The Bendigo Bunch is all over the place, slipping and sliding their way along wet winter roads of discontent trying to sell residents and ratepayers a dud GovHub as the date is set for what could be a charade called community consultation.
With Mayor O’Rourke and MP Jacinta Allen taking on the roles of Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum in this episode of an appalling melodrama of betrayal and neglect, the information coming out of council and government is murkier than water running down the Bendigo Creek.
And because they are giving limited detail, we can report that a community consultation survey has finally opened at https://developmentvictoria.engagementhub.com.au/bendigo-govhub and the community design consultation forum will be in the town hall on Saturday 27th July. We haven’t seen too much advertising for this “consultation” that will probably be about the colour of the curtains. Will Jacinta and Margaret want red?
The survey is interesting as it guides respondents to “want” more coffee shops. Not content with hitting businesses in Epsom by the loss of jobs because of GovHub, the Bendigo Bunch is pumping for more threats to CBD businesses.
And do you want the GobHub to reflect the “communities” culture and history, they ask? Will the Doherty garage and other historic buildings in the precinct be saved or knocked down?
Regional Development Victoria has embraced the MO of the Bendigo Bunch too with no option in the survey to make additional comments.
But as they say in the classic 1970s TV advertisements (the era when our city’s home that council now wants to just give away was built), there’s more.
The RDV website now says GovHub will be a partnership between government and council and that certainly contradicts the Mayor who has always said it was a government project when asked.
RDV says: The Victorian Budget 2017/18 confirmed a $16 million investment for delivery of the third GovHub, alongside LaTrobe Valley and Ballarat. The investment will go towards a project valued at more than $90 million, to build and fit-out the new modern office building.
WHO’S RIGHT? Jacinta Allen says it’s more than $100 million. But then we know Jacinta isn’t too good at maths, not even getting the number of “jobs” right in her recent media gloss stunt.
RDV says: The GovHub will be located at the site of the current City of Greater Bendigo office in Lyttleton Terrace, in the Civic Precinct. The City of Greater Bendigo decided to sell its Lyttleton Terrace office to the Victorian Government and become a tenant in the GovHub on 21 February 2019. The building is expected to cover the Lyttleton Terrace, Mundy Street, St Andrews Avenue and Market Street block
WRONG: Council only agreed in principle to sell the land and buildings, hand the check straight back to government and become a high-rent paying tenant in GovHub. The deal is not done!
RDV says: The new building will provide the community with a single point to access government services, in the heart of the city.
WHAT IS IT? GovHub has gone from a one-stop shop to a single-point access. We know all services will not be at GovHub, so much for the slippery selling pitches from Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum
And absolute confirmation of the murkiness comes with the timelines – every so-called milestone is indicative only. Still no locked-in detail other than the Bendigo Bunch like obedient pups heeling to direction of their State Government masters.
Jump on and do the survey, attend the “consultation” and tell the Bendigo Bunch the acts of betrayal will no longer be tolerated in our proud city.
