CHAIR (Mrs Moylan) —Before we commence the formal proceedings, I welcome the member for Riverina, Mrs Kay Hull, and members of the community to this public hearing today. I think Mrs Hull is going to be making a submission after we hear evidence from Defence. Clearly she has been a big supporter of the developments at this base.

I declare open the public hearing into the proposed relocation of selected RAAF college units to RAAF Base East Sale, Victoria, and RAAF Base Wagga, New South Wales. This project was referred to the Public Works Committee on 23 June 2005 for consideration and report to parliament. In accordance with subsection 17(3) of the Public Works Committee Act 1969, which concerns the examination and reporting on a public work, the committee will have regard to the following:

(a) the stated purpose of the work and its suitability for that purpose;

(b) the necessity for, or the advisability of, carrying out the work;

(c) the most effective use that can be made, in the carrying out of the work, of the moneys to be expended on the work;

(d) where the work purports to be of a revenue-producing character, the amount of revenue that it may reasonably be expected to produce; and

(e) the present and prospective public value of the work.

Yesterday morning the committee received a confidential cost briefing from the Department of Defence and earlier this morning we inspected this base. The committee will now hear evidence from the Department of Defence and Mrs Kay Hull MP, the member for Riverina.

[9.31 am]