20 Dec What does it look like when a bollard is raised on a Comcar?
New photos released under Freedom of Information show what damage was done to Comcars when bollards outside Parliament House were deployed while cars were driving over them.
The retractable bollards caused $28,935 of damage to Comcars in three “human error” incidents in November last year. Two other incidents have also been recorded, including an Australian Federal Police vehicle and a maintenance vehicle.
Damage to Comcars from bollards at the Senate entrance to Parliament House, released under Freedom of Information. CREDIT: DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE
The problems emerged when the automated system was turned off, with the bollards hitting the cars from underneath as they drove over. The system was turned to manual deployment due to interference caused by works to build the security fence around Parliament House.
The damage includes a smashed transmission system and a pierced undercarriage, which is shown in the images released under Freedom of Information. Parliamentary Services said no MPs were in the cars damaged, and no one was injured in the incidents.
The problems emerged when the automated system was turned off, with the bollards hitting the cars from underneath as they drove over. The system was turned to manual deployment due to interference caused by works to build the security fence around Parliament House.
The damage includes a smashed transmission system and a pierced undercarriage, which is shown in the images released under Freedom of Information. Parliamentary Services said no MPs were in the cars damaged, and no one was injured in the incidents.
The bill for the damage was picked up by the government’s insurance fund, with $500 excess paid for each vehicle to Comcover.
The documents also showed an email that called the issues with the bollards a “financial cost to the Commonwealth, loss of asset and reputational concern”.
The Department of Finance told a Senate estimates hearing in February that an audit into the deployment of the bollards had been called after the incidents.