According to Freedom of Information documents obtained by AAP, taxpayers paid close to $330,000 for a border protection media briefing room in Canberra that had not been used for its intended purpose 10 months after completion [1][2].
The room featured:
- Large LED monitors and projector
- Spotlights and two podiums with microphones
- Audio splitters
- Space for four television camera tripods
- Seating for 20 journalists
- An $800 door handle installation [1][2][3]
The government was paying $10,000 per month to hire audio-visual equipment plus $30,000 for rented stage lights [1][2].
The annual cost of maintaining the room on standby was reported to be approximately $100,000, though Customs stated the 2014/15 operating cost would be around $37,000 [2][4].
Government Response and Explanation**
Customs (now Australian Border Force) provided a response explaining that the $800 door handle cost covered "large metal grab handles fixed to both the inside and the outside of a glass panel door" - not simply a decorative knob [2][4].
Security and Functional Requirements**
The room was purpose-built for Operation Sovereign Borders briefings, which involved sensitive operational information about asylum seeker boat interceptions.
The high-tech fit-out (AV equipment, lighting, sound systems) reflected the intended use for live media broadcasts with national security implications [1][3].
**3.
Change in Operational Circumstances**
The briefings ended in December 2013 due to changed circumstances - specifically, reports of asylum seeker boat turn-backs which the government refused to discuss publicly [1].
The policy decision to cease public briefings on operational matters rendered the purpose-built facility unnecessary, rather than the room being built without any operational need.
**4.
Lease Commitment**
The government was committed to a lease until June 2016 for the premises, located adjacent to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's aid office in Canberra [1].
Media Bias/Fact Check rates SMH as having "high" factual reporting accuracy [5][6].
**Political Lean:** Multiple bias assessment sources indicate SMH has a "lean left" political orientation [6][7].
The outlet is part of the Nine Entertainment group and has historically been associated with centre-left editorial positions, though its news reporting maintains reasonable factual standards.
**Context:** The claim was covered by multiple outlets including SBS News, Yahoo News Australia, The Australian, and 9News - all reporting the same core facts from the AAP Freedom of Information documents [1][2][3][8].
**Did Labor do something similar?**
Search conducted: "Labor government wasteful spending renovation unused rooms Australia"
**Finding:** While no direct equivalent "unused media room" case was found, Labor governments have faced criticism for various infrastructure and fit-out cost overruns during their periods in office (2007-2013).
* * * *
The broader context is that **government fit-out waste is a systemic, bipartisan issue** rather than unique to either major party.
Examples include:
- The National Broadband Network (NBN) under Labor experienced significant cost overruns and delays, with infrastructure spending issues documented across both parties [9].
- Various parliamentary and government office refurbishments have occurred under governments of both political persuasions.
The key distinction is that this specific case gained media attention due to the clear metrics: a purpose-built facility remaining entirely unused for its intended function, combined with specific cost items (the $800 door handle) that made for striking headlines.
**International Comparison:**
Government waste on unused or underutilized office space is a universal issue across Western democracies.
**What the claim emphasizes:**
- $330,000 spent on an unused room
- $800 door handle
- $100,000 annual standby costs
- Waste of taxpayer money
**What the claim omits:**
- The room was built for a legitimate operational purpose (Operation Sovereign Borders media management)
- The decision to cease briefings was a policy/security choice about operational secrecy
- Customs provided explanations for costs (security handles, not decorative knobs)
- Some costs were tied to existing lease commitments
- Minister Morrison continued using Parliament House facilities instead
**Legitimate Government Perspective:**
The Abbott Coalition government elected in September 2013 implemented Operation Sovereign Borders as a key election commitment, involving a militarized approach to border protection including boat turn-backs.
When operational circumstances changed (specifically, the decision not to publicly discuss boat turn-back operations), the original purpose for the room became obsolete.
However, critics would note that proper planning should have anticipated the sensitivity of operational disclosures before committing to a dedicated media facility.
**Comparative Assessment:**
This incident appears to be a case of **changed circumstances rendering infrastructure redundant** rather than corruption or deliberate waste.
The key issue was the failure to repurpose the facility promptly once the original operational need evaporated, combined with ongoing rental costs for AV equipment that could have been terminated.
The door handle cost, while making for striking headlines, was for security-rated hardware appropriate for a facility handling sensitive border protection information - though whether such an elaborate facility was necessary in the first place is a legitimate question.
The factual claims about spending amounts ($330,000 total, $800 door handle, ~$100,000 annual standby costs) are accurate and verified by multiple independent news sources reporting on Freedom of Information documents [1][2][3][8].
Some expenses were tied to lease commitments rather than discretionary decisions
The claim is factually accurate in its core assertions but misleading in framing, suggesting deliberate waste rather than infrastructure made redundant by changed operational security requirements.
The "never used" framing, while technically accurate for the intended media briefing purpose, omits that the room was maintained for internal meetings and potential future use [2][4].
The factual claims about spending amounts ($330,000 total, $800 door handle, ~$100,000 annual standby costs) are accurate and verified by multiple independent news sources reporting on Freedom of Information documents [1][2][3][8].
Some expenses were tied to lease commitments rather than discretionary decisions
The claim is factually accurate in its core assertions but misleading in framing, suggesting deliberate waste rather than infrastructure made redundant by changed operational security requirements.
The "never used" framing, while technically accurate for the intended media briefing purpose, omits that the room was maintained for internal meetings and potential future use [2][4].