Royal Commission regarding the contract for the erection of additions to the General Post Office, Sydney
Enquiry into work on the Sydney GPO
Sydney GPO building
On 2 June 1939 the Menzies government agreed to the creation of a Royal Commission to look into the £400,000 contract for extensions to the Sydney GPO.[1] On 8 June 1939 the terms of reference for the Royal Commission into the expansion works were released.[2] The enquiry was held under Justice Victor Maxwell KC[3][4] with Victor Windeyer council assisting,[5] with the final report given in September 1939.[6][7]
Background
The terms of reference were announced on 8 June 1939 covering the calling and handling of tenders including contract signing and any other connected matters.[2]
Hearings
In June 1939 there was discussion about terracotta facings.[8] Then on 27 June there was discussion of the replacement of Sydney sandstone with white sandstone which made the tender less competitive and was the responsibility of the Works Department in NSW.[5]
During hearings in Canberra it was announced that the Chief Government Architect, E. H. Henderson, committed suicide the day before he was due to give testimony.[5]
Report and aftermath
The report found no suspicion of bribery but did criticise the Commonwealth Director of Works, M. Mehaffey, for failing to act on the directions of the Prime Minister not to sign the contract[9] as the direction not to sign the contract did not reach Mr Orwin, the Works Director in Sydney, until after the contract had been signed.[10]
There were also proposals for a re-organisation of the Works Branch and suspending staff accused of serious misconduct before reporting them to the Public Service Board who will then appoint a committee to investigate[10]
The Royal Commission was estimated to cost £10,000.[11]
References
^"MENZIES MINISTRY HAS TRYING DAY". Telegraph. 2 June 1939. Retrieved 30 December 2022 – via Trove.
^ ab"ROYAL COMMISSION". Dubbo Liberal and Macquarie Advocate. 8 June 1939. Retrieved 30 December 2022 – via Trove.
^"SYDNEY G.P.O. CONTRACT". Australian Worker. 14 June 1939. Retrieved 30 December 2022 – via Trove.
^"Hon. Allan Victor [I] Maxwell CMG". NSW State Archives & Records.
^ abc"SYDNEY G.P.O. CONTRACT". Australian Worker. 21 June 1939. Retrieved 30 December 2022 – via Trove.
^"Royal Commissions and Commissions of Inquiry". www.aph.gov.au. Parliament House, Canberra. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
^"Royal Commission regarding the contract for the erection of additions to the General Post Office, Sydney [1939] AURoyalC 1 (22 September 1939)". www.austlii.edu.au. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
^"G.P.O. TENDERS". Canberra Times. 23 June 1939. Retrieved 8 January 2023 – via Trove.
^"No Suspicion of Bribery Rules Royal Commission In Sydney G.P.O. Report". Telegraph. 29 July 1939. Retrieved 30 December 2022 – via Trove.
^ ab"SYDNEY G.P.O. CONTRACT". Australian Worker. 2 August 1939. Retrieved 5 January 2023 – via Trove.
^"COST £10,000". Armidale Express and New England General Advertiser. 31 July 1939. Retrieved 1 January 2023 – via Trove.
Further reading
"Royal Commission regarding the contract for the erection of additions to the General Post Office, Sydney [1939] AURoyalC 1 (22 September 1939)". www.austlii.edu.au. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
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