Thursday 20 August 2009

WHO IS PARSONS BRINCKERHOFF? WHAT IS THEIR ROLE IN THE FAILED PUBLIC POLICY OF ABORIGINAL HOUSING IN THE NORTHERN TERRITORY?

These are the questions for to-day, dear Networkers.
Can you help in answering them?

Our focus is on the Australian operations although of Parsons Brinckerhoff. if you have any information internationally of participation in failed projects or relating to breaches of human rights or environmental degradation we are most interested. To find out why this information is required read about PB's involvement in the failed Aboriginal housing program, SIHIP, jointly managed by the Australian and Northern Territory Governments. This program has not delivered one house. Read previous posts on this issue for more details.
  • Who is Parsons Brinckerhoff?
  • What is its role in the failed public policy of Aboriginal housing in the Northern Territory?
So in search of PB, I have been trawling the Net.

I have a list of offices world-wide which does not include an office in Darwin. However, Networkers, if you wish to communicate you might like to write to the Melbourne or Canberra offices:
Melbourne Office
Level 7, 457 St. Kilda Road
Melbourne VIC 3004, Australia
+61-3-9861-1250
Fax: +61-3-9861-1251
PPK
+61-3-9861-1111
Fax: +61-3-9861-1144
Mailing Address
PO Box 7209, Melbourne VIC 3004

Canberra Office
Level 3, Empire Chambers
1–13 University Avenue
Canberra ACT 2600, Australia
+61-2-6281-9500
Fax: +61-2-6281-9501
Mailing Address
GPO Box 331, Canberra ACT 2601
Their world-wide website is here. PB describes itself thus:
Founded in 1885 and headquartered in New York City, PB is a leader in the development and operation of infrastructure to meet the needs of communities around the world. The firm provides strategic consulting, planning, engineering, and program and construction management services to both public and private sector clients.

PB is active in multiple market sectors, including transportation, power, buildings/facilities, water/wastewater, environmental, and urban/community development. The firm has the capability to see a project through its entire life cycle, from planning to implementation to operation and maintenance, and has earned a distinguished reputation for its technical and management expertise.

  • For further information, check out Wikipedia.
  • Sourcewatch focuses on the nuclear aspect of their work. Note to sourcewatch, the site - and in particular Australian information - could do with an update.
  • If you go here, you will find information about PB and its involvement in the radioactive waste dump issue which targets the Northern Territory.
  • Senators were asking questions last month on the nuclear dump report.
  • Lee Rhiannon is critical of a PB report on opal mining: The Parsons Brinckerhoff report fails to properly assess the potential impacts of opal mining on threatened species and sensitive environments like the Ramsar-listed 'Narran Lakes Nature Reserve' and the wider Narran Lake wetlands.
  • The WA Labor Government clearly valued PB in relation to an Aboriginal housing and training program carried out there.
So, dear Networkers, please feel free to email me with your information at misseaglesnetwork(at)gmail(com)

Further Reading:
Macklin 'seeking to save her political skin'
MissEagle

racism-free
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2 comments:

  1. Hi Brigid
    "A close personal friend of mine" had the honour of having been threatened with Legal Action By PB on the blog "The Nature of Robertson."
    Their man was working inside the SCA ("seconded"). He was "Project Manager" for the Kangaloon Aquifer project.
    It is interesting to read the legal notice received from them requiring my friend to take down 3 posts and to remove another reference to their man inside the SCA.
    Given that all the statements were true, their claim that it was "false and defamatory" was simple bluster.
    None-the-less, my friend removed the statements and published in full PB's Legal represenmtative's demand - which told him (and everybody) far more about how PB operate than he could have ever hoped to expose.
    .
    For some reason I cannot paste a link in this comment. The Posting was dated 29 April 2008
    "The Sayings of John Ross Part 3 - deleted".
    .
    Even better is the revelation in "The Cost of the Kangaloon Borefield" dated 25 April 2008
    where he quoted JR as having told the local Community Reference Group (an official committee) that the Borefield project would cost "approx $10 million". In fact the SCA Acting Head had already told the Dept of Planning that it was estimated at "$60 to $80 million".
    That was in an official SCA application for approval of the Project.
    .
    One would have assumed that "Project Manager" had advised his Chief Executive prior to that application being submitted. Shows something of the way their man handled the truth, don't you think?
    .
    No doubt you can expect a letter from their legal representative.
    .
    These sorts of companies monitor the Internet.
    .
    Cheers
    You know who.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I wouldnt bother contacting the Canberra office - it is one of the smallest PB offices in Australia (20 staff) compared to Sydney (300+ staff). Try Brisbane....

    ReplyDelete

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