National Circuit might be a bit flash, but it really has nothing on how the other half lives.
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Documents submitted to Parliament's Public Works Committee highlight the expenditure gap to revamp ministers' offices, versus those for humble public servants.
Separate refurbs of new Commonwealth Parliamentary Offices in Adelaide and Perth will cost the taxpayer more than four times that of a public service fitout.
The parliamentary offices are basically headquarters for ministers in other states and territories - except for the ACT, which has its own very expensive office on a hill.
The new Adelaide office will cost $37.45 million, for 3960 square metres, while works on the Perth hub will total $38.2 million for 3998 square metres.
It means the new HQs will cost an exorbitant $9500 per square metre - over four times the $2168 cost per square metre to fit out the Department of Veterans' Affairs Canberra office.
To be fair, there are clearly some heightened security requirements at the ministerial offices, which are built with the capacity to host cabinet meetings.
![Canberra's little ol' DVA office didn't receive as much upgrade love as Perth's Commonwealth Parliamentary Offices, inset. Pictures by Karleen Minney, supplied Canberra's little ol' DVA office didn't receive as much upgrade love as Perth's Commonwealth Parliamentary Offices, inset. Pictures by Karleen Minney, supplied](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/123041529/23672d4e-a9a8-49c8-b20f-e5db7442ca3d.jpg/r0_0_2400_1349_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
And there's no concerns about value for money, the Department of Finance (the lead agency) says.
"The project will provide capabilities not currently provided within the existing CPO, enhancing the opportunities to conduct government business now and into the future," their submission to the committee for the Adelaide project reads.
Perhaps the public servants could get a few forks in the kitchen though?
The fallout from that cabinet documents debacle
Six months on from revelations staff in the Prime Minister and Cabinet Department had forgotten a critical box of cabinet records from 2003 relating to the justification for the invasion of Iraq, the department is on the hunt for someone to ensure it doesn't happen again.
In an update released on Friday, June 28, PM&C indicated a recruitment process for a staffer to oversee the new cabinet records section was expected to begin "shortly".
To avoid the awkwardness of coming across cabinets full of documents no one had the security clearance to open, as occurred with the 2003 files, the ideal candidate will also be required to have a top secret security clearance.
Meanwhile, Arts Minister Tony Burke announced three new appointments to the National Archives Advisory Council.
Dr Paul Grimes will take over from Dr Denver Beanland as chair, while Professor Frank Bongiorno and journalist Troy Bramston will serve as members of the council.
With this changing of the guard, the new hires should brush up on the Archives Act, with the lead author of the review Dennis Richardson suggesting a "basic understanding" of the Act would be wise.
Stunting 101 with Shorten
Bill Shorten's shenanigans continued last week, as the Government Services Minister battled through pneumonia to back up his "waste clock" stunt with two additional jabs at the Coalition and the Greens.
Mr Shorten and his office launched an all out campaign in the last sitting fortnight before the winter break, aimed at getting his NDIS reforms through the Senate. Though he did not succeed, he certainly tried.
In week one, Mr Shorten launched his outoftouchwithcostofliving.com website - which measures every cent supposedly wasted while reforms are delayed - and this week the garish website returned, albeit with an unexpected guest alongside the screen - Senator for Queensland, Pauline Hanson.
![Bill Shorten's special guest, Pauline Hanson, and his NDIS reform dashboard. Picture by ACM Bill Shorten's special guest, Pauline Hanson, and his NDIS reform dashboard. Picture by ACM](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/123041529/e854395c-f8c3-4b51-a858-2a2adceab77c.jpg/r0_0_4032_2267_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Not quite a match made in heaven, as Mr Shorten acknowledged, the pair do not always see eye to eye.
But both were keen to see the reforms passed sooner rather than later, and they may in fact have even more common ground, with Senator Hanson serving Mr Shorten a backhanded compliment by criticising his predecessors.
"I've dealt with Stuart Robert and Linda Reynolds and I was not impressed with them at all and how this was handled," she said.
"I worked with Bill Shorten over the years he's been minister of this portfolio and I have hounded him over the changes that need to be done, and that's why I'm here today and supporting Mr Shorten."
And the third stunt was a huge billboard out the front of Parliament - bit predictable, to be honest.
Glyn's catch-up with the Turnbulls
The big bosses flocked to The Hill last Monday to watch new Governor-General Sam Mostyn be sworn in.
We spotted Angus Campbell, Greg Moriarty, Katherine Jones, Alison Frame, Steven Kennedy, Meghann Quinn, Adam Fennessy, Stephanie Foster, Rachel Noble and Ray Griggs peering down from the public gallery. Apologies to those we missed, your columnists' vision is not perfect.
Meanwhile, Glyn Davis got a front-row seat. Positioned in one of the Senate's adviser boxes, he had some time to chat with Malcolm and Lucy Turnbull while he waited for proceedings to get under way.
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