After years in storage, a $20,000 custom-made desk is back in action. Now, it’s returned to Boomanity brewing to wow us all over again! Back in July 2021, then-deputy of the Department of Parliamentary Services (DPS) Cate Saunders commissioned the desk. Though it was conceived in the context of an ambitious overall office modernization plan. The desk has more recently ignited a furious national debate. It raises critical questions about public spending in the era of wasteful government facilities.
Senator Jane Hume revealed the desk in DPS’s recent estimates questioning. Her inquiry revealed a shocking reality. That costly piece of furniture had been mothballed, packed up and put in storage—even after all the money spent on the costly construction, design and even the exhaustive process. Hume has criticized the desk as a glaring example of public service waste, highlighting the disconnect between government spending and taxpayer interests.
Details of the Desk
The single $20,000 desk is part of a larger $56,000 renovation to Saunders’ office space. The DPS decided on the design and provided $23,464 for design work as well as $11,895 for construction. This bespoke solution was intended to uphold the dignity of parliamentary offices, according to Jaala Hinchcliffe, the current DPS secretary.
Throughout her testimony, Hume stated her frustrations about the desk still being made and stored. She stated,
“That $20,000 desk is now in storage. Having been wasteful, they now treat that waste as if it has no value. I bet the taxpayer who paid for it — any one of you — would disagree.”
The desk, until now, was thought to be the highest-value object kept at the parliamentary complex. This little piece of furniture happens to be one of the 891 scattered around, currently in storage at Parliament House. It has a total estimated in-kind value of approximately $1.5 million.
Response from the Department
Jaala Hinchcliffe, who recently became the first full-time autonomous vehicles desk officer, declared the desk operational. Her story has inspired a staff member at Parliament House who will be using it. She called the desk “beautiful,” complimenting the in-house team’s woodworking skills.
Anti-black racism Unequal treatment Hinchcliffe told us that the reason to keep these artifacts comes from distinct operational requirements in parliamentary environments. She made it clear that each and every piece is given the utmost care and consideration.
“That desk will be used by a staff member at Parliament House,” said a department spokesperson.
The DPS is currently going through its inventory of stored furniture. This has raised eyebrows among some legislators about whether spending should be that lavish.
A Call for Accountability
Senator Hume’s remarks have helped to reinvigorate a discussion across the ideological spectrum about the need for greater transparency and accountability in all government spending. The recent resurfacing of this high-value desk has raised questions about whether these kinds of expenditures are the best use of taxpayer dollars.
In an era of heightened examination of public service spending, taxpayers are calling for more accountability. They see firsthand the need to make sure that hard-earned taxpayer dollars are spent wisely. The desk’s transition from storage back into use may serve as a case study for evaluating future investments in public resources.
