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Creation Date: Tue, 13 Apr 2010 GMT

Commonwealth to establish Building Education Revolution Taskforce

Commonwealth to establish Building Education Revolution Taskforce
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Education, Julia Gillard, today announced the formation of a Commonwealth BER Implementation Taskforce to further insure the Commonwealth Government's $16.2 billion school infrastructure investment.

The Taskforce will be led by Mr Brad Orgill, former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of UBS Investment Bank Australasia, and will have an initial budget of $14 million.

It will employ or contract investigators with a range of skills in building, design construction and safety, quantity surveying, architecture, financial audit and law. It will also have access to the full resources of DEEWR.

The BER program helped save Australia from recession. It continues to protect jobs and help families manage the impacts of the global financial crisis.

The BER is also a long overdue investment in every school in Australia. It is 24,000 projects in 9500 schools both supporting students and teachers now and investing in our future.

Ms Gillard said she is proud that the BER helped save Australia from the worst effects of the GFC while delivering modern facilities in our schools that will give our kids a better pathway to a job.

She said she also wanted to ensure maximum value for money and is concerned that any allegations of waste are investigated fully.

The results of investigations to date do not lead the Commonwealth to believe there are widespread practices of over quoting, over charging or fraudulent or corrupt behaviour but with an investment of this scale and as custodians of the public purse the Government believes the establishment of the Taskforce is a prudent step.

This will be a further strengthening of what is already a heavily audited program with an ongoing Auditor General's inquiry under way. Setting up the BER Implementation Taskforce is additional insurance for the Australian taxpayer.

The taskforce will investigate complaints and conduct proactive investigations in cooperation with State Governments and Catholic and Independent school block grant authorities.

It will also provide advice to the Commonwealth on when to exercise powers under the BER agreements to deal with breaches of obligations including the power to suspend or withhold funds, to terminate the agreement or power to require repayment of funds.

The BER Implementation Taskforce terms of reference are to:

1.receive, investigate and respond to complaints regarding the full operation of BER, including individual school projects, in particular:-
◦(a) by referring complaints or evidence of potential breaches of the law, regulations or guidelines to the appropriate authority for action; and
◦(b) ensuring arrangements are in place between the Commonwealth and States and Territories to minimise duplication of complaints handling processes.
2.assess value for money aspects of individual projects, including project oversight and administration;
3.investigate and assess at its own discretion areas of the operation of BER, especially as they impinge on the outcomes of projects at schools; and
4.make recommendations to the responsible authority about changes to policy, contracts or projects required to ensure the objectives of the BER are realised.
In addition to its formal reporting requirements the Taskforce will produce a public report every six months with an initial report from Mr Orgill after the first three months detailing:

•the list of complaints received;
•actions taken to investigate complaints;
•audits undertaken;
•interaction with States and Territories and block grant authorities; and
•all other activity relevant to the public receiving a full and comprehensive understanding of its activities.
Ms Gillard said she has asked Brad Orgill to head the Taskforce given his significant experience as a business leader in Australia.

Ms Gillard said she would discuss the formation of the Taskforce with her State and Territory Education Ministerial colleagues and the Catholic and independent school authorities in addition to seeking progress reports on all BER projects.

Mr Brad Orgill:
Career and academic background

Mr Orgill was Chairman and Chief Executive of UBS Investment Bank when he retired in October 2008. He was responsible for all UBS activities in Australasia.

Mr Orgill was with UBS and its preceding companies for more than 20 years (from 1986 to 2008). He spent half of his career with them in Asia, based in Hong Kong and Singapore, where in each he was UBS CEO and Country Head.

Mr Orgill was a member of the Business Council of Australia (CEOs of the top 100 companies) and also of the Young Presidents' Organisation (YPO).

During his time with UBS in Australia Mr Orgill was a member of the Australian Business in Community Network which partnered CEOs with school principals in South Western Sydney schools. This Network established ways in which business could help deliver schools greater resources through a range of activities, including volunteering programs, school excursions, and so on.

Mr Orgill was most recently was a member of a panel chaired by Allan Gyngell (and including Peter Shergold and others) for the Lowy Institute looking at Australia's diplomatic network and efforts. The panel's report was released on 18 March 2009.

Also connected with the Lowy Institute, Mr Orgill has been involved with the Pacific Friends of the Global Fund which assists countries to combat the rise of diseases such as HIV.

Mr Orgill has a Bachelor of Economics and a Masters of Arts in Asian Studies. He is half-way through a Masters in Environmental Law and Science.