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Trouble brewing over $63K coffee machine spend

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  • #16
    Every article, like the one in question, has a sub text........... I'm just going beyond the shallow, facile and obvious.
    By the way, I read it about 4 times.
    So don't bother telling me I should have read it 5 times 8-)
    Last edited by chokkidog; 12 December 2012, 12:41 AM. Reason: post my own retort

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    • #17
      Originally posted by flynnaus View Post
      Perhaps you should read the article again. It's about claims of excessive government spending
      "Given Labor's promise to rein in spending and exercise fiscal restraint I would've thought one of the first savings measures would've been swapping the taxpayer-funded macchiato, latte or mocha for a tin of instant blend and a kettle."

      Read more: Trouble brewing over $63K coffee machine spend

      Or perhaps take your own advice

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      • #18
        What does a tea lady/man cost?

        say $35k pa. Throw in 20% on costs that's $42k pa
        Now this tea lady/man would work 38 hours per week.
        Most govt departments would work longer hours so you'd need another part time, so now we are up around $60k in wages alone.

        Buying a automatic machine may save costs.

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        • #19
          Originally posted by SPECTRE View Post
          What does a tea lady/man cost?.
          Not many organisations can justify that kind of role these days ! ........................sadly!

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          • #20
            I recently retired from the Public Service after 40 years in a big variety of State and Federal Departments at various levels.
            I never worked in a Department where tea/coffee/milk was provided by the employer. It was always managed by the Social Club.
            There was usually an electric jug or a ZipBoil provided and occasionally in recent years, a Dripolator.
            For many years I provided my own dripolator, coffee etc for my work-related meetings. In more recent years the 'makings' got charged to my Corporate Card.
            Public Servants are no more lazy than anyone else. It's about the individual and their work ethic, not about where they work.(I have also worked in Private Enterprise)
            I would not dare provide a coffee machine in any workplace without providing a skilled person to operate and maintain it. It would be stuffed in nothing flat.
            If staff pull their weight I have no problem with them going out to get a cup of decent coffee - as long as there is no negative impact on service to the public.
            As has been said, the article was 'filler' quality. I would want to know more about how the machines were used - eg. hospitality etc. Some Departments do more of this than others. When you are regularly hosting meetings and training it makes sense to have certain facilities.
            The only times I have seen 'flash' fittings and facilities is when politicians were involved.

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            • #21
              I guess the point here is that the government department wouldn't be paying for their staff's latte's at the local coffee shop. And technically if a staff member goes on an excursion to get a coffee it should be on their time (even though its a healthy thing to do). So not buying the machines WILL save the government.

              BUT seeing as coffee from an office auto machine (if you can drink them!) is way more economical then coffee's from a coffee shop, the solution would be to simply charge staff the 'cost' price of the coffee (~ 50 cents). Problem solved!

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              • #22
                Originally posted by Rocky View Post
                Public Servants are no more lazy than anyone else. It's about the individual and their work ethic, not about where they work.(I have also worked in Private Enterprise)
                I have to agree. I, too, have worked both in Private Enterprise and in Local Council. There are always people who have a talent for getting away with doing very little and others who end up having to pick up the slack.

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                • #23
                  I was at a Federal government department (that worked early morning and late night shifts) where the accountant - who loved coffee - had a 2 group machine installed, way back in 1991! It was self-funding, as we all had to pay for our each coffee we took (although it was cheaper than retail). There was absolute hell to pay - not from anyone outside, but from others in the organisation (in other states and buildings) who were stuck with instant! The machine went soon after ..... ... just as I went on to late, late shift ....

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