BendigoWeekly www.bendigoweekly.com.au
ISSUE 1108 FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2019
Up for grabs MARONG Racing Club secretary Greg Sheehan and Bendigo Jockey Club CEO Aaron Hearps are ready for tomorrow’s annual Marong Cup Day in aid of local catholic primary schools. A large crowd is expected to enjoy warm sunny conditions and the family entertainment on offer.
HUB TIME Photo: ANDREW PERRYMAN
By PETER KENNEDY
A PLAN to locate more than 1000 state government and City of Greater Bendigo employees in a $90 million building to be established on the fringe of the central business district will be considered at next week’s council meeting. Councillors will vote on a report that recommends the organisation commit to the proposed Bendigo GovHub project, and agree to sell the land it owns and operates from on Lyttleton Terrace so that the
Councillors to decide on GovHub plan
GovHub can be built on the site. Chief executive officer Craig Niemann said the GovHub is a state government project which offered a new, centralised way of doing business focussed on enhancing customer service. Critics of the project have cited the project’s anticipated cost as being unacceptable to ratepayers and questioned the merits and per-
■ Married
ceived benefits of the project, which its supporters say will help breathe new life into the heart of the city. Mr Niemann said the lure of a promised 100 new state government jobs was central to the project’s appeal, but to date just 20 jobs with the Labour Hire Authority have been confirmed. The GovHub would co-locate 400 City of Greater Bendigo staff
for 60 years – Page 7
with a range of state government departments, including the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Department of Jobs, Regions and Precincts, Parks Victoria and the promised 100 new public sector jobs. Seven options have been presented to councillors for their consideration, with council expected to contribute a one-off cost of
■ 40-page
$7.285M to the project, to cover temporary office accommodation and office fitout, should the preferred option be adopted and the project proceed. Mr Niemann confirmed the option recommended by external consultants Pricewaterhouse Coopers, which called for council to retain ownership of the land and enter into an agreement with the private sector with the asset reverting to council in 40 years, was deemed too expensive for the organisation.
Continued Page 6
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