Andrew Barr is asking the construction industry to undercut the planned costs of Government office building in Civic and for the Gungahlin Penal Battalion.
After exploring a range of financing and ownership options for new accommodation, our consultants have advised the most cost effective way to do this is for the Government to own and build the city office block. I want this advice tested in the market place.
The ACT Property Council has stated very strongly that their members can meet the Government’s accommodation needs in Gungahlin and Civic in a cost effective manner by building and owning the properties which the ACT Government would rent for a period of 25 years.
Given the importance I place on getting the best value for money for the people of the ACT I want to give the property industry the opportunity to deliver.
The Government will make its final decision based on the best overall value to the ACT taxpayer including build cost, environmental performance, occupational health and safety for staff, running costs, efficiencies to be gained from having key public servants in the same location, as well as Labor’s commitment that a minimum of 10 percent of workers on the project will be apprentices, trainees and indigenous people.