Inside the Australian Antarctic Division $20m consultant spend in 2020-21
New documents have been released breaking down the Australian Antarctic Division’s $20m spend on consultants in 2020-21, with $19m spent on a cancelled project. See the breakdown.
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A breakdown of a remarkable spend of more than $20m by the Australian Antarctic Division has revealed more than $19m was spent on the cancelled Davis Aerodrome Project.
Last month, AAD head Emma Campbell confirmed the Division had spent $20,622,637 on consultants during 2020–21 at a Senate Inquiry. At the time, AAD chief scientist Professor Nicole Webster said she believed it was part of an infrastructure renewal program.
But documents released on Friday reveal $19,456,205 was spent on 13 consultancy services for the Davis Aerodrome Project.
Despite nearly $20m being spent, the Federal Government announced it will not proceed with the project in November 2021.
More than $14m was spent on AECOM Australia consultants on the provision of preparation of environmental documentations and approvals, technical design services, development of a Reference Logistics Strategy and geotechnical investigation services.
“The AECOM work related to environmental documentation and approvals to ensure compliance with the EPBC Act and Antarctic Treaty Act. Both are complex pieces of work to ensure legislative requirements are met,” An AAD spokesperson said.
“The majority of this 2020-21 spend related to approved project work for the Year Round Aviation Access project, for which additional funding was received.”
Nearly $1.7m was spent on KPMG consultants for expertise to support the year round aviation access project at Davis Research Station. An AAD spokesperson said the skills provided by KPMG were not available in house.
Engineering and operation services for Davis Station conducted by WSP Australia cost the Division $1,177,086.
The Bureau of Meteorology also provided technical support on weather services and aviation hazard assessments which cost the Division $1,166,648.
Greens Senator Peter Whish-Wilson said the $19m should have gone into critical science projects instead.
“The big picture here is that the $19m is an extraordinary amount of money on a failed project, a project that was always controversial, a project that was very unpopular within the Australian Antarctic Division,” he said.
“(More than $14m spent on a single firm) sounds like an extraordinary amount of money to prepare the groundwork for a project that was probably never going to happen. I’m actually quite shocked at that number.
“It’s very frustrating and I’m sure it’s very frustrating for the scientists within the Antarctic Division.”
Liberal Senator Jonathon Duniam said it was disappointing Davis Aerodrome project did not proceed.
“But we need to remember that this money was not spent on consultants and bureaucrats grabbing coffees for one another. It was spent to extensively enhance Australia’s Antarctic presence and capabilities,” he said.
Tasmanian Labor Senator Catryna Bilyk said the Liberals need to explain why the cost of consultancies was so high under the previous government.
“In 2020-2021, the Division spent a staggering $20 million on consultants. This has been reduced to around $700,000 last year,” she said. “The Division also had massive cost overruns because they had to commission replacement vessels due to the Liberals’ mismanagement of the Nuyina build.”
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