What you said about the govt’s spending on office upgrades and furniture

Courier-Mail readers have been quick to respond to news of the government’s excessive spending at 1 William Street upgrades, with many calling out LNP hypocrisy, while others singled out Ros Bates’ $67k office reno.

1 William Street dubbed The Tower of Power. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/The Australian

Courier-Mail readers have been quick to respond to news of the government’s excessive spending at 1 William Street upgrades, venting their opinions – some in defence of the expenditure, but many against – online.

Finance Minister Ros Bates, who spend $67,000 of taxpayer money on upgrades to her office, including frosting some glass on a door, was singled out by many.

See what you had to say below and join the conversation >>>

SHOULD WE EXPECT ANYTHING LESS?

Richard:

So one office in a building less than 10 years old needs $67,000 in renovations.......

Susieh:

Doesn’t pass the pub test. I expected better of this new Government. A waste of public money.

John:

Ministers and senior public servants don’t seem to give a toss when it comes to spending money that isn’t theirs and don’t seem to have any idea of what things should cost.

Some of the extravagances in the splurge

Austin:

I voted LNP for transparency and integrity which they promised. The minute the LNP were elected they ignored everything they said they would do to help in my long running integrity dispute against Labor.

Liz:

None of the parties represent anyone other than themselves. The working public servants have to bring their own cutlery and instant coffee, sugar and milk to work and they have a Tea Station!

Happy Daze:

Crisafulli’s government just a different set of scouts in the taxpayer funded trough. Doesn’t matter which way we vote seems we’re destined for self-serving self-interested pollies with little concern about citizens these days.

D:

QBuild are completely out of control with costings and work. I feel for the qbuild trades who are often maligned with the poor service of their masters and the exorbitant costs.

ROS BATES NEEDS TO GO

Barry:

1 William Street is only a few years old. It’s outrageous that Ros Bates needs to spend that much money to frost some glass. She has to be the most useless of the lot.

Richard:

Bates was responsible for getting a dedicated smoking area built when in Opposition at a cost of $70-80,000 and bragged about it. She likes spending taxpayers money.

Finance Minister Ros Bates billed taxpayers $67k for an office renovation. Picture: Tertius Pickard

Alert:

Ros Bates does practice restraint ever. She will be a liability for the Crisafulli government. It is not a matter of if but when!

Nicholas:

Bates was and is a complete dud as a politician.

Robyn:

Just another fail by Ros Bates. Just what does Ros do? She gets paid a lot of $ for doing very little.

Ross:

Ros Bates is so far out of her depth it’s embarrassing for the Premier. The Premier needs to appoint the Assistant Minister Amanda Stoker to the position and boot Bates out.

Adam:

Bates will be the first minister out the door!

Mary:

Miles said that Bates wants to Block Bleije out. I would too but … has she done any real work yet that is aligned to her ministry?

Sir Les P:

Ros Bates will be a block of concrete around DC’s ankle he needs to backbench her.

NOTHING TO SEE HERE

Luke:

A reasonable upgrade, new television, proper heating and cooling is obviously fair enough. These people and their staff do work long hours. It’s all about passing the pub test and managing these sort of expenditures appropriately.

Chris:

Oh come on! All incoming ministers Labor and LNP do the same. A refurbishment of offices is always required. It does pass the pub test.

SarahE4:

Good on them for making their workspace functional. These people work far greater hours than I ever wish to and do a job I wouldn’t even dream of doing so I hope they find their new space and accessories pleasant.

Wayne:

Have people not gotten a quote for a kitchen renovation or bathroom renovation lately? Not to mention that you have to wait 18 months to even have a builder show up. This is nothing really.

Nick:

Maybe they expect her to get IKEA to do it all and assemble it themselves?? $67k for an office reno seems cheap.

Mario:

Storm in a Teacup! Have we already forgotten the progress made on Youth Crime & the Health waste and mismanagement they’ve uncovered?

Bushy Bill:

The office renovation seems the only thing of significance here, and may well be warranted.

Glenn:

The expenditures sound reasonable to me, this story is nonsense.

Cynthia:

Honestly don’t see what all the fuss is about. Let’s get on with governing this State.

LABOR WERE WORSE

Graeme:

That’s nothing, how about showing us the bill clocked up by Labor ministers….. tens of billions!

Caz:

I don’t see an issue with this expenditure. The authors seem quick to forget the wasteful Labor government’s eye watering expenditure on the ridiculous. What’s the latest on Cross River Rail from $6billion now circa $15 billion??

The Original Better Half:

Perhaps the ALP could explain the one million dollars they spent on the upside down elephant, incidently by a NZ artist, then the 300,000 on the Matildas statue.

Wayne:

As for Miles getting all upset about it? Keep in mind … Wellcamp! Hundreds of millions of dollars for a handful of patrons, and then ‘whoosh’, it’s been given away! Calm down Steven, you hardly have the credibility to be calling this excessive.

Originally published as What you said about the govt’s spending on office upgrades and furniture