Roads and Maritime Services has been paying a security guard to sit outside an empty house 24 hours a day for months.
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The cost to taxpayers for this could be more than $4000 a week.
A concerned resident in the area said a guard and car had been sitting outside the empty Croome Road property, near Shellharbour City Stadium, since August last year.
Part of the property falls within the footprint of the planned Albion Park Rail Bypass and a search revealed the fact it was purchased by Roads and Maritime Services in April 2017.
The Mercury contacted Roads and Maritime Services about the claims the guard had been there 24 hours a day since August 2017.
In a short statement, a spokeswoman from Roads and Maritime Services did not refute this.
“Property acquisitions for the Albion Park Rail Bypass are continuing to allow work on the bypass to start early next year,” the spokeswoman said.
“A property at Croom has been purchased by Roads and Maritime Services for the project.
“A security guard is on-site to ensure public safety.”
There was no detail on what the safety concerns were but the property has been fenced off.
The spokeswoman also declined to state how much Roads and Maritime Services were paying for the security guard.
The cost to taxpayers for this could be more than $4000 a week.
However, based on the Security Services Industry Award, the bill could be as much as $4600 a week.
This does not include public holiday penalty rates, depreciation on the vehicle or any other expenses.
Labor spokesman for the Illawarra Ryan Park labelled the situation “ridiculous”.
“The amount of money that would be costing the taxpayer,” Mr Park said.
“It seems ridiculous that we’d be paying security guards on a road project like that.
“I’m not sure they did that with every property they acquired on a road like WestConnex or any other major road project.”
Mr Park said he planned to take the issue up with the government.
“I think taxpayers, and particularly local taxpayers, have got a right to ask questions as to what’s happening here,” he said.
“I can assure you I will be seeking some answers as to why there is a security guard outside the property.”
Glen Humphries
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
