Consultants still paid for Brisbane South State Secondary College

Taxpayer-funded consultants are still providing support for a new inner Brisbane school, despite it already being operational.

Taxpayers are still footing the bill for an external consultant to provide support for an inner-city Brisbane school, despite it having already opened.

The spending has sparked criticism from the Opposition, which slammed the State Government’s “ever-growing use of external consultants”.

The Education Department this week confirmed The Comms Team was still being engaged on Brisbane South State Secondary College amid ongoing construction, despite the multimillion-dollar school having opened to Year 7 students in January.

The college is scheduled to open to more Year 7 students and to Year 8 next year.

A Year 12 cohort is expected to be welcomed in 2025.

Opposition education spokesman Christian Rowan said the Government had a long track record of financial waste, including on consultants.

Opposition education spokesman Christian Rowan

Education Minister Grace Grace

“The Labor Government should be open and transparent on the net value benefit for taxpayers of continuing to utilise external consultants on the now-opened Brisbane South State Secondary College,” he said.

But Education Minister Grace Grace said the Ministerial Infrastructure Designation process for BSSSC required an ongoing management plan for communication with neighbouring properties about upcoming activity and construction impacts throughout the construction phase.

“As construction at BSSSC is continuing, it is a requirement that the department continues its communication management plan in dealing with local issues,” she said.

“The Comms Team continues to support the department with this activity and their work is winding down as construction activity decreases on site.”

Member for South Brisbane Amy MacMahon said it was strange the department was still requiring consultancy services for a school which had already opened.

Inner City South State Secondary College currently under construction at Dutton Park, Brisbane 9th May 2020 Picture David Clark

“I’ve had a chance to meet with the P&C, and other than a number of issues that are already on the public record to do with construction and noise, things seem to be going quite well,” she said.

According to the department’s contract disclosure log, The Comms Team received $52,800 in September last year for consultancy services for the South Brisbane school.

A department spokesman said the department had engaged The Comms Team to support multiple projects delivered through the Building Future Schools program, including BSSSC.

“Construction is ongoing at BSSSC with further facilities to be handed over throughout the

year,” he said.

“The Comms Team continues to support this project until the school has been delivered by

the end of 2021.”

The Government has previously pledged to rein in its use of consultants.