Security tender put out for $19.4 million State Square carpark

The NT Government is putting out feelers for a security company to fight “unauthorised entry, graffiti or vandalism” at a car park built right on the doorstep of Parliament House.

A SWANKY $19.4 million carpark opened just over a year ago will be patrolled five times a day by security guards, right on the doorstep of Parliament House.

But a spokeswoman for the Infrastructure Minister Eva Lawler has denied the extra protection is to protect MLAs’ vehicles, claiming they all park at a separate nearby facility.

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The State Square carpark was opened in January 2020 as part of the redevelopment of precincts surrounding Darwin’s law and order precinct.

But now the Northern Territory Government has asked security companies to bid for a contract to police the underground facility for 12 months.

Concept design for the redeveloped State Square car park.

“The security services to be provided under the contract consist of … five mobile patrols per 24 hour period,” a document posted to the NT Tender website said.

“The mobile patrol officer will look for any signs of unauthorised entry, graffiti or vandalism, which is to be reported to the client immediately.”

Two patrols will be conducted of the 450-space facility during the day and three at night.

A spokeswoman for infrastructure minister Eva Lawler said there had been four instances of unauthorised access and vandalism within State Square since it opened.

“The carpark is open 24/7 for the general public to use, therefore it is important there is security present,” the spokeswoman said.

The new state square underground car park.

“This tender is issued to replace the interim security arrangements that had been implemented at the operation of the carpark,” she said.

“There is no increase in security patrols as a result of this tender.”

Government staffers are known to park in the facility, however the spokeswoman said MLAs park their vehicles at Parliament House.

“Since the opening of the carpark in 2019, there has been four incidents relating to unauthorised access and vandalism at the State Square Underground Carpark,” she said.

The three-storey underground deep carpark doubles as a cyclone shelter for up to 600 people.