As the Bendigo Bunch prepare to put a “sold" sticker over the sign outside our city-owned prime CBD land and buildings in Lyttleton Terrace, there will surely be a long line of disappointed bidders rejected in favour of a pre-sale offer by the State Government.
A fire-sale knockdown price is expected to see Bendigo’s Spring Street masters pick up the land and buildings on very favourable terms. Afterall, the land and buildings will be sold at a price given by the Valuer-General, not one that the open market is prepared to pay.
It’s a further example of how the Bendigo Bunch is betraying the residents of our city. Have a look at other CBD commercial land and building now available for purchase and compare the prices … and the land area of these sites against Lyttleton Terrace that the council is meant to protect and maintain on behalf of the current citizens for the future citizens.
Research by www.bendigogovhub.com.au shows that the Bendigo Bunch is potentially dudding ratepayers out of many millions of dollars in their haste to sign up for a dud GovHub deal.
Our investigations also reveal a large footprint commercial site in Kangaroo Flat “CBD” sold for more than $8 millions … a decade ago.
Of course, maintaining and protecting assets is hardly a strong point with the professor in failed mathematics from Bendigo, Jacinta Allan, who let the condition of five local secondary schools deteriorate so much on her watch as the minister (ir)responsible for school building maintenance that they were knocked down and replaced by only four schools.
Looks like Mayor O’Rourke and her fellow Bunch members have been attending special instructional classes from Jacinta on how to waste money. They’ve excelled, going to the top of the class by not only selling the city’s home but also agreeing to hand back the meagre sale cheque to the Government and then pay rent to live on land we once owned.
What other council in Victoria has entered into such a folly of an agreement with the State Government? Can you imagine the outcry if Melbourne City Council, without consultation, went to sell off its offices and home at Melbourne Town Hall?
Ballarat is getting preferential treatment for its GovHub when compared to Bendigo. You see, government is building a GovHub the other side of the Great Divide on its own, no council money, no council land and no council staff in the new building. Ballarat gets to keep its independence, something the Bendigo Bunch have deprived our great city of enjoying into the future.
And Geelong? They’re off building new council offices without being in partnership with government.
So why is Bendigo the odd one out? Is council unable to raise the money to add a storey or two to our Lyttleton Terrace home? Has the city become over-committed financially because it is carrying the can on other projects that State Government should be either paying, or at least making a reasonable contribution, like they did in Ballarat by giving that council $2 million to develop more parking needed as a result of GovHub?
Or is the Bendigo Bunch simply being lazy? We never hear of councillors and senior staff badgering government for better deals in Bendigo, yet our provincial rivals are constantly reporting their bruised knuckles from knocking on the doors of government ministers and decision makers as they work hard for more dollars.
Or is the Bendigo Bunch more interested meddling in time-consuming issues that fall well outside the core areas of responsibility for local government.
We’ve picked up that a campaign has just started in Western Australia to get councils back on track and stop wasting time, and money, on issues that are up to state and federal governments to handle.
But back to this fire sale in Lyttleton Terrace and the reaction from concerned residents as people realise the perilous path the Bendigo Bunch is now travelling.
Penny says: I'm stunned that this bunch of fools has agreed to sell our assets but don't know for how much!
Colin said: Bendigo Council Circus Ringmaster Mayor Margaret O'Rourke, and the Councillors who voted in favour of this DUD project, that unravels daily - Councillors Rod Fyffe, James Williams, Yvonne Wrigglesworth, Matthew Emond, and Malcolm Pethybridge should hang their heads in shame.
And Linda who says: This Guvhub thing is a ridiculous waste of ratepayers’ money!!
Unfortunately Linda, it’s not just a case of wasting money, the Bendigo Bunch is wanting to sell our assets without consultation, without testing the real estate market and handing the cheque for any sale straight back to the government.
It’s a bargain basement mentality from the so-called leaders of our city. Was that in council’s business plan to sell? The business plan they refuse to release, if it even exists.
Sign our petition to halt a dud deal before Bendigo Bunch wastes (or gives away) any more of our land, buildings and money.
