ACT and regional NSW companies have successfully bid for a number of work packages for the construction of the new $150 million ACT Courts Precinct.

ICN’s Wally Hirsch said it was a great example of how ICN can help local business connect with major project owners and consortium through Gateway as well as industry briefings and behind-the-scenes consultation.

Canberra region businesses won work packages in concreting, electrical, craneage, roofing, steel fabrication, joinery, furniture fittings and equipment including curtains and floorcoverings, painting, landscaping and a range of other associated projects, he said, adding that this accounted for more than a third of the total project spend.

The relationship between ICN and the major proponent, public private partnership consortium Juris Partnership, began in October 2015. ICN contacted the PPP’s construction arm Laing O’Rourke to congratulate them on the successful bid.

We suggested to Laing O’Rourke that various ICN services would be available to assist. These included hosting an ICN Gateway project page and helping organise an industry briefing, Wally said.

Laing O’Rourke developed a local industry participation plan for the consortium, which highlighted the product and services to be sourced from the Canberra and surrounds, including South East NSW.

‘They asked ICN to provide early works packages of 20 product and services to be sourced from the Canberra Region.

‘The ICN Gateway project for the ACT Law Courts was opened in mid-2016, calling for expressions of interest in 56 work packages, which attracted 80 businesses expressing interest in a number of work packages each.

‘With a large number of work packages, ICN provided further lists of capable local businesses that had the capacity to assist in the project.’

The Juris Partnership comprises Laing O'Rourke, Macquarie Capital and their delivery partners, and the ACT Law Courts project in the centre of Canberra is the Territory's first public private partnership.

The project will create a combined Law Courts facility for the ACT, maximising operational efficiencies whilst still respecting the jurisdictional separation between the Supreme and the Magistrates’ Court.  

The new Supreme Court will be housed in a new four-storey building, as well as occupy parts of the existing Supreme Court building, which was opened by then-Prime Minister Sir Robert Menzies in 1963. The historical building will be fully refurbished, reflecting its heritage value. There will be a new public entrance and registry area built in the open space between the existing buildings, connecting the two Courts and providing access to common facilities for the public and the legal community.

The Magistrates Court will also be upgraded to provide modern audio-visual and remote witness capabilities and improved acoustic performance.’

ACT Attorney-General Simon Corbell said ‘The new ACT Law Courts will also promote best practice facilities for witnesses and their families, have dedicated spaces for community service and domestic violence support agencies and a mediation hub with facilities capable of hosting multi-party mediations.

‘Importantly the facility will be will be certified to a 5-star green star standard by the Green Building Council of Australia. Some of the environmental features in the design include the installation of an 110KW capacity solar photo-voltaic array, solar water heating, rainwater harvesting and end of journey facilities for cyclists. A new integrated heating and cooling plant arrangement and improved lighting systems will also contribute to the energy efficiency of the new precinct.’

It is expected the new courts will be fully operational by late 2018.