Four groups short-listed for SEQ Schools PPP Project

The Bligh Government has short-listed four groups to proceed to the bidding phase for the SEQ Schools Public Private Partnership (PPP) project, which will deliver seven new schools for the South-East Queensland region.

Education and Training Minister Rod Welford said the State Government’s call for a private sector partner, the second educational project of its type for Queensland, had attracted the interest of high-calibre groups.

“Our Government is on track to deliver seven new schools under a PPP in the next three years to meet population growth,” Mr Welford said.

“It was pleasing to see such keen interest in the project from the private sector and we have now narrowed the field down to four groups.

“Factors taken into consideration included the applicants’ experience in building schools in Queensland, their commitment to this 30-year project and their financial capacity and experience.

“Partnering with the private sector delivers significant opportunities to build state-of-the-art-schools while maximising value for money for taxpayers.”

Mr Welford said the four groups short-listed were Aspire Schools, Axiom Education Queensland, Learning Works Partnership and Pinnacle Education.

“These groups comprise some of Queensland’s most experienced school construction companies, strong financiers and facilities management companies,” he said.

“They will now be asked to detail how they would finance, design, construct, and maintain the seven schools over 30 years.

“This is about building more schools sooner. Construction is still set to start early next year, with a total of four schools opening their doors to students from the start of 2010.

“Thanks to this proposal, by 2010 we’ll have a new school on the Sunshine Coast, two new schools in the Western Corridor and a new school in the Redlands area. The other three schools – two in the Western Corridor and one on the Sunshine Coast – will be open to students in 2011.”

Short-listed consortia are: Aspire Schools (Commonwealth Bank, Leighton Contractors, Broad Group and Compass Group); Axiom Education Queensland (ABN Amro, Abigroup and Spotless); Learning Works Partnership (Bilfinger Berger Project Investments, ANZ, Dickinson Construction, Northbuild Construction and Tungsten); Pinnacle Education (Babcock and Brown, Watpac and Transfield Services).

Media contact: Marnie Stitz or Emma Clarey on 3237 1000