Senate Finance and Public Administration Legislation Committee, , 3:35:08 to 3:40:34
An update on the 11 new Senate suites, with completion dates pushed to 2027 due to design changes and accessibility requirements within the $14.77 million budget.
Topics: Infrastructure, Government spending
Speakers: Jaala Hinchcliffe, Nicola Hinder, Hon James McGrath, Speaker 3, Senator Karen Grogan, Senator Lidia Thorpe
>> Yeah, I've just got a couple questions. Uh, can I go to one of my other favorite topics, please? Which is the 11 new um, Senate suites?
>> Yes. Sorry, Senator McGrath, could I um, chair, could I table the letter?
>> Yes, certainly.
>> And you can see clearly there is no copying of any senator apart from the three who wrote it into that correspondence. Thank you. Sorry,
Senator McGrath. That's good. Um DPS has previously advised the committee that the five ground floor suites would be completed in early 2026 with the six level one suites completed by mid 2026. if you can give an update on on where we are with the completion dates and also what the original budget was and uh where we are with um expenditure and expected completion dates and so forth.
>> Uh so Senator, we previously reported that um the ground floor would be completed in October 2026. Um we have an expected completion um now at J at January 2027. Uh so hopefully when you will come back refreshed from um from January Christmas break, you will come back to some beautiful new suites on the ground floor. Um the level one uh suites are expected to be be completed in April 2027. Um and the delays have been due to um some design changes including um looking at um disability accessibility uh in related suite changes. Uh so that's the timing that we have at the moment in terms of the I think the other question >> Um, our current, so we had an approved construction uh budget in July that was 14.77 million for the um the 11 suites. Um we now have a um total budget of uh our budget total is still 17 sorry 14.77. I don't have an update on whether we're looking like we will have um changes to that. If
>> you can take on notice that's that's that's fine. has this um delay caused further flow on delay to other planned maintenance or building works?
>> Uh Senator, we're running quite a comprehensive capital works program across Parliament House at the moment. Um but the major part of the priorities is actually what we're doing in the Senate suite redevelopment. Um if there have been and there have been some slight delays that have come through. Um but part of that as the secretary has already referenced gets to the internal workings of those particular chambers now or suites now that we've actually taken off uh walls and ceilings um and in the process of doing so and the final design it's required some um some changes so I wouldn't say that the rest of the program has been delayed we run we managed to complete the ground floor library in the timing um that we did suggest which was handing to the library um in August for fid out and final completion. Um, and I am so proud of the work that's actually being undertaken at the moment in those Senate suites. They are going to be um, top-notch, particularly the two new accessible suites.
would you be able to offer senators and and their staff with a as a group individually a tour of of the the
building?
>> Yeah, you charge. It's fine. I'll bring
a coffee. would so we've offered um through this committee it's a general offer we'd love to take the committee through um we'd love you to bring your your friends along with you come and have a look at the work that's happening because then we can also explain the work that we're doing uh in the insealing work as well
>> and can I just say I took the tour couldn't get anyone to come with me but it was amazing and I learned so much about the realities of um of how this building works and the challenges in doing the refits I would highly recommend it the DPS a delight lighted to take anyone for a tour.
>> That That's all good. Thank you very much. Cheers. Thank you, Chair. I'm done for DPS.
>> Chair, if I might add, um I did indicate um at the start of Senator Thorpe's questioning that I didn't have the letter uh that Senator Thorpe was referring to in front of me in the chamber. I have just tabled my response and I have said and I will say again um that uh the senator that senator thought
referred to whilst that senator was referred to in the letter sent to me the letter was absolutely categorically not sent to Senator Hanson by me.
>> So just to be clear you received a letter from three senators. You responded to those three senators. You did not respond to any other senate. You did not include any other senator in that response.
>> I'll provide the evidence to that.
Did you have further questions, Senator Thorpe?
>> No, it's my point. Not going to change.
>> So, we'll go to Senator Sharma.