The decision by the NSW Government to call in Public Works to save regional housing projects put at risk by the collapse of St Hilliers Construction will help save jobs in several regional centres, including Orange and Newcastle, the Public Service Association today.
The PSA welcomes the NSW Government’s decision yesterday to award public housing construction contracts to Public Works after St Hilliers went into administration, said Assistant Secretary Steve Turner.
“Public Works has a proud history of quality construction of community infrastructure,” Mr Turner said today.
“For more than 150 years public servants at Public Works have been providing NSW with quality community infrastructure, world renowned buildings, and more recently, picking up the pieces when private companies drop the ball.
“We’re pleased the NSW Government has awarded these contracts to Public Works, but we’d like to see it choose Public Works in the first instance rather than as the clean up crew when private sector firms go belly-up.
“NSW Public Works provides reliability, quality and experience unmatched in NSW for project management, construction and maintenance of public infrastructure on time and, in many cases below budget.
“This in itself should give the people of NSW assurance that NSW Public Works should be the first choice rather than the emergency back-up.
“As with the Royal North Shore Hospital’s hyperbaric chamber, where again they were called in to fix up a mess left by private contractors, PSA members at NSW Public Works will deliver the needed public housing in regional NSW and continue to exemplify quality construction, oversight and management of projects vital to the NSW government and our communities.
“This demonstrates the importance of a good, effective public service,” Mr Turner said.
Contact: Steve Turner 0418 675 564 / Jane Garcia 0434 489 533