Review of issues related to the acquisition and management of container accommodation in the Northern Territory and the management of ACMS on prescribed communities 

Review of the use of container accommodation for the Northern Territory Emergency Response

Purpose

Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) wishes to fully investigate the circumstances surrounding issues with the use of container accommodation for Commonwealth public servants involved in the Northern Territory Emergency Response (NTER). 

Background

From September 2007 the Australian Government purchased 195 containers for use as accommodation for Australian Government personnel residing or visiting remote Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory (NT).

Staff of FaHCSIA, the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) and Centrelink were allocated accommodation in these containers.  Other staff and Australian Government contracted personnel were able to reside in the container complexes on a temporary basis using a visitor notification system. 

From 8 November 2007, complaints about fumes and smells were being received by FaHCSIA from some of the staff living in this accommodation. 

On 10 April 2008 the Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, the Hon. Jenny Macklin MP, issued a press release about issues related to some of the containers (Attachment A).  

On 22 April 2008 the Secretary of FaHCSIA, Dr Jeff Harmer, advised the Minister that he would engage an appropriate person to conduct an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the problems in the accommodation containers.

Required outcomes of this investigation

To address the matters above so that FaHCSIA can ensure that circumstances like this do not arise again, you are asked to:

81. Review the sequence of events from the Department's decision to acquire accommodation for GBMs, through the process of deployment and management/response to concerns and complaints raised by staff and advise on:
    1. The adequacy of the Department's management of the procurement of the containers
    2. The adequacy of the Department's response to the concerns raised by one or more Government Business Managers (GBMs)
    3. The adequacy of the Department's OH&S management and escalation procedures in light of this case
    4. Any other matters that arose from the investigation, and
    5. Make recommendations for actions or reforms to address any deficiencies in procedures, structures and communications.

Investigative process

To enable you to complete the tasks outlined above, you may:

1. Interview, at your discretion, any FaHCSIA staff and contractors and (with permissions) relevant staff from other Commonwealth departments and agencies, who were and/or are involved in the purchase, installation and management of container accommodation under the NTER.
2. Interview, at your discretion, any FaHCSIA staff and contractors and (with permissions) relevant staff from other Commonwealth departments and agencies, who resided in or visited the container accommodation provided by FaHCSIA under the NTER.
3. Consult with and obtain relevant information from FaHCSIA staff and contractors and (with permissions) companies, organisations and other Commonwealth agencies which have had an interest or involvement in the purchase, installation and management of container accommodation under the NTER.
4. Access all relevant reports, documents, briefings and information held by FaHCSIA, including relevant technical and professional reports dealing with:
• The purchase and installation of the accommodation containers in remote Indigenous communities, and
• The occupational health and safety issues that arose after staff were accommodated in those containers. 

You are requested to provide your report to the Secretary of FaHCSIA.