticket price increases, 2018/19 to 2019/20 ................................................................................. 21 Table 5: Project time frames ...................................................................................................................... 26 Innovation, Tourism Development and Environment Committee iii Inquiry into the redevelopment of the Mon Repos Turtle Centre Abbreviations BAS Building and Asset Services division (within DHPW) centre Mon Repos Turtle Centre conservation park Mon Repos Conservation Park DHPW Department of Housing and Public Works QPWS Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (within DES) RFIs Requests for Information WBBEC Wide Bay Burnett Environment Council iv Innovation, Tourism Development and Environment Committee Inquiry into the redevelopment of the Mon Repos Turtle Centre Chair’s foreword This report presents a summary of the Innovation, Tourism Development and Environment Committee’s examination of the public works inquiry into the redevelopment of the Mon Repos Turtle Centre. All inquiry participants were unanimous in their position that the redeveloped Mon Repos Turtle Centre is an important addition to the local tourism offering in the Bundaberg area and Queensland as a whole. Importantly, the design and construction of the Mon Repos Turtle Centre has achieved an appropriate balance between meeting tourism and community expectations, and ensuring that conservation of the marine turtles at Mon Repos continues. While lessons can always be learnt from public work projects such as this, the committee is satisfied that the project has and will continue to deliver a range of environmental, economic and community benefits. On behalf of the committee, I thank those who made written submissions to the inquiry, and took the time to appear as witnesses at the Bundaberg public hearing. I also thank the Department of Environment and Science, the Department of Housing and Public Works, and Parliamentary Service staff for their support throughout this inquiry. It was unfortunate that I was unable to attend the site inspection and public hearing. I therefore thank Chris Whiting MP for acting as Chair during this time. I also thank my committee colleagues for their valuable contributions throughout. In closing, I commend the work of the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service representatives, and the many volunteers who work to protect the nesting turtles and provide a unique and world-class visitor experience at the Mon Repos Turtle Centre. I commend this report to the House. Duncan Pegg MP Chair Innovation, Tourism Development and Environment Committee v Inquiry into the redevelopment of the Mon Repos Turtle Centre Recommendation Recommendation 1 32 The committee recommends the Legislative Assembly note the contents of this report. vi Innovation, Tourism Development and Environment Committee Inquiry into the redevelopment of the Mon Repos Turtle Centre Committee conclusions The committee has concluded that it is satisfied that: • the work was necessary and advisable • the work was suitable for its purpose • the work was reasonable value for money • the cost, and estimated recurrent costs of the work are reasonable • the work has had, and will continue to have, a positive impact on the community, the economy and the environment • the procurement methods adopted were appropriate • the balance of public and private sector involvement in the work was appropriate • the construction work was completed according to specifications, within the revised construction work program, and that contractual obligations were met by appointed contractors. Innovation, Tourism Development and Environment Committee vii Inquiry into the redevelopment of the Mon Repos Turtle Centre 1 Introduction 1.1 Role of the committee The Innovation, Tourism Development and Environment Committee (committee) is a portfolio committee of the Legislative Assembly which commenced on 15 February 2018 under the Parliament of Queensland Act 2001 and the Standing Rules and Orders of the Legislative Assembly.3 The committee’s primary areas of responsibility include: • Innovation and Tourism Industry Development and Cross River Rail • Environment and the Great Barrier Reef, Sciences and the Arts. Under section 94 of the Parliament of Queensland Act 2001, the committee has the following responsibilities to the extent that they relate to the committee’s portfolio areas: a) the assessment of the integrity, economy, efficiency and effectiveness of government financial management by— i. examining government financial documents ii. considering the annual and other reports of the auditor-general b) works (public works) undertaken by an entity that is a constructing authority for the