Bendigo Weekly 1109

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BendigoWeekly www.bendigoweekly.com.au

ISSUE 1109 FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2019

New agency to nurture future stars A HOPE for more diversity in locally produced content has sparked the forming of a new Bendigo-based talent agency, with the primary aim of having young people of all back-

grounds, and their voice, at its core. Talent Star was born out of a conversation between businesswoman Laura Patterson and 17-year-old Star Wanyama, who believed she was a

visitor in her own city, not seeing people of similar culture in local media and advertising. “All people from all walks of life at a young age should be able to see

themselves in the media and feel a connection,” Ms Wanyama said. Local content-creating businesses wanting to access the talent or get involved should contact 0409 003 003.

HUB VOTE TALENTED: Star Wanyama with her mother Naomi Wanyama. Photo: ANDREW PERRYMAN

Project expected to boost CBD

By PETER KENNEDY

A ONE-STOP shop for state and local government services on the fringes of the central business district has been given the green light. Councillors voted on Wednesday to back the $90 million GovHub, which will see 400 City of Greater Bendigo staff join 600 state government employees in a single premises, to be built on the city’s current Lyttleton Terrace site. Mayor Margaret O’Rourke said the GovHub would revitalise the city centre and drive investment in the

local economy. “This is an amazing city-building project with a key focus on bringing more people into central Bendigo to work or engage with government services,” Cr O’Rourke said. “Our customers will be the real winner, as the GovHub will provide for the convenient, centralised delivery of a range of government services, where residents will be able to make planning enquiries, obtain permits,

■ Sunshine

make general enquiries and pay bills all in one place.” Dispelling comments Bendigo was getting a raw deal compared to Ballarat, Cr O’Rourke listed a string of government funded investments into Bendigo over the past eight years that were worth more than $800 million. She said the GovHub was a further example of the government’s support and confidence in regional Victoria, and particularly in Bendigo.

seeks new home – Page 3

The proposal’s most vocal opponent has been former state MP Max Turner, who maintains he is not against the project as much as he is the process followed, and the perceived lack of detail and transparency, and a failure to consult with the community. “Disposing of city property without giving the people a say on the future of their assets is an affront to democracy and a blight on coun-

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cil,” he said. Mr Turner also seized on an administrative error in the council agenda that saw the address of the new GovHub incorrectly listed as being on land at 159 – 299 Lyttleton Terrace, instead of 195 – 229 Lyttleton Terrace. A City of Greater Bendigo spokesperson yesterday downplayed the error, and said the intention of the resolution was to signal to the community that the Lyttleton Terrace site needed to be sold to enable the development of a GovHub. Continued Page 4

Property Guide inside


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