11 October 2011

Julia moving out of the lodge

| johnboy
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Finance has a lengthy explanation of the works they’re doing on The Lodge which will see the Prime Minister seeking alternative accommodation over the next 18 months.

The main issues are the roof and the wiring.

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It would be stupid to build a new residence. The Lodge is a really nice old house – it just needs some work to be done on it. I don’t think it needs to be big – any state function can be held at Parliament House, or at the residence of our head of state – the GG.

Someone earlier said that one day it will be a significant part of our history – I think the Lodge is already a significant part of our history, and given some TLC, it will continue to be one.

The Government should just commit to build a new residence befitting the status of a PM

Why does this country have an infactuation with demolishing anything old?

Fix it up, one day it’ll be a significant part of out history and heritage.

EvanJames is correct. Howard should have done it when he was PM.

Why not keep it as an historic building, open to the public and build a new place that is more suitable. You wouldn’t need to do anything near the level of the renovations that are going to be done if it is being preserved more as a museum than a house, and you ould probably build a new place for the price they are quoting to fix it up.

I’d say he’s spot on in education needing the funding. Look at what a success his education was.

marls1969 said :

THE PRIME MINISTER WANTS TO SPEND $7MIL ON RENOVATIONS, IS THIS GOVERNMENT ON STUPID PILLS OR JUST PLAIN STUPID!!!!! JUST KNOCK THE DAMN THING DOWN AND REBUILD, THE MOST IT WILL COST IS UPTO $700k, YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THE BUILDING INDUSTRY — @JuliaGillard Aren’t you ashamed to give the go ahead on the reno’s for over $7 mil, are you nuts woman, EDUCATION NEEDS THE MONEY derrrrr

your finger slipped off the shift key towards the end there. next time perhaps just use caps lock?

THE PRIME MINISTER WANTS TO SPEND $7MIL ON RENOVATIONS, IS THIS GOVERNMENT ON STUPID PILLS OR JUST PLAIN STUPID!!!!! JUST KNOCK THE DAMN THING DOWN AND REBUILD, THE MOST IT WILL COST IS UPTO $700k, YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THE BUILDING INDUSTRY — @JuliaGillard Aren’t you ashamed to give the go ahead on the reno’s for over $7 mil, are you nuts woman, EDUCATION NEEDS THE MONEY derrrrr

mad_kiwi said :

The land set aside for a new residence is at ‘Sterling ridge’ somewhere near Yarralumla

I’m almost certain the site is at the end of Empire Circuit (cnr Forster Cres) – where the Westlake memorial is. There used to be signs up there announcing the planned use of the site, but I haven’t been there in years and couldn’t tell you if they are still there… (the absence of shadows on the ground on Google Maps indicate the planning sign, that used to be adjacent to the gate, may be long gone)

Gerry-Built said :

Henry82 said :

I think they should build two houses, one really nice, and one in the garden shed. If the ratings are lower than 50% you have to live in the shed.

This^ has legs!!!

Yes it does!

Henry82 said :

I think they should build two houses, one really nice, and one in the garden shed. If the ratings are lower than 50% you have to live in the shed.

This^ has legs!!!

bigfeet said :

The Lodge was only ever meant to be a temporary residence…
…it is a damp, crowded, leaky, run-down bulding…
…not have anywhere appropriate to host a formal dinner or reception.

I always wondered why one of the most important residence in Australia was called “The Lodge”. It makes sense now, it wasn’t meant to be important!

phototext said :

There was some historian on the radio today (Sydney) saying that when Hawke was PM they did put aside some land for a new residence (Scullin Hill?) as the current one is hopeless for visiting dignitaries, dinner parties etc, not at all appropriate for a PM.

God forbid any PM that would spend the money on such a thing though, the media would have a field day.

#5. I agree, it is stupid in 2011 the PM doesn’t have a proper residence in the nations capital.

They should build the new one and sell off the old one to pay for it.

The land set aside for a new residence is at ‘Sterling ridge’ somewhere near Yarralumla

There is a parcel of land set aside for the permanent residence of the Prime Minister in Stirling Park in Yarralumla…not far from the Commonwealth Club, and overlooking Lake Burley Griffin.

Just as Provisional Parliament House, opened in 1926, was a temporary building (which lasted 62 years!), so too The Lodge was a Provisional Prime Minister’s Residence which has finished its work.

It’s time to build the Prime Minister’s/President’s Residence on Stirling Ridge.

The Government should just commit to build a new residence befitting the status of a PM

Why does this country have an infactuation with demolishing anything old?

Fix it up, one day it’ll be a significant part of out history and heritage.

EvanJames is correct. Howard should have done it when he was PM.

I think there is a site somewhere set aside near the edge of the lake. Perhaps it could even be grand enough to stop another PM from boycotting the ACT and living in Sydney again.

Also, you don’t have to knock the existing residence down. It could be heritage listed and sold off or used for other purposes such as visiting dignitaries, the leader of the opposition or the Deputy PM. I think there used to be a residence somewhere for the Treasurer many years ago.

The Lodge was only ever meant to be a temporary residence for the PM until a more appropriate venue could be built.

If you have ever been there you would know that it is a damp, crowded, leaky, run-down building. The entire place reeks of mould and the electrics are downright dangerous. Not to mention the fact that it does not have anywhere appropriate to host a formal ,even a medium informal, dinner or reception.

There is land set aside for a PM’s residence but no PM would be game to budget the millions needed to build it.

I think the only way would be for it to be allocated in a budget for 5 years into the future. That way they could say that it not for them..but for a possible future PM.

I think they should build two houses, one really nice, and one in the garden shed. If the ratings are lower than 50% you have to live in the shed.

for 7mill, they could have snapped up this in red hill – http://www.allhomes.com.au/ah/act/sale-residential/27-mugga-way-red-hill-canberra-main/14139226123811?lid=167496550. They might have had to do something with the cubby house though!

Maybe they should be looking to build a new lodge, in the site zoned for it (in Yarralumla foreshore, near the CSCC Yacht Club) to replace that temporary residence, built 80+ years ago, rather than spend a stupid amount on refurbishing what was only ever intended to be a temporary residence…

There was some historian on the radio today (Sydney) saying that when Hawke was PM they did put aside some land for a new residence (Scullin Hill?) as the current one is hopeless for visiting dignitaries, dinner parties etc, not at all appropriate for a PM.

God forbid any PM that would spend the money on such a thing though, the media would have a field day.

#5. I agree, it is stupid in 2011 the PM doesn’t have a proper residence in the nations capital.

They should build the new one and sell off the old one to pay for it.

They should knock it down and put up units. The government would make a fortune.

$7M-$8M is ridiculous…

two words:
Knockdown > rebuild…

The Government should just commit to build a new residence befitting the status of a PM. If they locked it in to start and finish a couple of terms in the future, no-one could complain about the incumbent PM or Party feathering their nest.

Renovation includes the installation of a new Prime Minister?

Julia, I have a spare room for you and a small yard for little Bill. Unfortunately there won’t be enough room for Tim so he will need to find somewhere else. Give me a call.

I’m surprised they didn’t take the opportunity to fix it up when Howard was PM, as he seldom used it and would have quite happily relocated to somewhere befitting his notions of importance, the Presidential or Emporer suite at the Hyatt, for instance (I’m sure they have one).

Just visited the Lodge a couple of weeks ago for the first time, at the ‘open house’. I was surpised at the condition of it (not to mention the relatively small size). I mean, it’s not falling apart but it was clear just walking around that it needed a bit of TLC.

It really looked like your average Deakin/Forrest/Red Hill kind of place – and the road noise was shocking, even on a Sunday morning. If it were up for sale on All Homes it might be a renovate or detonate special!

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