The efforts of Jackson Wells client Praeco to transform a sheep paddock east of Canberra into a single integrated command centre for the Australian Defence Forces has been recognised by Infrastructure Partnerships Australia.
The Headquarters Joint Operations Command Project (HQJOC) was named Project of the Year at IPAs annual national infrastructure awards in March.
Jackson Wells was involved with Praeco, originally a joint venture between Leighton Contractors and ABN AMRO (now Royal Bank of Scotland), since it first tendered to build, own and operate the HQJOC, the first public private partnership undertaken by the Federal Government.
We provided on-the-ground media management services when then Prime Minister John Howard turned the first sod in November 2006.
While the complex was completed on time and on budget, Praeco had to navigate a few issues along the way - including false claims that it had ignored a number of significant historical European and Indigenous artefacts during construction.
With Jackson Wells assistance, Praeco conducted a media information day. Journalists toured a number of significant sites, where consultant archaeologist, Doug Williams, explained the conservation and documentation work he and his team carried out
in consultation with ACT Heritage, the relevant Commonwealth and State Departments and Aboriginal community groups.
This issue was quickly put to bed, allowing media to focus on Praecos delivery of a five-star, environmentally sustainable building, which it will operate over a 30-year concession period.