NT Government sues major contractor PTM Group awarded millions in ongoing tenders
THE NT Government is suing one of its major contractors responsible for millions of dollars in ongoing tenders for allegedly botching the construction of a police station
Police & Courts
Don't miss out on the headlines from Police & Courts. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Slider picture shows little growth on Cavenagh St shade structure
- Construction underway for $68 million prefabricated homes project to address remote housing issues
THE NT Government is suing one of its major contractors responsible for millions of dollars in ongoing tenders for allegedly botching the construction of an $8.8m police station in 2010.
PTM Group was named as one of the successful tenderers for the $68m project to build 134 homes in remote communities in September and was previously paid $2.7m to deliver the much maligned Cavenagh St shade structure.
But in documents filed with the Supreme Court, the government claims a police station PTM built in Yarralin in 2010 was so badly botched the building had extensive cracking throughout.
MORE NT COURT NEWS
Nightcliff player could be out on bail next week after Christmas bashing
Trio robbed $170 from elderly man looking for someone to talk to on his birthday, court hears
Whittens fails in bid to have Inpex death case dismissed
“The building has sustained extensive cracking and damage throughout (including) to … the cell doors which were jamming, rendering one cell inoperable until remediation works were carried out in October 2020,” the statement of claim reads.
The documents allege the “cracking and movement” first began to appear in March 2013 before becoming “progressively worse” and by December a government engineer reported cracking in the building’s veranda, external slabs, plasterboard walls and floor tiles.
That damage was considered minor and not to be affecting the station’s “overall structural adequacy” but by 2015 the government had engaged an independent assessor to investigate “possible latent defects”.
The investigators found structural issues including “significant relative movement along the length of the police station building”, among a laundry list of other problems.
“Separation and movement has occurred between the veranda slab and the building,” the report allegedly concluded.
“The rear of the police station is approximately 100mm lower than the front entry area.
“A sewer drain behind the cells was damaged by cracking.”
The police station opened in 2011 and has been in use ever since but the government is seeking leave to bring the action out of time because the independent assessor only issued it’s latest report in December last year.
“Significant material prejudice will be caused to (the government) if an extension is not granted, and in the event that (its) claim in negligence is not wholly successful, because (it) would be required to carry out rectification or rebuilding of the police station at its own expense,” the documents read.
The legal action also includes Irwinconsult, which the government claims bungled a revised ground slab and footings plan used in the project.
In 2011, PTM Group won the Master Builders Association Excellence in Building Construction Award, for its work on the station.
$1 FOR ALL YOUR NEWS? HERE’S HOW: Sign up now to our amazing deal of $1 for 28 days
“Whilst working in remote locations there are many challenges which are not conventional in construction in the cities,” the company said at the time.
“There was strict consideration to logistical and access issues which had to coincide with dry season, and in some cases air-freight and barging for transport of materials was required.
“We ensured that there was sufficient labour resources and accommodation at all times and that the site remained secure during the whole construction phase.”
Each company is yet to file a defence with the court.
Cops hunt for scooter snatched from 27-year-old in ‘aggravated robbery’
Northern Territory police say they’re still searching for an electric scooter snatched from a woman over the weekend. Read the latest.
Ex-top NT cop to plead over assault, threats to kill
The former boss of the NT Water Police division was shaking as she appeared before a judge over allegations she assaulted and threatened to murder a Darwin resident.