Disputes over payments of sub-contractors working on the Westside Container Village have widened, with a forklift owner saying he is owed more than $5000, and other tradesmen saying they have been offered much reduced amounts to settle their bills.
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Last week, a plumber who claims to be owed almost $40,000 said he had only been paid $4000 and faced financial ruin.
Another tradesman, who didn't want to be named, confirmed he had accepted a reduced payment.
RT Forklift Services owner Rick Brault said one of his forklifts had been hired by contractors on site. He hadn't been paid until he had turned up repeatedly at the site, when he was given $1000.
Mr Brault received a call offering another $1000 to settle, but he did not accept the deal. He re-sent his invoices, which included work storing and moving a container, and was waiting to hear back.
The plumber took his case to Chief Minister Andrew Barr, who told him he should direct his complaint to the builder, Duellery. Duellery's Ron Molyneux did not return requests for comment.
But after The Canberra Times raised the issue with Mr Barr and Stromlo Stomping Grounds director Terry Shaw on Wednesday, Mr Brault said he was told to expect payment in full on Wednesday night.
The container village is a government project aimed at bringing life to the lakefront, but has been troubled by delays and cost overruns, as well as issues with sub-contractors.
The government budgeted $880,000 for the job, but has had to spend an extra $50,000 on what the Land Development Agency describes as "unforseen issues such as improvements to the disabled access lift", and has committed another $80,000 for seating, toilets and level access from the car parks.
Stomlo Stomping Grounds was given the contract last year without tender, for reasons of urgency. It was originally slated to be open for Floriade in September last year.
Last week Mr Shaw suggested the dispute with trades related to the "quality and scope" of works.
Mr Barr continued to insist on Wednesday that the dispute had nothing to do with the government, but was between Stromlo and the subcontractors. He said expecting the government to intervene was akin to expecting intervention in a dispute between a home owner and tradesperson over a renovation.
"Contracts that don't relate to the government are not for the government to intervene," Mr Barr said. "We have dispute resolution processes and subcontractors have legal rights that they can pursue."
When pushed on the government's involvement, given it has funded about $1 million of construction Mr Barr said it remained at arm's length from government with a licence agreement for the use of public land.
Despite the claims of an outstanding forklift hire bill, Mr Barr said his understanding was the disputes were about the quality of work.
Asked whether the project should have gone to tender rather than being given directly to Stromlo Stomping Grounds on the grounds of urgency, Mr Barr said it had been delivered within the government's rules for unsolicited proposals.
Mr Shaw said he was perplexed about ongoing claims for unpaid bills. He said some additional work had been completed on flooring surfaces, but only for aesthetic reasons. The project remained viable and new traders were signing up, he said.
"If there is someone I have missed or am unaware of, I am pretty bloody keen to sort them out. Obviously there was a lot of trades out there.
"We've still doing work on the northern stairwell, but I hope that work will be done this week. The northern half of the upstairs platform will be shut until that is done for fire escape reasons."
Mr Shaw said the village was drawing new people to Canberra.
"We've been approached from people in Perth who want us to do a village over there and this is a new sub-culture we're developing here. People no longer see Canberra as just the home of the government."
