Labor Waste

MORE than $1.5 billion has been wasted in the eastern states under the federal Government’s Building the Education Revolution schools stimulus program, with the nation’s two biggest states failing to provide value for money under the program. The third and final report into the BER, conducted by former investment banker Brad Orgill, has found Victorian and NSW, have not delivered value for money for public schools under the program with public schools charged an average of up to 60 per cent more for school buildings, despite no differences in quality.

NSW public schools were charged on average $3448 per square metre for all classrooms, halls and libraries delivered, compared to $2707sqm for NSW Catholic schools – a 27 per cent premium.

Buildings delivered to NSW public schools cost on average, 60 per cent more than buildings delivered to NSW independent schools, which cost $2156sqm.

Victorian public schools were charged $3075sqm for buildings compared to $2406 for Victorian Catholic schools and $1975 for Victorian independent schools – 56 per cent more than public schools.

Read the rest here: BER waste tops $1.5 billion | The Australian.

Do you have your own story of Labor's waste, inefficiency and mismanagement of taxpayer's money? Hold them to account and tell us on the Tip-Off page.