Mr JULL (Minister for Administrative Services)(8.00 p.m.) —I move:

That, in accordance with the provisions of the Public Works Committee Act 1969, the following proposed work be referred to the parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works for consideration and report: Implementation of rockfall risk reduction strategies on Christmas Island.

A landslide risk assessment report on Christmas Island tabled in October 1995 highlighted the possibility that rock falls could cause fatality, injury and damage to or loss of Commonwealth property and community assets. In this context the Attorney-General's Department advised that, as injury is foreseeable, the Commonwealth owes a duty of care to the people who occupy Commonwealth land and buildings in the Kampong and that it should implement all appropriate risk reduction strategies to reduce risk of injury to people or property in the Kampong area where that is reasonable.

The areas directly affected include Commonwealth owned high-density residential units—blocks 408 and 412—which are occupied by government employees and public housing tenants. There are also other Commonwealth and community used buildings which have been identified at risk, including the boat club area, the marine building, the Malay workshop and the Malay school.

In December 1995 the former government referred to the PWC proposals to relocate the affected residents and to construct rock fall defensive measures. The evidence subsequently prepared for consideration by the PWC indicated the proposed package would cost over $20 million but included a range of alternatives. The election was called before the PWC could visit the island to investigate the proposal.

In addition to referring the matter to the PWC, the former government approved an allocation of $1.191 million in 1995-96 for works associated with the proposals. This commitment was recently confirmed by the Minister for the Environment, Senator the Hon. Robert Hill. Since the preparation of the PWC evidence, additional risk evaluation analysis has been commissioned in relation to the range of alternative strategies that could be undertaken to respond to the problem.

Although estimates for constructing only rock fall defences are less than the $6 million threshold for PWC consideration, those which involve relocation of residents exceed $6 million. When the risk evaluation results are available it is likely that the decision as to which is the most appropriate course of action will involve a balanced judgment, weighing up all the economic and social factors. Because of the potential effect on the community, the PWC is the most appropriate body to carry out the necessary investigations and to make recommendations to the government on this matter. I commend this motion to the House.

Question resolved in the affirmative.