The Bendigo council is rattled by the backlash of community with the sad realisation that the city’s assets – land and buildings in Lyttleton Terrace owned and managed by the Bendigo Bunch in trust for the residents – are being sold to the State Government.
They have bumbled and bungled for months over this hop-into-bed-with-the-State Government model called a GovHub already costing $100 million and rising.
Talk about an absolute act of betrayal, giving the residents no say and no solid information to understand, let alone support this crazy decision based on Mayor O’Rourke and her team ineptly following the orders of Premier Andrews down there in Spring Street.
Using our money to bail out the State Government when really if they want a GovHub, government should built it themselves on their land with their money. That’s what they are doing in Ballarat. Why not Bendigo?
If this wasn’t so serious for the future of Bendigo, we’d be doubling over with laughter louder than watching reruns of those classic bumblers on Hogan’s Heroes.
Actually we watched that TV show the other night and realised there was a comparison with the Bendigo Bunch – bloody hopeless and oblivious to what’s happening under their very noses.
Not releasing the business case to sell our city-owned land and buildings. What business case? Why should it be shared with the residents of Camp Bendigo?
And what about consultation? More gloss than the shine on Klink’s monocle as the Bunch claims consultation starts after the decision and concept plans have been lock in. Strange way of doing business.
They claim the State Government has the business plan and that is who can release it. Really? Confirmation the Bendigo Bunch has been reduced to the role of junior participant in this dud GovHub project the government proclaims is a partnership with council?
With the searching spotlight firmly fixed on finding answers from the Bendigo Bunch before another dollar is spent on dud GovHub, it’s a sure thing that Mayor O’Rourke is checking in with the big boss in Melbourne.
The Bendigo Bunch has to come clean and confess with release of their business plan – any plan, any costings, any information they used to sell our land and buildings.
Otherwise, come the next election, they’ll be sent to the cooler. There’s no escaping their responsibilities for openness, transparency and accountability. You are answerable to the people of Bendigo.
Sign our petition to State Parliament calling for a halt on dud GovHub until the business case is released and there is consultation … not just on GovHub but also council selling our assets.
