Victorian
Liberal Nationals Coalition Response Kew Cottages Coalition 22
November 2010
1. Implement all of the
Public Land Development Inquiry Recommendations on Kew Cottages?
The Coalition gives in principle
support to the recommendations of the Select Committee on Public
Land Development. It is essential that we ensure that
Melbourne’s public land is audited and protected to preserve the
amenity and liveability of our city. In particular, a
Coalition Government will review the current proposal for the Kew
Residential Services site to ensure the project incorporates
protection of the heritage trees and buildings, protection of open
space and provision of disability services.
2. Implement all of the
Ombudsman Kew Cottages Inquiry Recommendations?
The Coalition gives in principle
support to the recommendations of the Ombudsman’s inquiry in to
Kew Cottages and the St. Kilda Triangle redevelopment and will
work towards their implementation. The Ombudsman’s report
highlighted concerning issues about lack of documentation, probity
plans that were not followed or were missing, lack of
understanding of conflict of interest and failure to publish
contracts after signing as required. Therefore, the
Coalition supports the recommendations as a means to improving
record-keeping, transparency and conflict of interest as
well as providing insight into the financial arrangements behind
the Kew Cottages development.
3. Register all the
remaining Kew Cottages Public Land on the proposed Baillieu
Government’s new Register of Significant Public Land?
Yes, subject to any contractual
obligations to the contrary.
4. Boost State Heritage
Controls to address the significant regulatory failings identified
by the Ombudsman’s Kew Cottages Inquiry?
The Coalition would regard the
regulatory failings in relation to heritage controls at the Kew
Cottages’ redevelopment as significant and will work towards
addressing these deficiencies.
5. Refocus Government
attention on upgrading services on the State Heritage site for the
intellectually disabled and the wider community?
The Coalition will insist on the
developer of Kew Cottages fulfilling all its contractual
obligations, including the preservation of 40 per cent of the site
as open space and restoring the recreation building that was
demolished in breach of contract. The Coalition is also
aware of short-comings in the building of the 55 first stage
private dwellings. Despite the statement by then Community
Services Minister, Sheryl Garbutt in June 2005 that surplus funds
from the sale of the land would be invested in disability
services, the Ombudsman’s report notes a departmental briefing of
the Treasurer in March the same year advising that it was unlikely
there would be any surplus from the project. The loss of $17
million allegedly sustained on the first stage of the project
makes the financial viability of the project questionable.
Finally, a Coalition Government
would refer numerous concerns about the redevelopment of Kew
Cottages to the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission
once it is established in July 2011 for investigation and report.