Council backs chamber rebuild with boosted security measures

Improved security for councillors and staff will be a feature of Lake Macquarie City Council's proposed redevelopment of its fire-damaged administration building.

The Speers Point building was attacked by arsonists in November 2024, which caused about $43 million damage.

In July, Tony Charles Graham, 55, and Scott Matheson, 45, were found guilty of setting fire to the building before dawn.

Matheson was sentenced to 12 years with a non-parole period of eight years, and Graham received three years in jail and is eligible for parole in April next year.

About 450 council staff, which represents 40 per cent of the workforce, have been working out of rented office space in Wallsend since February 2025.

Council meetings have been held predominantly at the offices of the Hunter Sports Centre at Glendale.

In a confidential extraordinary council meeting on September 14, councillors passed a resolution 6-4 to adopt "option C" for the council chamber in the reconstructed administration building.

That includes a gallery security barrier as well as extending the "administrative centre to accommodate a new internal access ramp between the council chamber and reception area, rotating the chamber layout relative to the public gallery, retaining approximately half of the existing car park, removing the chair lift and installing new video displays for both the gallery and chamber floor".

Lake Macquarie mayor Adam Shultz and his Labor councillors Keara Conroy (North Ward), Christine Buckley (East Ward) and Stacey Radcliffe (East Ward) and independent deputy mayor Kate Warner (West Ward) and Anthony Swinsburg (West Ward) backed the plan.

Liberals Jason Pauling (West Ward), Jack Antcliff (North Ward) and Matt Schultz (East Ward) voted against the plan, as did North Ward independent Colin Grigg.

Labor councillors Brian Adamthwaite (North Ward), Madeline Bishop (West Ward) and independent Michael Hannah (East Ward) were absent.

"The changes will improve accessibility and security for building users," a council spokesperson said.

When asked by the Newcastle Herald how much of the cost of the expanded administration centre is expected to be covered by insurance and how much would be covered by ratepayers, the council spokesperson said, "[the] council remains in an active tender. This information will be confidential until a tender is awarded."

Initial works have begun, but the new administration centre is unlikely to be open before late 2027 at the earliest.

"A preliminary works package involving replacement of the building's roof and stormwater management is under way," the spokesperson said.

"This work also involves the removal of asbestos in or adjacent to areas of the building where work will occur."