Public servant’s $20,000 taxpayer-funded desk dumped in storage

More than $57,000 was spent on the office fit-out of former ­Department of Parliamentary Services deputy secretary Cate Saunders, including a $24,000 shelving unit.

Cate Saunders; Deputy Secretary of the Department of Parliamentary Services in her office at Parliament House. Picture: James Croucher / The Canberra Times / ACM

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More than $57,000 was spent on the office fit-out of former ­Department of Parliamentary Services deputy secretary Cate Saunders, of which $20,000 was spent on a bespoke desk that now sits in storage, and more than $24,000 on a shelving unit.

The revelations of spending on expensive furniture as many Australians struggle with the soaring cost of living came as evidence from Senate estimates revealed DPS secretary Rob Stefanic – who was last year forced to declare a conflict of interest over his relationship with Ms Saunders – was sacked after a “loss of trust and confidence”.

Mr Stefanic has repeatedly ­denied that the relationship with Ms Saunders began while he was her boss, with scrutiny of the situation ramping up last year when it was revealed Ms Saunders had received a $315,000 exit package following her retirement from the public service in 2023.

The National Anti-Corruption Commission raided the offices of senior officials last year following the revelations over Mr Stefanic’s relationship with Ms Saunders. Despite her departure from the role, damning new evidence of how taxpayer funds were used to decorate Ms Saunders’ ­office emerged from Senate estimates on Monday.

On top of revelations that a single desk for the former deputy secretary cost nearly $20,000, DPS officials also confirmed that that it was not in use and was currently in storage.

“On the $20,000 desk that is currently sitting in storage, is there anybody special enough in Parliament House to get a $20,000 desk? Are we going to leave it in storage until we find somebody special enough?” Liberal senator Jane Hume asked acting DPS secretary Jaala Hinchcliffe.

Liberal senator Jane Hume on Monday. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

The department confirmed that a sit-to-stand desk had been “internally manufactured” by DPS, along with a table that cost nearly $9000 and a wall unit that cost more than $24,000. “Manufacturing the desk, table and wall unit in-house represented an ­opportunity for department staff to utilise and ­expand on their skill base and increase the department’s capacity to undertake complex furniture manufacture and restoration work internally,” the department said in response to Senator Hume’s questions.

“The table and wall unit are still in use in the acting secretary’s office and the desk is currently in storage.”

A fridge had also been purchased for the wall unit, at a cost of more than $4500.

When pressed by Senator Hume over how such a figure was justifiable for the furniture, Ms Hinchcliffe said the handmade pieces were “beautiful”.

While Labor pointed to the fact the furniture had been commissioned under the previous government, the Coalition criticised the fact the desk had been left in storage under Labor’s watch.

“Not only am I completely taken aback by the fact that the department spent $20,000 on a desk for the former deputy secretary in the first place, but to find out that the desk has been sitting in storage is unbelievable,” Senator Hume said.

“I don’t care how beautiful the desk is. It is a waste of taxpayer money, plain and simple.”

While the official departure of Mr Stefanic in December from the role of DPS secretary has long been kept under wraps, Senate president Sue Lines on Monday confirmed he had been dismissed after losing the confidence of herself and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

“This decision was made after a report was considered by the Parliamentary Services commissioner and after procedural fairness had been afforded,” she said.

“It was a decision not taken lightly.”

Mr Stefanic was given $154,000 after he officially exited the job, following three months of extended leave from October 2024.