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Defence HQ to proceed
By Peter Clack
Canberra Times
A $200 million headquarters for Australia's defence forces, which promises massive economic benefits to the Canberra-Queanbeyan region, is to proceed with construction to start within two years.

The 35,000 sq m complex destined for a rural site 12km from Queanbeyan, just off the Kings Highway, will become the new Defence Headquarters Australian Theatre the national nerve centre for maritime, air and land forces.

The confirmation of the project, announced by Prime Minister John Howard during the election campaign, comes after doubts that it would proceed. The siting of the headquarters had been questioned because of its proximity to the nearby Molonglo Observatory Synthesis Telescope a mile-long radio antenna array about 5km from the site of the new base.

But it is understood military communications would use a land line.

The Canberra-Queanbeyan region is now gearing up for an expected economic spin-off from the project.

About 1100 new Defence jobs would be created, with defence personnel from across the country expected to vie for the chance to work near Canberra.

It would foster a real estate and retail bonanza as families establish themselves near schools and shops.

However, security concerns in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States have delayed progress, and will now see the sensitive military complex enclosed within a 1km-wide exclusion zone.

Queanbeyan Mayor Frank Pangallo said at least 250 construction jobs would be created in the first two years of the building phase, injecting up to $180 million a year into the local economy.

But once the first families began to arrive, it would generate more than $70 million in wages alone and tens of millions of dollars for support and service industries, small businesses and retail outlets.

"Its major shoping centre will be Queanbeyan," Mr Pangallo said. "We are going to be supporting it all the way. This has got the potential to make a huge, long-term difference to Queanbeyan and Bungendore."

Mr Pangallo said the building phase would begin late next year or early in 2004 and the complex could be built and occupied by 2006 or early 2007.

The head of Defence Infrastructure, Michael Scrafton, confirmed that the headquarters was still planned for local sheep property Woodlands, owned by the Hyles family for five generations.

Mr Scrafton said the site was still the preferred one and that Defence was negotiating with the owners over its acquisition of land.

Defence officials would revisit the property during the week, but Mr Scrafton said farming operations should still be able to continue largely unaffected.

"Most of the land will still be usable grassland," Mr Scrafton said.

The current headquarters for the navy is at Potts Point, the army's is at Victoria Barracks in Sydney, and the air force's is in the Blue Mountains. The site near Queanbeyan was chosen because it was the most cost-effective option.

Documents had been submitted to Environment Australia to determine the type of environmental study needed and there would be extensive public involvement.


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