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R. G. Menzies House

Headquarters of political partiesLiberal Party of Australia
R. G. Menzies House in Barton (1)
R. G. Menzies House in Barton (1)

The R. G. Menzies House, also known colloquially as Liberal Headquarters, or simply Menzies House, is the official headquarters of the Australian Federal Liberal Party. It is also home to the party's think tank, the Menzies Research Centre. It was built in the Georgian architectural-style and is described as a "two-floored, red-brick house." It is located in the Canberra suburb of Barton, less than one kilometre from Parliament House. The building was reported to have cost AU£65,000 and was opened by then-Prime Minister Robert Menzies on 9 November 1965. Headquarters for the Federal Liberal Party, it currently houses the "Federal Secretariat" of the party and staff of the Menzies Research Centre. After renovation in 1994 the building was re-opened by Robert Menzies' wife Pattie and had its name changed to R. G. Menzies House. The revamped building cost AU$1.5 million.At the entrance front of the building is a bust of Menzies. The bust was sculpted by Melbourne sculptor V. E. Greenhalgh.

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article R. G. Menzies House (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).

R. G. Menzies House
Blackall Street,

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N -35.308396 ° E 149.134943 °
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National HQ of the Liberal Party of Australia

Blackall Street RG Menzies House
2600 , Barton
Australia
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Phone number

call+61262732564

Website
liberal.org.au

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R. G. Menzies House in Barton (1)
R. G. Menzies House in Barton (1)
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Centenary House
Centenary House

Centenary House was a building in Canberra, Australia. It consisted of five levels and was located at 19 National Circuit, Barton. It was the national headquarters of the Australian National Audit Office (usually known as the ANAO, a Commonwealth Government entity). The building was owned until July 2005 by John Curtin House Limited, an entity wholly owned by the ALP. The leasing of part of Centenary House to the ANAO was the subject of political controversy for more than ten years. Centenary House was built in 1991 and the ALP (through Lend Lease, a property company) negotiated a lease with the ANAO. This lease began on 23 September 1993, for 15 years (that is, it is to conclude on 23 September 2008). The total area that was leased was 6,297 square metres. In 1993, the rent to be charged was $367.95 per square metre. Due to a "ratchet clause", which specifies that the annual rent would increase by 9% or market rates (whichever is the greater), in 2004 the annual rent is $949.47. The current estimated market price in Canberra for rented space is $330.00. The Federal Opposition (the Liberal-National Coalition at that time) demanded an enquiry to what they saw as a "rort" and the Keating ALP Government set up a Royal Commission. The Royal Commission (headed by Trevor Morling QC) found that the rent charged "was a fair market rental for accommodation in a building such as Centenary House. This was supported by extensive market evidence and there is nothing to suggest that it was excessive". The ratchet clause was also found as justified because it was "well supported by historical rent movements" and that "the length of the term is not disadvantageous to the Commonwealth". A second Royal Commission was appointed by the Howard government, and during 2004 Howard government ministers, particularly Tony Abbott, repeatedly accused the ALP of improperly profiting from the alleged "rort" of the lease. The Royal Commission reported in December 2004. The report of the Royal Commissioner, Hon David Hunt, AO QC, found that the original inquiry was inadequate. It found that the rent was excessive and should not have been entered into by a prudent government. The report was critical of several public servants, but did not make any findings of corrupt conduct by John Curtin House Limited or the Australian Labor Party. In July 2005, the ALP National Secretary, Tim Gartrell, announced that the building had been sold for more than $30 million.In November 2021 Centenary House was demolished. It is to be replaced with six-storey office building.