$22 million Defence contract awarded to Territory company

THE Territory’s importance to the US Marines has been reinforced with the awarding of a $22 million contract to upgrade facilities at four key NT Defence training areas

A US Marine trains at Mount Bundey in the Northern Territory during Exercise Talisman Saber  ... a $22 million contract to upgrade range facilities at four key NT Defence training areas has been awarded

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DARWIN’S strategic importance to the United States Force Posture Initiatives has been further reinforced with the awarding of a $22 million contract to upgrade range facilities at four key NT Defence training areas.

The contract has been won by NT company Sitzler Pty Ltd, which will be the managing contractor for the development phase of the $514 million Northern Territory Training Areas and Ranges Project.

Defence Minister Senator Linda Reynolds has singled out the importance of the Northern Territory training areas and ranges, saying they are essential for supporting the joint training needs of the Australian Defence Force and its US partners.

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“This reinvestment is part of our commitment to the Northern Territory made under the 2015 Developing Northern Australia White Paper and the 2016 Defence White Paper,” Ms Reynolds said.

“This is the Government’s local industry capability policy in action. Sitzler will manage design and development of upgrades to facilities and infrastructure at Defence training areas at Robertson Barracks, Kangaroo Flats, Mount Bundey and Bradshaw.”

Under the Government’s defence policy for industry participation, Sitzler has provided a local industry capability plan with a target of 98 per cent of construction subcontract packages to be awarded to Territory businesses.

Master Builders NT chief executive officer David Malone called the contract a “tangible real world vindication” of efforts to have local industry capability recognised.

“We have long advocated about the expertise and professionalism of the Territory construction sector, its firms, and their people and this is recognition of what we have been saying,” Mr Malone said.

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“Over the past few years, Defence has worked hard to expand local opportunity. New policies around local industry capability plans and ‘works packages’ have been welcomed across our industry throughout regional Australia.”