NSW Parliament spends $63,000 on door to hide politicians drinking

A hi-tech glass door that can turn opaque to obscure the view of pollies drinking in parliament has been slammed as a waste of money.

A flash new electronic frosted door that magically switches from clear to opaque to hide pollies drinking at NSW parliament has been slammed as a ridiculous waste of money during the pandemic.

The hi-tech $63,000 Switchglass door — advertised as “creating a privacy solution” — is being installed as part of a new entrance to the Public Cafe and Bar of the Macquarie St building.

During the day the cafe, just off the main Fountain Court foyer, is open for food to the public and at night it becomes a bar for pollies.

Politicians will be able to drink in peace behind the opaque glass door.

A new entrance will have to be cut into an existing wall to accommodate the special door as part of a bumper $43 million capital works program being spent on the historic building.

One Nation MP Mark Latham says the outlay is an “extraordinary waste”, and Australian Taxpayers’ Alliance chief operator Gabe Buckley says the fancy door could have been constructed with regular glass for a 10th of the price.

“The special frosted door to be cut into the foyer wall is an expensive waste,” Mr Latham said. “It’s completely unnecessary for a bar space that already has two door entrances.

“The frosting is supposed to protect the privacy of MPs having a drink.

“What we really need is for NSW taxpayers to be protected from the self-indulgent wasteful fools running that building.”

The legislature, which funds the 1856 NSW parliament as well as paying MP wages, was given $236 million in the latest state budget, up from $227 million the previous year and $196 million the year before that.

The capital works budget has risen 29 per cent on original estimates, and also includes roof restorations, building works, replacement of office equipment and modernising equipment.

But Mr Latham said the spend by Legislative Assembly Speaker Jonathan O’Dea was excessive.

“With the Sydney economy bleeding dry in this Covid lockdown, imagine the good that could have come from $43 million being spent on saving private sector jobs and businesses, instead of the extraordinary waste inside the NSW Parliament House,” Mr Latham said.

Mr Buckley said the use of switching glass had previously struck him as a “gimmick in search of a purpose, much like the NSW parliament itself”.

“It’s just another in a long line of examples of politicians and bureaucrats being completely out of touch with what the majority of Australians are going through at the moment,” he said.

A spokeswoman from the Department of Parliamentary Services said the Switchglass door was selected to “allow the space to be used for public and private functions”.