Depending on who you listen to about the real-time costs (eg, after loan re-payments, etc) and what you consider money well spent, there has been potentially millions of dollars wasted on the Main Corner Project, Mt Gambier, South Australia; what's far more concerning is the money that appears to be simply missing.
The project was conceived and pursued to keep the vacant Rail Lands clear for the Retail Development that Council has already re-zoned it all for (2009?) and simultaneously drive Mt Gambier into the massive debt that will ultimately force the sale of the Rail Lands; just watch them.
It also serves to garner support for Liberal aspirants Tony Pasin and Steve Perryman, and force people into the Main Street area; Council's pantomime about 'Parkland Concept' and 'legal problems with the deed', etc., are fine theatre but appalling governance; they just lie through their teeth about it all as and when it suits them; disgraceful.
As per previous blogs, I will not reveal my sources (doesn't that sound just like a real journalist - how exciting) and I take full responsibility for the contents of this piece, most of which is already in the public domain via the local media anyway.
City Council has spent millions of Federal (and State?) funding and ratepayers money building an un-necessary Function facility, which it operates in direct competition with established local businesses; Council has used ratepayers money to go into business against ratepayers.
Furthermore, exclusive use of the commercial kitchen and exclusive catering rights (and therefore control of the entire complex) has been given to Sorrentos, which is part-owned by Lachlan Mutton, son of City Councillor Des Mutton, free of charge
Originally this 'lease' was free of charge, but I cannot say what the current lease arrangement is because Council keeps these discussions 'in confidence'.
I note that Sorrento's has now also assimilated the Old Town Hall, with their badging on fridges, etc, and it's staff catering functions being held in the OTH...It's a bloody outrage. (say it like John Elliot would)
The Main Corner epitomises the selfishness, ingorance, corrruption of appropriate process, and rank nepotism that defines both Grant District and Mt Gambier City Councils. (see other blogs)
There are a raft of concerns, questions, and allegations across every aspect of the project, from the original design, to the continuous expansion of the project and associated massive cost blowouts (from $4.5m to now over $10m), etc.
I support the renovation of the Kings Theatre building, even if I would have done it differently, but the 'annex' thing is a disgusting waste of money; the design is appalling, the materials used are disjointed and ugly; and it serves no purpose; the only view of the Mount and Cave Gardens are one small window at the 'back' of the upper floor, with a downpipe down the middle of it...seriously.
It looks like someone has ripped the corner off an industrial warehouse and roughly, randomly slammed it into the side of the Heritage listed theatre building; how did they get permission to do that massive damage to a Heritage Listed building, including demolition of the external arch section?
There has been almost no public consultation, particularly on the un-necessary massive changes to the original project, and subsequent cost escalations, eg, the $650,000 Volcano movie, former CEO Greg Muller's little baby (a blog all its own); the Commercial Kitchen addition; etc.
Councillor Lee has been making this point in Council meetings and The Border Watch paper.
Council only recently renovated the Old Town Hall building, including kitchenette, which has ample space for public meetings, forums, etc; anything too big could use the Sir Robert Helpmann Theatre, eg, the recent Liberal Party anti-Forestry sale meeting.
Council has done the exact same project twice, literally one on top of the other.
Who do you think is paying for all these 'free' events and movies, etc? - We are - staff wages, movie rentals, Council paying Sorrentos to cater things, etc, all comes out of your rates.
Council is using our money to pay a Councillors son to cater events we are frequently excluded from.
Allegations of mis-appropriated funds have been made in Council meetings, by Councillors, eg, Penny Richardson raised the issue of former CEO Greg Muller spending approx $350,000 without appropriate legal authorisation in his last weeks as CEO; that is fraud.
This remains un-resolved; half-baked excuses about 'window insurance' and 'fire-proofing costs', etc, as explained on the front page of The Border Watch are an absolute nonsense; it sounds like a bad BlackAdder episode, ie, "stamp duty...window tax...swamp insurance...hen food...dog biscuits...cow ointment..."
These things should all be part of the original plan and cost, especially "fire-rating", and even then these 'excuses' only added up to $150,000; where's the other $200k gone?
Allegations that there is other monies simply missing cross-over very specific allegations that Council has tried to diffuse or hide some costs by accessing Council staff and/or budgets for work that should have been at the expense of the developers.
Has Council hidden costs in this very in-appropriate way? And are there other sums of money (beyond the $200k) an-accounted for? There is only one way to resolve this issue; a formal and genuinely independent audit of the entire project; put me in charge...you know it makes sense.
Nepotism, fraud, corruption, attacking the complainer, and shiny new cars all round; these are selfish people who have destroyed Mt Gambier.
What about all of the things Council should have done/be doing; eg, proper public transport and infrastructure, an all-weather swimming pool, Rail Lands parklands, tennis court maintenance (leading to losing the International tournament), etc.
The December 2011 opening day defined what the Main Corner is; an elitist white elephant that will be a massive financial yoke for Mt Gambier for decades to come; my informed 'guesstimate' is that the final cost, with interest, etc, will exceed $15million, and likely to scare $20m.
Show me the money...audit the Main Corner, charge and jail those whom have acted corruptly, and recover what can be recovered (under Victims of Crime legislation possibly).
Tomorrow: Surviving SA Health - My Cancer Treatment
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