Albo’s $2 million renovation rescue to prevent ‘landslide’ at Kirribilli House

It would be a rare politician who has not dreamt of a political landslide. But it’s unlikely an actual landslide was on Albo’s 2024 bingo card.

EXCLUSIVE

It would be a rare politician who has not secretly dreamt of a political landslide.

But an actual landslide? It’s fair to assume that was never part of Anthony Albanese’s 2024 bingo card.

And lo, so it has come to pass that taxpayers are spending $2.3 million to stop a sea wall at the Prime Minister’s official residence in Sydney, Kirribilli House, from sliding into the abyss.

Boasting commanding views across to Fort Denison and beyond, the twin-gabled house in the Gothic style has been valued in recent years as worth over $50 million — not that anyone is planning to put it up for sale.

The sea wall is causing a headache. Picture: Google Maps

It was Billy Hughes, Prime Minister of the day, who acquired the property for the Commonwealth government in 1920s before it played host to the British royal family, two American presidents, and Nobel Prize winner Nelson Mandela in the following decades.

It did not become an official second residence for Australian prime ministers until the 1950s.

But now it’s the sea wall that’s causing a $2 million headache for bureaucrats.

According to the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, responsible for maintaining Kirribilli House as a Commonwealth heritage-listed property, the remedial work is long overdue.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at Kirribilli House. Picture: Roni Bintang/Getty Images

According to tender documents on the AusTender website, the cost is an eye-watering $2.3 million after it was originally expected to cost around $1.8 million.

“These contracts are for remediation work to address areas that have deteriorated due to age and been deemed unsafe,” a spokesperson said.

“This work includes stabilising retaining walls that are at risk of landslide and remediating external pathways to improve safety and disability accessibility.”

But as any renovator can tell you, the original estimates for cost always seem a little on the low side. In the case of the great sea wall reno, the contracts keep getting varied to cover additional costs.

“The cost variation is for additional works to ensure ground stability that were identified after the initial work began,” a spokesperson said.

“All procurement has been undertaken in accordance with Commonwealth Procurement Rules. This is the first work of its kind to be undertaken.”

It’s understood that earlier scheduled maintenance work at Kirribilli House had been delayed due to Covid.

The remedial work is long overdue after delays due to Covid. Picture: Dylan Coker/NCA NewsWire

Other remediation work has been completed in the area to address similar issues, including at Admiralty House.

While “The Lodge” in Canberra is the PM’s primary official residence, Kirribilli House has been the preferred home of some of Australia’s prime ministers, including John Howard in 1996.

After his election in 2013, former Prime Minister Tony Abbott was forced to rough it at the Australian Federal Police College while The Lodge, in Canberra’s leafy Deakin, underwent extensive renovations costing $6.4 million.

John Howard takes his early morning walk from Kirribilli House in 2007.

At the same time, an extensive renovation bill for the Governor-General’s official residences in Canberra and Sydney, Government House in Yarralumla and Admiralty House in Kirribilli, rose to $19 million, The Sydney Morning Herald reported at the time.

The bill for Government House included $1.3 million to fix the so-called ‘honours building’, more than $854,000 for ‘essential heritage rectification’ and almost $225,000 to repair the stables that are now used to house staff, not horses.

Almost $70,000 was also splashed on Wi-Fi upgrades for both buildings. It was revealed that some work had been delayed or cancelled, including a $5 million swimming pool and tennis court upgrade.

Originally published as Albo’s $2 million renovation rescue to prevent ‘landslide’ at Kirribilli House