A private plaque repair costs $500, but the Victorian government quoted $70,000 for two similar plaques in Melbourne's Metro Tunnel. Jim Penman uses the gap to show how public-sector projects routinely cost many times more than they should.
2 plaques inside the Metro Tunnel stations needed to be replaced. The cost of changing that was about $30,000.
Commemorative Plaques Australia, how can I help you? Hey mate, I'm looking to replace a plaque. I've made a spelling error on my plaque. Did you replace those?
Yeah, we can do that.
Um, how big is the plaque? The plaque's about 35 centimeters by 50 centimeters. Oh, easy. Yeah. It's just one spelling error. How much would that cost me?
I'd have to come have a look at it, but probably $500.
$500? You're kidding. Are you sure that's the price? Because I got quoted $70,000 for 2. Am I getting ripped off? $70,000? Yeah, mate, you're getting taken for a ride. Yeah, that's what I thought. Hey, it's always good to get a second opinion.
Oh, how good is that? And that is, that is typical. That happens all the time. If you look at anything that the government does, it costs many, many times what it should. What it costs to get a pothole repaired on the road, you've got a team of guys working for 2 weeks doing the most trivial jobs which anybody should be able to do for a fraction of the cost. It's everywhere.
Rising mental illness and falling birth rates have the same cause, it is this.....
