2 April 2012

What could the police have done with the $5 million the Belconnen Station was over-budget

| johnboy
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Over the weekend ACT Policing was joining in the celebrations of the new Belconnen Police Station opening.

The Liberals’ Jeremy Hanson, however, is less impressed.

“Due to ACT Labor and Simon Corbell’s inability to deliver infrastructure on time or on budget, the station is also $5 million in the red.

“That is equivalent to providing nearly 50 police officers out in the community.

“The Canberra Liberals support these much needed facilities for ACT Police, but it is clear that ACT Labor cannot manage infrastructure. Every major infrastructure project they manage is over time and over budget.

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colourful sydney racing identity10:07 am 24 Jul 12

Ian said :

Hanson might get his 50 extra police officers, but he’d have to sack them at the end of their first year if he’s relying on a $5m capital overspend to pay for them.

and then pay 6 months worth of salary when the inevitable unfair dismissal claims are lodged and won…

Martlark said :

It was over budget because the bricks were the wrong shade of mission brown and did not look authentically 1970s, so they had to be replaced.

Don’t want to make Belconnen look too trendy, otherwise the hoody gangs will move somewhere else thereby negating the need for all the police and their expensive new station. You need to get that balance juuust right.

It was over budget because the bricks were the wrong shade of mission brown and did not look authentically 1970s, so they had to be replaced.

vg said :

What could they do with the money?

Nothing, its capital expenditure, a building owned by the ACT Government. Nothing to do with the Police budget

Teh sarcastic hypothetical question went right over your head didn’t it?

What could they do with the money?

Nothing, its capital expenditure, a building owned by the ACT Government. Nothing to do with the Police budget

davo101 said :

Chop71 said :

I’m amazed they didn’t just fudge the figures. If the health system can do it, why not

If someone’s career, pay, or funding depended on it then I’d agree. But in this case meh why bother?

Katy’s sister is a nurse, not a cop.

Chop71 said :

I’m amazed they didn’t just fudge the figures. If the health system can do it, why not

If someone’s career, pay, or funding depended on it then I’d agree. But in this case meh why bother?

I’m amazed they didn’t just fudge the figures. If the health system can do it, why not

davo101 said :

Here’s some predictions:

1. The maximum temperature in Canberra on July 15th this year will be between 8 and 16 deg.C

The maximum temperature at the Airport on the 15th was 10.5 deg.C. So that’s one out of two. See you all back here sometime after Christmas.

Hanson might get his 50 extra police officers, but he’d have to sack them at the end of their first year if he’s relying on a $5m capital overspend to pay for them.

EvanJames said :

All weather is unpredictable.

Really? I think not. Here’s some predictions:

1. The maximum temperature in Canberra on July 15th this year will be between 8 and 16 deg.C
2. The maximum temperature in Canberra on Christmas Day this year will be between 17 and 36 deg.C

I’m more than 95% likely to be right.

Outside construction jobs are priced using some sort of average number of days that the site will be closed due to bad weather. Sometime you get lucky and have a drought and get no interruptions, other times you get two La Ninas and strike out.

Sword said :

No word about the causes EG the creek, unpredictable weather over the last two years etc etc…making political points is just nasty and off putting. Move with the times…tell the truth and I’ll listen to you.

All weather is unpredictable.

No word about the causes EG the creek, unpredictable weather over the last two years etc etc…making political points is just nasty and off putting. Move with the times…tell the truth and I’ll listen to you.

but it is clear that ACT Labor cannot manage infrastructure. Every major infrastructure project they manage is over time and over budget.

Got to admit, he does have a point there.

Yeah, it not like the Liberals f-ed up Bruce Stadium and had to paint the grass green, or built a concrete slab by the lake that never got used, or stalled on building new dams and roads for year upon year.
And they certainly never f-ed up any demolitions or cheap skated on road repair so cars were used to compact new surfaces, much to the delight of panel beaters.

Construction costs always, always blow out during the process. In fact it’s the same for any infrastructure, engineering or construction project.

I’m not defending Labor for allowing things to go over budget, I am however calling the Libs out for their stupid and repeated claims that they somehow wouldn’t do the same.

I’m not sure Mr Hanson can do maths.

The Police Station is an asset so let’s amortise the $5 million over the 30 year window which gives us an annual value of $363 000. Apparently in 2009-10 the average salary of police staff in Australia was $113 000. So ignoring over-heads the $5 million would be the same as an extra 3.2 police officers.

Perhaps he meant to say 50 police-officer-years?

they could have got some really ugly and pathetic Public Art with $5 million.

ACT Government seems completely unable to manage the contracts it awards for insfrastructure construction. Roads, bridges, buildings. I suspect that those who win the contracts see the ACT government and its administration as a soft touch. Under-quote to win the tender, then find all these things that’ll cost extra. What’re they going to do, hold another tender round?

But…

Isn’t that 50 Police officer figure a little bit of an under sight?

I doubt 5 million would pay for the training of 50 Police officers.

I mean the ACT Government paid ACT Policing 5 million for the Alcohol Team for 4 years, that is 10 officers, for four years, where does the 50 come from?

That’s a very impressive argument. I’m totally convinced.

Let’s not kid ourselves. Overspending is a feature of ALL governments – each and every one, and of whatever persuasion – and at every level of government. Say it isn’t so….
A solution could be to outsource 100% of our government’s roles – but that I would think is no longer democracy and would have another name I am sure.

Special G said :

Too bad without a new station 50 new police officers would have no where to go. But if Jeremy Hanson wants to promise 50 more…

So if we want a new station we must accept that it’s going to run 5 mil over budget? That’s a bit short sighted. The point he is making is that yes, we need a new police station, but it shouldn’t have come in so far over budget. Over spending is becoming pretty typical of our current government. It’s pretty obvious that they struggle to manage time and money.

Too bad without a new station 50 new police officers would have no where to go. But if Jeremy Hanson wants to promise 50 more…

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