School Infrastructure NSW pays $80,000 for ‘biosecurity hazard’ bench made of mushrooms

The Department of Education almost spent $80,000 on a bench made of “biomanufactured” mushrooms, but abandoned the plan when it was confiscated by the Australian Border Force.

The Australian Border Force declared the bench a biohazard. Picture: Matt Jelonek/Getty Images

The NSW Department of Education came close to spending $80,000 on a bench made of “bio-manufactured” mushroom materials, but abandoned the plan when the prototype was confiscated by the Australian Border Force.

An Independent Commission Against Corruption inquiry has heard School Infrastructure NSW, under the leadership of then-chief executive Anthony Manning, paid a consultant $676,730 to produce “a sustainability and innovation roadmap” for building and furnishing schools, including investigating the use of “engineered living materials”.

The consultant, Elena Bondareva, proposed the infrastructure unit purchase a bench made of mycelium – root-like fungal material from which mushrooms grow – at a cost of $79,700 from a US-based company, to be installed at the redeveloped Fort Street Public School on Observatory Hill.

The Terreform One mycelium bench, purchased for $80,000 by School Infrastructure NSW for Fort Street Public School on Observatory Hill.

In emails tendered to the inquiry, Ms Bondareva suggested the bench be procured “asap so it can be on display in Anthony’s office as he continues to socialise the initiative across NSW government”.

However despite Mr Manning’s “understanding” that the bench would meet Australia’s strict quarantine requirements, by the time it arrived in Sydney more than a year later customs officials had declared the furniture item a biohazard.

Former School Infrastructure NSW chief executive Anthony Manning is under the ICAC's scrutiny. Picture: Independent Commission Against Corruption

Ms Bondareva’s manager broke the news to Mr Manning upon his return from an overseas holiday.

“Unfortunately it’s not good news in relation to the delivery of the mycelium bench,” she wrote.

'Not good news': Email tendered to the Operation Landan ICAC inquiry into School Infrastructure NSW. Picture: Independent Commission Against Corruption

“The bench was categorised as biosecurity hazard and we were given a “destroy or return” determination.

“We are now in the process of resolving the financial outlay given we paid 40% commencement on goods we didn’t receive.”

Questioned about the cost of the project, Mr Manning said School Infrastructure did not ultimately end up footing the bill, and that it was “not the most expensive bench” to have been bought for a public school citing the “much more” expensive purchase of a moonstone bench at Ballina Coast High School.

“I wasn’t involved in it … it was more than $100,000,” he said.

Originally published as School Infrastructure NSW pays $80,000 for ‘biosecurity hazard’ bench made of mushrooms