Growing grass cost at Parliament House in Canberra

How much does it cost to keep the Canberra bubble green? Taxpayers forked out roughly $559,897 to water Parliament House in 2018-19.

Parliament House: an island of green amid the drought.

How much does it cost to keep the Canberra bubble green? It might surprise taxpayers to learn they forked out roughly $559,897 to water Parliament House in the 2018-19 financial year. The stark contrast between the red dirt and the evergreen grass (mowed in a striped pattern and soaked by sprinklers) is often a shock to tourists who have driven through the drought-ravaged bush to get to our nation’s capital. Given the people’s house is literally built into a hill, that’s a lot of lawn to keep luscious for our federal politicians.

Strewth has spent nearly two weeks trying to uncover how much taxpayers are charged for the hundreds of thousands of kilolitres of water. According to the Department of Parliament Services’ annual report: “Total water consumption for 2018-19 was 241,826KL … an increase of 21 per cent on the 199,797KL consumed the previous year.” It adds: “Landscape water consumption increased from 106,542KL in 2017-18 to 120,626KL in 2018-19 … an increase of 13 per cent.”

Yet even after nearly a dozen emails and text messages, the elusive DPS wouldn’t provide a dollar figure. “From May 2018 till May 2019, the cost for water for both building and landscape use was $1,119,794,” a spokeswoman says. “The kilolitres water consumption for landscaping is approximately 50 per cent of the total usage hence the cost for usage is approximately 50 per cent.” For those who don’t have a calculator handy, 50 per cent of $1,119,794 = $559,897. A figure to keep in mind during the debate around drought, water and fires.

Financial drain

DPS blamed its increased water use on last summer being “the warmest on record in the ACT, requiring additional landscape irrigation”. Extra liquid was also pumped out for “returfing lawn in areas affected by the building perimeter security works”. Aka The Fence. Hidden in the report is that there were “30 per cent plant losses sustained throughout the Senate side gardens” and “waterproofing issues with the Members and Guests terrace garden”.

Water hole

The ACT bureaucracy was far more forthcoming when we asked about their water budget. Chief Minister A ndrew Barr’s efficient office responded within hours that its 2018-19 total spend was $8,702,820: $1,107,241 on urban parks and landscapes, and $7,595,579 for sportsgrounds, water fountains and park toilets.

Fired up

The first invitation for the parliamentary party season hit inboxes on Tuesday. “As Co-Chairs of the Parliamentary Friends of Resources, we are pleased to invite you to the Bright Sparks Christmas drinks hosted by the Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association,” read the email to every upper and lower house politician from Liberal Craig Kelly and Labor’s Joel Fitzgibbon, co-chairs of the group nicknamed “Friends of Coal”. Within minutes, Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi hit reply all: “Seriously, Joel? Our state is on fire and this is the day you pick to invite us all to drinks with the oil and gas lobby, some of the biggest contributors to the climate crisis.” Larissa Waters also took a swing in the chamber: “As Queensland and NSW burn … it sounds like satire but it’s the sad reality of Australian politics in 2019.” Then when Barnaby Joyce told Sky News the “two people who died were most likely people who voted for the Green Party”, Sarah Hanson-Young didn’t hold back: “Between Barnaby Joyce and Michael McCormack … these two blokes are sounding more and more like the obnoxious uncles at the Christmas party doing everything they can to piss everybody off and upset them.”

Coasting

Where was Scott Morrison on Tuesday morning as NSW fires reached catastrophic levels? Asked by 2GB host Ray Hadley,the PM said he was “on the road … heading up north today to the central coast” but would be back by the afternoon for a briefing at the Canberra crisis co-ordination centre. Morrison didn’t head to the fire frontline: he was guest speaker at a $40-$65 a head lunch at the Gosford Racecourse thrown by the Chamber of Commerce, in Liberal MP Lucy Wicks’s seat of Robertson.

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