Australian Government - Royal Australian Mint

Annual Report 2007-08

• Table of Contents
• Financial Reports

Section 3 - Management & Accountability

Refurbishment Project

Significant progress has been made on the Mint refurbishment project which commenced in October 2006 and is due for completion in mid 2009. Two of the six project stages were completed in 2007–08.

The first completed stage was the basement and relocated loading dock. This area allows the Mint to make better use of storage space and to have more efficient receiving and despatch functions. It has also removed a major risk to the Mint, that is having truck movements in shared public traffic areas. The second completed stage was the circulating coin hall. Also completed at this time was a new 8 tonne goods lift. It provides direct access between the circulating coin hall and the basement and is large enough to transport forklifts, heavy production equipment and large quantities of coin product. This lift is the largest of its type in the southern hemisphere.

The delivery of the project has resulted in a number of challenges. These challenges came about because of the age of the building and the complexity of the production processes. Additional funding was sought by the Department of Finance and Deregulation and the Mint to achieve the full potential of the refurbishment project, as initially agreed to by the Government. An increase was required in the project budget from $41.2 million to $66.4 million. The additional funding was approved in October 2007 and a revised project brief was presented to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works in April 2008.

It is a challenging and exciting time for Mint personnel who are benefiting from the improved facilities provided by those stages of the project already delivered. Employees have displayed patience and understanding in working in and around the disruptions and relocations required by the staged process and the requirement that the Mint continue to operate on site during the refurbishment. We are all looking forward to the completion of the project in mid 2009. The Mint will be a modern, efficient and secure manufacturing facility. It will provide a safer and more comfortable workplace. It will offer visitors a more modern and exciting public gallery and will improve the display of the National Coin Collection.