Today, Mr Tony Zappia MP, Chair of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works presented the Public Works Committee's fourth report of 2025 to the House of Representatives.
The report considers two proposed works by Airservices Australia: Aviation Rescue Fire Fighting Services NexGen Project for the End-of-life Facilities Upgrades—Phase 1A (Queensland and Victoria) and PFAS Remediation of the Former Fire Training Ground as Rockhampton Airport, Queensland. The total cost of the NexGen works will be $163.4 million and the PFAS Remediation works will be $24.975 million. The Committee found that there is merit to both proposals and recommended that the House of Representatives approves them.
During the inquiry, the Committee conducted a site inspection at Rockhampton Airport for both referrals and heard from Airservices Australia representatives and a member of the local community impacted by the PFAS contamination.
Mr Zappia said that 'Airservices Australia play a vital role in ensuring airport safety in Australia. The NexGen works are essential to update Airservices facilities to make them flexible and fit for purpose into the future, as well as accommodate a new line of Ultra Large Fire Vehicles and to upgrade the services' training grounds to meet training and capability objectives and CASA regulations.'
'The PFAS Remediation works at Rockhampton Airport are required to remove the PFAS contamination caused by the historical use of PFAS-containing firefighting foam at the old training grounds at the airport. It is right that these works are carried out as soon as possible and the Committee supports the proposal,' Mr Zappia said.
Please note: the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works is not involved in the tendering process, awarding of contracts or details of the proposed works. Enquiries on these matters should be directed to the relevant Commonwealth entities.
