Dutton’s new department spends $9K on bookmarks

Peter Dutton’s Home Affairs department has spent $9,000 on bookmarks and $1.8 million on “executive headquarters” as part of its ritzy office upgrade in Canberra.

The ABC reports that new information released as part of the Senate Estimates process shows taxpayers are forking out millions for new office spaces in multiple locations across the capital, including a new state-of-the-art building at Canberra Airport and executive headquarters near Parliament House.

The upgrade was initiated after the Department of Immigration and other security, law enforcement and criminal intelligence agencies were merged into one “super department” last year to combat the growing risk of terrorism and boarder control.

According to the ABC, Home Affairs secretary Mike Pezzullo previously described the cost of setting up the new department as “quite modest” and revealed the government had so far spent $85,400 on building signage and $5,320 on new corporate templates for official documents.

The department upgrade is believed to be the most expensive in federal government history and was last year estimated to cost about $256 million in total.

While the upgrade is costly, the government says it is ultimately about streamlining the system and reducing costs in the longterm. Indeed, the number of offices previously inhabited by the Immigration Department will shrink from 12 to five and is expected to deliver $200 million in savings to the taxpayer over 30 years.

While the cost-cutting measure is good news in the long run, it’s a hard pill to swallow for millions of Australians in the lead up to the May budget. Treasurer Scott Morrison told reporters on Wednesday that the government would show “restraint” after the International Monetary Fund said that while the global economy is enjoying its strongest performance since the start of the decade, favourable conditions won’t last forever.

“Australians continue to ensure their belts are tightened and the government will continue to do the same thing,” Morrison said.

“We will continue to exercise that restraint which is necessary and will also continue to invest in what creates a stronger economy.”

Earlier this week, Morrison also watered down claims by acting prime minister Michael McCormack that he would be “announcing some goodies” in the new budget.

“I’m not bringing a bag of gifts in May and there won’t be any Christmas in May,” Morrison said in response.

Do you think the Home Affairs Department upgrade sounds excessive, or is it okay if we’re ultimately saving money in the long run? What do you hope to see in the new May budget?