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WA company Civmec wins stadium footbridge contract, 250 jobs predicted
Hannah BarryPublished: August 6 2017 - 10:28AM
The contract to build the new Perth stadium footbridge has been won by local company Civmec.
Premier Mark McGowan announced head contractor York Rizzani had terminated its contract with Malaysian-based steel company Toyota Tsusho in June, after the company "failed to deliver bridge components" within the repeatedly extended deadlines.
The decision came after Premier McGowan expressed concerns with Toyota Tsusho's initial appointment, ahead of around 10 Australian-based companies who had also submitted tenders.
On Sunday, Transport Minister Rita Saffioti revealed the government, York Rizzani and Civmec had signed a subcontract agreement on Saturday. The deal would generate around 250 new jobs, and the bridge across the Swan River could be finished by March 2018.
Civmec is now responsible for the fabrication of the bridge components, including steel works and shop detailing.
The WA company's head office is based in Perth, with branches in Broome, Darwin, Queensland, New South Wales and Singapore.
Ms Saffioti said the target completion date of March 2018 "remained achievable", and 250 new jobs would be associated with Civmec's appointment.
"There are financial incentives in place for York Rizzani Joint Venture to meet that date," she said.
"The signing of Civmec represents a significant step forward compared to the contract we had inherited upon entering government.
"In the process of renegotiation, we have managed to create about 250 local jobs and have gained a clearer line of sight on the delivery of the project.
"While the steel fabrication is challenging and complex, and there is a risk that the target completion date may not be met, the advice we have received is that the March schedule can work.
"With the works undertaken locally, there will be detailed management and monitoring by the project team with a fully collaborative approach to risk management and issue resolution.
"We share York Rizzani Joint Venture's view that their new arrangements provide a more reliable basis for successfully completing the project than previously, and the decision to enlist local industry to get the job done was the best way forward."
The project has been the source of many headaches for the new WA government after it was revealed the budget had blown out by a staggering $16 million and the original opening date had to be set back almost two years.
The original budget for the stadium footbridge was $70 million – however the cost has since been revised to $83 million.
This story was found at: http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/wa-company-civmec-wins-stadium-footbridge-contract-250-jobs-predicted-20170806-gxq8d1.html