The ATO is expected to vacate 26 Narellan Street in 2026, after which the proposed fit-out will begin for the AEC to move in. Photo: QIC.
A $35.9 million (excluding GST) fit-out of leased premises currently inhabited by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has been proposed as a consolidated workplace for the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC).
Recently the government agency, which manages federal elections, by-elections and referendums, made a submission to the Public Works Committee (PWC) on the proposed refurbishment of 26 Narellan Street in Civic.
The AEC was originally planning to make its home in an 11-storey office block on London Circuit with the Departments of Employment and Workplace Relations and Education. However last year in August the developer pulled out from the project and left the plans of the three Commonwealth agencies in disarray.
Currently AEC staff are stretched across three worksites on 4, 10 and 12 Mort Street, just around the block from its new all-in-one home. The agency claims these existing sites lack the functionality and suitability for its needs, including ageing and insufficient ‘net zero’ solutions, along with an inflexible floor plan.
While the proposal is still subject to parliamentary approval, the AEC submission expects to begin the fit-out in January 2026 before moving in at the end of July 2027.
Finance Minister Katy Gallagher endorsed the AEC’s proposed new lease on 18 November, which includes 13,863 sqm of A-grade office space ($2586 per sqm, excluding GST).
The current premises that AEC is split across represent a combined 17,126 sqm. However, the agency’s submission claims the new site will “accommodate an increase in the staffing footprint by clever furniture design layouts,” which they’ll need during busy event periods.
“Historically, this was typically linked to a three-year cycle,” reads the submission. “More recently, this expansion has occurred more frequently due to an increase in events including by-elections and the recent referendum.
“This may even become faster shifting to annual expansion and contraction in response to the delivery of democratic events both here in Australia and in support of the Commonwealth’s pacific partners.”
The new fit-out is required to relocate the AEC National Office from 4, 10 and 12 Mort Street in Canberra City. Photos: JLL/Growthpoint.
The CBD site will be able to host up to 1307 staff with eight work points to each 10 staff members. In the event of busy event periods however, the site can be reformatted to host an additional 248 work points.
With an initial 15-year lease term and two five-year options, AEC claims this will support its preference for flexibility.
According to the agency’s submission, funding will be sourced entirely through the landlord lease incentive and ‘warm shell’ credit; the former meaning a landlord gives the tenants a period of non-payment for rent, which ordinarily starts from the commencing date.
The submission also noted that any residual incentive is to be applied as rent abatement.
Value for money will reportedly be achieved throughout the procurement process, by engaging AEC’s Property Services Provider (PSP) and Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL). Source: AEC.
Under the proposed fit-out of all office floors, the agency claims it “will provide a flexible, agile and contemporary fit-out with a greater emphasis on open plan collaborative spaces, encouraging staff interaction and improved wellbeing”.
There’ll be a new secure loading dock and end-of-trip facilities including changerooms, bicycle racks, lockers and refurbished bathrooms on each floor.
Although no childcare facilities will be provided, there will be a carers room within a ‘wellness area’ “to support interaction on a temporary and short-term basis”. However, wheelchair accessibility throughout the building has been confirmed in the submission.
Services within the fit-out intend to make use of the ACT’s 100 per cent renewable electrical energy grid and provide supplementary cooling through electric heat pump tech based on the rooftop plantroom. All lighting will be new, energy efficient LEDs and controls are to be occupancy sensitive.
While the light-rail is a mere five-minute walk away, the site will host secure parking for 70 cars and four motorcycles. Included are four accessible car spaces and 10 electric vehicle charging stations for visitors, fleet vehicles and SES.
The latter feature will be managed through a system providing staff with the ability to book spaces in the dedicated AEC basement carpark that are not permanently allocated to personnel.
PWC has called on the public to make submissions for the proposal by 7 February 2025.
Original Article published by James Day on PS News.
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