Maroochydore City Hall $20m budget blowout prompts concerns about ‘basic’ facilities at council depots

A Sunshine Coast councillor was annoyed with a $20m blowout to the Maroochydore City Hall budget while others working for the organisation had toilets with “paper thin” walls. VOTE IN OUR POLL

Some Sunshine Coast Council workplaces have toilets with “paper-thin” walls while an extra $20m is being pumped into the growing budget for a new Maroochydore City Hall.

A councillor revealed his annoyance with the increased budget for the new council headquarters while others working for the local government organisation were in need of better facilities.

Winston Johnston said, for example, one council depot with fairly basic facilities had toilets with “paper-thin walls”.

He said it also took four years to provide internet connectivity to the Beerwah depot – and in the interim the foreman had to go to the Caloundra office to use internet.

Division 5 councillor Winston Johnston. Picture: John McCutcheon

“It’s no secret around this building or this council that I’m really annoyed about the $20m over costing,” Mr Johnston said.

Chief executive officer Emma Thomas said the council had completed an urgent review on its workplaces and was aware of the challenges.

She said the impact of rising construction costs and material supply shortages was real and affecting the council’s major projects.

“I don’t want anyone leaving here today saying it’s not an impact,” she said.

“It’s certainly front of mind in defining what can council bear in terms of its capital work projects.”

A comprehensive review of the Maroochydore CBD city hall project revealed the need to increase the budget to $100m.

The blowout was attributed to increased construction costs, the original budget not including furniture, and the fit-out of levels eight and nine.

Councillor Peter Cox said the new city hall was not a “Taj Mahal” type building.

He also defended the $2.5m spending on furniture.

Mr Cox said some furniture at the council’s chambers were from when it opened in 1995 and chairs were “held together with tape”.

A council report said delays to Caloundra’s $27.8m district library and upgrades to the Nambour council offices would help fund the increased spending at Maroochydore.

It said this would prevent the council from having to borrow more money.

Councillor David Law said he had concerns for the future of the Nambour project.

“It makes no sense not to finish this project,” he said.

“My concern is around what happens elsewhere … I would like the same level of support to come across to what occurs in Nambour and the hinterland,” he said.