Townsville and Beenleigh Courthouse and Police Station Redevelopment

Background

The Department of Justice and Attorney-General (DJAG) is responsible for delivering justice services across Queensland, including the operation of courthouses, watchhouses, and police stations. In response to capacity, safety and functionality challenges at the Townsville and Beenleigh Courthouses, DJAG initiated a Detailed Business Case (DBC) to assess redevelopment options. The existing facility was identified in a Strategic Asset Management Study as likely to exceed operating capacity within ten years, prompting the need for a long-term infrastructure solution.

The proposed redevelopment includes a new courthouse with 17 courtrooms and a co-located police station and 63-bed watchhouse. This infrastructure is designed to support DJAG’s vision of accessible, user-centred justice services and the Queensland Police Service’s (QPS) commitment to community safety.

Our role

NineSquared was engaged to undertake the financial and affordability analysis for the Townsville and Beenleigh Courthouse DBCs. Working closely with DJAG, QPS, Turner & Townsend, and other stakeholders, NineSquared developed a comprehensive financial model using a discounted cash flow approach. The analysis compared a ‘no improvement’ base case with the preferred redevelopment option, incorporating capital and operating costs over a 46-year evaluation period.

Key elements of the engagement included:

• Whole-of-life costing: Estimating capital works, operational expenses, and lifecycle costs for both base and project cases.
• Workforce and operating cost modelling: Forecasting staffing requirements and associated costs for the courthouse, watchhouse, and police station.
• Sensitivity and scenario testing: Assessing the financial impact of changes in discount rates, escalation assumptions, and construction delays.
• Affordability analysis: Evaluating budget requirements and funding needs, including asset divestment revenue.

The analysis found that while the project case incurs higher whole-of-life costs, it delivers significantly increased capacity and service capability. The financial model was independently reviewed to ensure integrity and alignment with Queensland Treasury’s Project Assurance Framework and Business Case Development Framework.

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