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December 2, 2025
The bill for renovations of the Greens' party room has blown out to more than $1.6m, senior bureaucrats have revealed.
Despite the minor party being reduced from 15 to 11 members following a near wipe-out in the House of Representatives at the last federal election and the defection of Senator Dorinda Cox to Labor, the minor party has been granted a party room renovation.
Department of Parliamentary Services (DPS) staff told Senate estimates yesterday that total construction costs associated with the party room totalled $1,628,997 between 2023-24 and 2025-26.
Previously, documents released to the Senate to Coalition finance spokesman James Paterson said the "practical completion" of the costs were $886,521 in 2024-25, however department officials yesterday revealed additional costs of $452,762 in 2023-24 and $289,714 in 2025-26.
This brought the total bill to $1,628,997.
Assistant Secretary of Property Services Paul Pak Poy said the DPS had rebuilt the party room which included demolition, cabling, and hot and cold water connections. He said there were extra considerations required for construction projects in Parliament House, such as the "design intent of the original architects".
"The finishes and the associated services need to be a very high standard, as befitting the status of the building," Mr Pak Poy said.
Department officials also said contractors needed to work with compressed time frames which added to costs.
Senate President Sue Lines said the ceiling works were a significant contributor to the costs, while and the work had begun in 2022 under the Morrison Coalition government.
"Opening up the ceiling for the establishment of this party room has provided good learning for what needs to happen in the future," Ms Lines said.
Coalition Senator Paterson said the federal government could have built "multiple family homes for $1.6m".