Contract awarded to deliver Centre for National Resilience at Mickleham in Victoria

VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA: As part of the Morrison Government's ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic and following a competitive tender process, global construction company Multiplex has been selected to deliver a new 1000 bed Centre for National Resilience at Mickleham.

Finance Minister Simon Birmingham said this new centre would create additional quarantine capacity and also enhance our medium and long-term capability to respond to future emergencies and crises.

"This is another step in our ongoing management of the COVID-19 pandemic and increases our ability to continue to safely return travellers into Australia for any ongoing quarantine requirements," Minister Birmingham said.

"This centre will supplement existing quarantine arrangements during the pandemic and be available to respond to future natural disasters or future health crises in the years to come.

"I thank the Victorian government for the very constructive partnership on this project including the work that has been done with them to design these facilities, and I look forward to activities starting onsite in the coming weeks."

Multiplex is an established global construction company that has delivered over 1,000 projects across the world and has an outstanding track record of successfully delivering complex projects in Australia.

The Centre for National Resilience at Mickleham will be built and owned by the Federal Government, but will be operated by the Victorian Government for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Multiplex will now engage several modular construction companies to provide modular buildings for the facility. It is expected that activities will commence onsite from early August, and we are working towards the first 500 beds opening by the end of the year.