THE State Opposition has pledged to try and renegotiate with developers on land around Ballarat Station should it win office in November.<\/p>\n
Shadow Minister for Public Transport, David Davis, made the promise after meeting with members of the Save Our Station campaign last week.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat is absolutely clear here is that Labor have mismanaged this project,\u201d he said. \u201cThey have not developed a comprehensive long-term solution for this station.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to work to get a better outcome here.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know Labor has signed a number of contracts with various developers on aspects of this site\u2026 But it\u2019s surly not impossible, if a Liberal\/ National government was elected in November, to work with the developers and to seek to renegotiate aspects of that set of contracts.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Davis said parts of the development like the goods shed, carpark, bus interchange and accessibly needed a second look.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt seems to me that there\u2019s no solution for disabled persons access and we need to make sure that there is,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
John Barnes, spokesperson for SOS said he was pleased with Mr Davis\u2019 commitment but there was more the Coalition could do.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a great first step,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve been asking for Labor and Liberals to take the view that this contract can be renegotiated, and they are the first ones to make a move, so congratulations to them.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe would love to see the next step taken, and that is they actually pledge some additional money toward making the renegotiation feasible.\u201d<\/p>\n
Many elements of an alternate plan put forward by SOS align with aspects on the Coalition\u2019s pledge.<\/p>\n
The SOS plan includes renegotiating the redevelopment contracts, winding back the sale of the goods shed and then completing a restoration, an upgrade and restoration of the station building, improved disability access via an underground tunnel, a bus terminal inside station grounds and completion of the multi-story carpark but with the addition of at least 500 more spaces.<\/p>\n
On access, Mr Barnes said it was an opportunity of both parties to commit money and make gains.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe disability access issue needs to be addressed,\u201d Mr Barnes said. \u201cThat hasn\u2019t been funded in what Labor has proposed so far and it\u2019s a blank for both of the parties.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Davis did not mention a key component of SOS\u2019s goals, the relocation of 77-room apartment hotel.<\/p>\n
Several sources close to the redevelopment of the station issue have suggested it\u2019s shaping up as an important election battleground.<\/p>\n
As a result, Mr Barnes said some leftleaning SOS supporters would have a tough choice on their hands come polling day.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey are struggling with this whole thing,\u201d he said. \u201cThey are really are torn over this. They think it\u2019s bad policy
\nfrom Labor. Whether it\u2019s enough to tip them over the edge and not vote Labor is another thing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Minister for Regional Development and Western Victoria upper house MP, Jaala Pulford, took issue with a number of Mr Davis\u2019 and SOS claims, including the pledge to try to renegotiate the contracts.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s fascinating that David Davis has said that because David Hodgett, who is the relevant shadow minister, has said that they will honour the existing contracts,\u201d Ms Pulford said.<\/p>\n
She also said that while she respected the right of SOS to put forward a different view, the current development plan was a long time coming.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis project has its origins from more than a decade ago and we\u2019re getting on with it,\u201d Ms Pulford said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe contracts were signed almost two years ago, work is underway, and I find it extraordinary the Liberal Party are proposing to unravel what is a $50 million investment in Ballarat, particularly given the master plan was launched by Denis Napthine.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms Pulford said the SOS campaign, \u201ckeep telling the community lies about the project,\u201d around issues like carparking and disability access.<\/p>\n
She also had a message for wavering Labor voters.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is going to be a fabulous development,\u201d she said. \u201cWe are going to have a convention and exhibition centre that Ballarat desperately needs, we\u2019re going to have public open space that we currently don\u2019t have, and we\u2019re going to have more commuter parking than we\u2019ve ever had before.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
THE State Opposition has pledged to try and renegotiate with developers on land around Ballarat Station should it win office in November. Shadow Minister for Public Transport, David Davis, made the promise after meeting with members of the Save Our Station campaign last week. \u201cWhat is absolutely clear here is that Labor have mismanaged this […]<\/p>\n