Queensland Treasurer Curtis Pitt. Credit:Chris Hyde "We have thoroughly investigated all alternative options for public service accommodation in the CBD, this included looking at not moving ministers into 1 William Street, looking at 111 George Street or 33 Charlotte Street, but it is about making the best out of a bad situation," he said. "In terms of what the costs would have been to do that, we would have had to move a number of people into those buildings and then done a whole lot of re-jigging and uprooting more public servants than may have been necessary. "What we have tried to do is, from a cost perspective and a convenience perspective, in terms of continuing operation of government, is not choose something that would leave us high and dry." Mr Pitt said dropping the sub-letting price was not an option.

"What we know is that Queenslanders are going to have to cover the rent to the tune of $10.5 million per annum over the next 15 years," he said. "If we didn't go into space at all, if we left those floors vacant, that would cost over $200 million over the 15 years. "If rent subsidisation at the current market rate was brought into play it would cost $42 million over the next 15 years, so we are not going to subject taxpayers to that ongoing cost, so we are going to move the public service into 1 William Street. "Any significant re-configuration to the building itself, that was going to cost tax-payers anywhere between $6 million and $12 million and not moving ministers into the building and re-configuring other offices was going to cost $52 million. "So no matter which way you turn it was an absolute debacle by the previous government."

The previous government defended its decision to vacate the ageing Executive Building at 100 George Street, which is due to be demolished as part of the Queen's Wharf casino plan, and move public servants into the upper floors of the 45-storey office tower, as saving $60 million in other rental costs. Labor ridiculed the decision from the beginning and went through the motions of investigating whether the Executive Building could be saved. But with proposals for the Queen's Wharf development in the final stages it became untenable. Mr Pitt said the government's decision would see about 5400 public servants under the one roof, with the lower floors able to accommodate an additional 1250 to 1850 employees. Which departments will be handed the keys is still to be determined, but given the available space it opens it up to the three largest government departments, which includes health and main roads.

Under the LNP plan the government won't be moving in until late 2016. Loading The planned restaurant tenants will not be impacted by the change, meaning public servants will not have to travel far to get their coffee. Don't miss important news stories. Like us on Facebook.