dazzab said :

I reckon that building is fake and just a diversion. The real ASIO is probably deep under the lake accessed from a secret door in the Carillon. But don’t tell anyone.

Actually this is not as far fetched and satirical as it might appear at first.

In 1979 I read a newspaper article saying that a new spy headquarters would be built underground in the Parliamentary triangle and that there would be a secret tunnel leading to (Old) Parliament House for senior ministers to access. I remember seeing construction in the area at the time but no signs saying what was being constructed, unlike the new High Court and National Gallery sites.

In 2001 there was an open day at Old Parliament House and we were shown the old members’ and ministers offices. At one point there was a small corridor leading off to a door containing a push button security lock common in the 1970s and ’80s unlike other doors in the building which either had no locks or just plain deadlocks. I asked if we could go there and was told by the guide “Ah, no that’s no access”. Could that have been the door to the tunnel leading to the spy headquarters, if in fact the spy headquarters ever existed or still exists?

GardeningGirl said :

I feel bad for anybody living in the area who had concerns about the building and is now faced with a “we’ve already built the building so now you have to let us put in the fuel depot too” scenario. Is there a problem with me caring about what affects fellow Canberrans, or caring about how town planning decisions are pushed through?

Nothing wrong with caring about how this effects Canberrans, but tell me how does this effect Canberrans or should I say Campbellians? I mean to say it is fuel storage, not too dissimilar to a service station, which if I recall Campbell once had in the centre of the suburb? The main difference is the quantity which yes is more probably by about 3 times and of course it is located no where near the bulk of the houses. So what exactly is the issue?

Little_Green_Bag said :

dazzab said :

I reckon that building is fake and just a diversion. The real ASIO is probably deep under the lake accessed from a secret door in the Carillon. But don’t tell anyone.

Actually this is not as far fetched and satirical as it might appear at first…

That’s right.

JC said :

GardeningGirl said :

I feel bad for anybody living in the area who had concerns about the building and is now faced with a “we’ve already built the building so now you have to let us put in the fuel depot too” scenario. Is there a problem with me caring about what affects fellow Canberrans, or caring about how town planning decisions are pushed through?

Nothing wrong with caring about how this effects Canberrans, but tell me how does this effect Canberrans or should I say Campbellians? I mean to say it is fuel storage, not too dissimilar to a service station, which if I recall Campbell once had in the centre of the suburb? The main difference is the quantity which yes is more probably by about 3 times and of course it is located no where near the bulk of the houses. So what exactly is the issue?

I suspect there would be a similar set-up in Parliament house re emergency generators and fuel storage; also Canberra Hospital, half the clubs in Civic etc.

Fuel does have a shelf life, well so I have been told

Who cares, but im guessing its enough to prevent a catastrophic systems failure in the event of a disaster be it natural or manmade.

Chop71 said :

Fuel does have a shelf life, well so I have been told

Yeah it has a shelf life unless your Shell or BP…..

dungfungus said :

I suspect there would be a similar set-up in Parliament house re emergency generators and fuel storage;…

There is. Two generators in fact. But I don’t recall seeing anything like a 600,000L tank.

Just wait until the bring in the gas turbine for the John Stanhope Memorial data centre they’re building underneath the ASIO building….

That’ll leave funny stains on the washing of the Campbellians!

It never fails to amaze me how people conveniently forget the mobile petrol tankers that constantly drive throughout Australian suburbs and cities. These at least have a worldwide history of having accidents and causing flaming death along random stretches of road which could literally be right next to your house, or local preschool.

But point out that some stable and hard to ignite diesel is going to be put in the ground under a building in case the power goes out and people feel the need to be concerned about it.

As a good friend of mine once said. “People are idiots.”

JC said :

GardeningGirl said :

I feel bad for anybody living in the area who had concerns about the building and is now faced with a “we’ve already built the building so now you have to let us put in the fuel depot too” scenario. Is there a problem with me caring about what affects fellow Canberrans, or caring about how town planning decisions are pushed through?

Nothing wrong with caring about how this effects Canberrans, but tell me how does this effect Canberrans or should I say Campbellians? I mean to say it is fuel storage, not too dissimilar to a service station, which if I recall Campbell once had in the centre of the suburb? The main difference is the quantity which yes is more probably by about 3 times and of course it is located no where near the bulk of the houses. So what exactly is the issue?

Yes, and all those sorts of details should have come out originally.

Innovation said :

I still find it strange that spooks would want such a prominent and easily identifiable building.

The whole building is a decoy. I reckon the new ASIO building is actually being built underneath the Canberra airport… which is why the new terminal is taking so long

GardeningGirl said :

Yes, and all those sorts of details should have come out originally.

Hang on a second, who said it wasn’t in the original plans? As I understand it what has been recently applied for is a licence to store fuel, this comes from a totally separate agency than the one that approves new buildings, which in this case is the NCA. I would imagine that when it comes to the licence to store that you would not apply and presumably pay for it until you are ready to move in, so no surprise that this application has been made now.

So don’t think conspiracy theories about them trying to pull the wool over residences eyes are justified in this case.

Little_Green_Bag said :

dazzab said :

I reckon that building is fake and just a diversion. The real ASIO is probably deep under the lake accessed from a secret door in the Carillon. But don’t tell anyone.

Actually this is not as far fetched and satirical as it might appear at first.

In 1979 I read a newspaper article saying that a new spy headquarters would be built underground in the Parliamentary triangle and that there would be a secret tunnel leading to (Old) Parliament House for senior ministers to access. I remember seeing construction in the area at the time but no signs saying what was being constructed, unlike the new High Court and National Gallery sites.

In 2001 there was an open day at Old Parliament House and we were shown the old members’ and ministers offices. At one point there was a small corridor leading off to a door containing a push button security lock common in the 1970s and ’80s unlike other doors in the building which either had no locks or just plain deadlocks. I asked if we could go there and was told by the guide “Ah, no that’s no access”. Could that have been the door to the tunnel leading to the spy headquarters, if in fact the spy headquarters ever existed or still exists?

This is my theory too. It’s why there is always roadworks on Anzac Parade (seriously, that road is getting dug up every few months). They are actually building their underground lair.

Little_Green_Bag said :

Actually this is not as far fetched and satirical as it might appear at first.

In 1979 I read a newspaper article saying that a new spy headquarters would be built underground in the Parliamentary triangle

That’ll be the offices under the environment car park.

Chop71 said :

Fuel does have a shelf life, well so I have been told

Diesel has a much longer shelf life than petrol, and being in large quantities and stored in sealed containers usually helps it last even longer.

johnboy said :

Considering we’d want asio very much up and running in the event of major sabotage of the power grid, perhaps not a bad idea?

Indeed – I think it says something about what ASIO think the potential targets are…grids, refineries, …

Sandman said :

Chop71 said :

Fuel does have a shelf life, well so I have been told

Diesel has a much longer shelf life than petrol, and being in large quantities and stored in sealed containers usually helps it last even longer.

…and considering that there are any number of hospitals, data centres and defence establishments with large reserve diesel storages, I’m sure that someone had figured out some type of systems of occasional replacement of the fuel.

Gungahlin Al said :

johnboy said :

Considering we’d want asio very much up and running in the event of major sabotage of the power grid, perhaps not a bad idea?

Indeed – I think it says something about what ASIO think the potential targets are…grids, refineries, …

No. It says that ASIO relies on systems that need electricity in order to function.
Who would have thought that?

You know, I bet even the hospitals have generators that need fuel too.