Council road gangs cheaper than contractors

[DiscoMick]

It appears council road gangs can do the same work for less money than private contractors, according to estimates for the proposed Outback Way to link Qld, the NT and WA.
So much for people whingeing about councils being more expensive.
And wouldn't it be great to see a proper east-west link in the north.


Outback Way: Huge difference in cost to seal dirt road between NT, WA, Qld - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-09-11/outback-way-seal-dirt-road-millions-dollars-price-difference/5735650)

[frantic]

We had the same thing down here, with both the local RMS/RTA and council cheaper than the contractors they hired to do it but not allowed to bid. Nothing to see here, move along ,no particular reason just they where told not to bid.

[bob10]

It appears council road gangs can do the same work for less money than private contractors, according to estimates for the proposed Outback Way to link Qld, the NT and WA.
So much for people whingeing about councils being more expensive.
And wouldn't it be great to see a proper east-west link in the north.


Outback Way: Huge difference in cost to seal dirt road between NT, WA, Qld - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-09-11/outback-way-seal-dirt-road-millions-dollars-price-difference/5735650)


And, councils could employ workers from the local areas. It was always the case, back in the day. Until the smarties learned how to make a fortune from the system. Bob

[Baggy]

I'm not surprised,

Quite a number of years back I used to do work for BMA in Perth, they used to build schools, school cleaning, parks and garden maintenance etc.

Gov't of the day believed that it all should be given to private enterprise because competition would lower prices......well they got that wrong big time.

As Don (from BMA) used to say to me they would build a school in the sticks or do maintenance and so long as cost were met, but private enterprise wants a profit margin.

School cleaners used to be employed by the BMA, take pride in their work, but the state of some schools is pretty average.

I hire a local council hall on a regular basis and the cleaners complain about cleaning the hall sometimes after we use it ......I remark to the council isn't that what you pay them to do?

Cheers

Baggy

[Davehoos]

Yes and No.


I have my job because the experiment with mobile contractors failed-but it cost more to employ me.
Cost over runs after the job has started not considered as breach of tender-and the hugh cost of replacement contractors as companies pull liquidation scam at the end of the project.


Road construction can be done cheaper by contractors-several councils I deal with could do the job better for the same cost. Often road projects cant be done by local authorities as they are wealth distribution activities like school halls.


-What I see from a distance is crazy add on cost that are lumped on top, like training compliance [too what madness?]-17 personell and 6 trucks to paint give way road lines to avoid closing a hyway. massive engineering and finance departments that sole reason for being is to provide public details of who did what and how it was spent. mining licence restrictions that have trucks driving hours transporting road base or concrete and morron tree huggers, cultural and heritage reps.


My council sub contract to RMS and private developers because they have the ability to do the total job but in no way is it cheaper-its our means to gather a little cream for community jobs.


and a local government organisation in the region has upset loads of people for years tendering much cheaper than private contractors with their surplus workforce and cheaper rate payer purchased equipment. I often see that councils trucks on the road travelling at 70Kmh in convoy with wheelbarrow load of rocks.

[Davehoos]

And, councils could employ workers from the local areas. It was always the case, back in the day. Until the smarties learned how to make a fortune from the system. Bob



18 personel at my LGA job site. half are locals and im the new local at 4 years. the rest are ex miners in waiting mode.

[LandyAndy]

It appears council road gangs can do the same work for less money than private contractors, according to estimates for the proposed Outback Way to link Qld, the NT and WA.
So much for people whingeing about councils being more expensive.
And wouldn't it be great to see a proper east-west link in the north.


Outback Way: Huge difference in cost to seal dirt road between NT, WA, Qld - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-09-11/outback-way-seal-dirt-road-millions-dollars-price-difference/5735650)


Wouldnt mind getting a grader steerer job on that gig.
Andrew

[DiscoMick]

And, as I said above, wouldn't it be great to see a sealed route east-west. This job could employ a lot of locals and could obtain many materials locally, also boosting local economies. Once finished, the increased traffic would also boost local economies.
However, have to say I can't see the Abbott Government agreeing to this project being done by councils as it is certain to favour private contractors, probably brought in from outside with outside workers, and ignore the potential benefits of hiring and buying locally.
After all, they don't even want this country to make cars or build boats and they've slashed local government funding.

[nugge t]

Sorry but what do really need another sealed road for.....caravans?


The adventure of the bush is drying up fast enough as it is. Most of the iconic tracks have been graded to the point we wont need 4wd's soon.


Had this conversation with the publican at Hungerford years back when he was talking about putting beer on tap. Jeez..I can get that at the local. I go bush to get away from all that. I reckon people would talk more favourably about tossing their empty stubby in an empty 44 in the corner than what boutique beer was on tap.



And, as I said above, wouldn't it be great to see a sealed route east-west.

[bob10]

Sorry but what do really need another sealed road for.....caravans?


The adventure of the bush is drying up fast enough as it is. Most of the iconic tracks have been graded to the point we wont need 4wd's soon.


Had this conversation with the publican at Hungerford years back when he was talking about putting beer on tap. Jeez..I can get that at the local. I go bush to get away from all that. I reckon people would talk more favourably about tossing their empty stubby in an empty 44 in the corner than what boutique beer was on tap.


I'll believe you if you tell me you drink Kimberly cool beer, and don't say it is a boutique beer :D Bob

[tonic]

I watched first hand a painful event on a road from Ingelwood to Warwick. The contractor chosen to do the work was national company. It's employees for the job were from cairns.


There was accommodation, return trips cairns or some sort of other pay for singles who wanted to go to the Gold Coast or Brisbane on the 4 day off roaster.


There were unsealed parts left for the 4 days that got rained on and had to be torn up and rerolled.


There were double time trips to Warwick from Inglewood on weekends for the crew and the sub-sub contractors for safety meetings.


As a tax payer I have never been more disgusted in the waste I saw in that small part of road in Australia. I can only imagine the expediential costs that are going on in this country. It's a disgrace.

[gasman]

Most Gov employees in this sector are morons. Might as well pay them to stay at home as their productivity is at a stay at home levels.
Where do I get this data from? The road out front, thats where.
Council road workers are just one notch above social security recipients and they are worst than any dole buldger.
I am self employed and have been since I was 18 and would not **** on them if they were on fire, thats how useless they are.
I would love to tender for road repair if it were available, but our council continues to offer over priced Centrelink payments instead.