The Hon Darren Chester MP
12 Feb 16
Release details
Release type
Related ministers and contacts
The Hon Darren Chester MP
Assistant Minister for Defence
Media contact
- Brie Colley (Mr Chester’s office) (02) 6277 4029
- James Cannon (Tribunal) 0433 884 238
- Defence Media (02) 6127 1999
Release content
4 June 2015
The Department of Defence has decided to sell Leeuwin Barracks in Fremantle, Western Australia.
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence, Darren Chester MP, said Defence had no ongoing operational or strategic need for the Leeuwin Barracks site and had decided to sell the property.
Mr Chester said residential units from Leeuwin Barracks would be relocated to Irwin Barracks, and the site may be leased back by Defence if the sale proceeds before the relocation is complete.
“The Defence estate is ageing and the cost of sustaining it is expensive and increasing. Selling the Leeuwin Barracks site will reduce Defence’s maintenance costs, and any proceeds will be reinvested in support of the Australian Defence Force,” Mr Chester said.
Defence will undertake due diligence activities before the site is made available for sale, including environmental and heritage assessments. Once these activities are complete, the site will be sold.
The Commonwealth Property Disposals Policy allows for open market sales at full market value and for off-market sales direct to local, state or territory Governments in certain circumstances.
“The sale of Leeuwin Barracks supports government estate consolidation objectives and, at the same time, releases a useful parcel of land for purchase by the public,” Mr Chester said.
The Government has agreed to direct the net proceeds from the sale of Defence real estate to other Defence projects.
Media note:
Further information is available on the Defence Property Disposals website: www.defence.gov.au/id/PropertyDisposals
Media contacts:
Brie Colley (Darren Chester’s Office) (02) 6277 4029
Defence Media Operations (02) 6127 1999