Broadmeadows MP calls on Hume Council to use Growing Suburbs Fund for Broady train station
The Broadmeadows MP has been accused of “failing” to understand his own government’s funding system. Frank McGuire told the council to access a state fund to upgrade crime-ridden Broadmeadows station – but there’s a big hitch.
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A Melbourne MP has called on Hume Council to apply for funding for rundown, crime-ridden Broadmeadows train station through the State Government’s Growing Suburbs Fund.
But the Leader can reveal this isn’t possible under State Government guidelines.
Broadmeadows state Labor MP Frank McGuire, who has campaigned for the train station’s redevelopment since promised funding was stripped in 2011, recently called on Hume Council to apply for funding under the Growing Suburbs Fund.
Mr McGuire said he’d received “advice” that projects in the revitalisation of Broadmeadows report – including the redevelopment of the train station – qualified for State Government cash under the fund.
Plans to revitalise Broadmeadows involve transforming the land around the centre of the suburb, including the Broadmeadows train station.
Over the past 10 years this has resulted in the development of the Town Hall, Hume Global Learning Centre, added parking and the removal of the loop road.
Mr McGuire was recently re-elected chair of a board overseeing the project’s key stakeholders.
“Such bias against Broadmeadows must change, especially given that it has the greatest need and would deliver higher value,” he told parliament last week.
According to the State Government website, the fund provides for “diverse and fast-growing outer suburbs”.
Guidelines for the 2019 application process outlined the fund would not provide cash for “drainage, waste, roads and associated footpaths, and public transport infrastructure”.
This was confirmed by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) which administers the fund.
Hume Council chief executive Domenic Isola said Broadmeadows Train Station was one of the “most run down” stations in Melbourne.
“Given Broadmeadows Train Station is a state-owned asset, council’s role is limited to advocating on behalf of the community for its redevelopment,” he said.
“We expect that Mr McGuire would support the community’s advocacy for the station’s redevelopment by pursuing State funding opportunities.”
Hume Council have called on the State Government to provide $80 million to redevelop the area as part of the Fix Our Station campaign.
It ranked among Melbourne’s top 10 train stations for crime, with more than 90 offences recorded on site within a year.
Hume Mayor Carly Moore said Mr McGuire had it all wrong.
“It beggars belief that the member for Broadmeadows does not understand how his Government’s Growing Suburbs Fund works,” she said.
“The Broadmeadows train station redevelopment is clearly an ineligible project.”
The council has received more than $4.6 million under the growing suburbs fund for projects in Kalkallo, Goonawarra, Gladstone Park and Greenvale on Melbourne’s urban fringe.
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Mr McGuire said $1 million worth of improvement works at the train station would start soon.
READ FRANK MCGUIRE’S STATEMENT IN FULL
The Growing Suburbs Fund 2019-20 is a contribution towards critical community infrastructure. It highlights town centres as a typical project. There is no limit to the number of projects councils can submit for consideration, according to the Victorian Government’s guidelines.
This is why I’m calling for the Hume City Council to nominate projects previously endorsed by the Broadmeadows Revitalisation Board featuring Hume City Council’s representatives, including former Mayor, Cr. Geoff Porter.
Priority Projects included calls for immediate action to redevelop the Broadmeadows Railway Station and the Broadmeadows Metropolitan Activity Centre to revitalise the town centre.
Such projects would deliver important infrastructure, create new jobs and add value to my advocacy for Broadmeadows to become a key hub for economic development in the Australian Government’s proposed City Deal for Melbourne’s North-West.
The Broadmeadows Revitalisation Board’s report in 2018 highlighted the significance of a co-ordinated strategy to redevelop the Town Centre.
“For Broadmeadows, enhancing of the station precinct can deliver improved connections for the community between employment and residential areas as well as delivering better connections for Broadmeadows residents to key employment and activity hubs across the rest of Melbourne.”
That report highlighted the added value of this project. “A substantial redevelopment and renewal of Broadmeadows Railway Station will establish Broadmeadows as a primary transport interchange node in Melbourne’s outer north and significantly support the renewal of central Broadmeadows.
“Revitalisation of key transport interchanges has often been a central catalyst project leading urban renewal initiatives.”
The Broadmeadows Revitalisation Board’s initial report welcomed the Victorian Government’s funding commitment to develop a business case for investment in an upgrade of this vital regional transport hub.
My call is for Hume Council to immediately request that the Victorian Government includes such high value projects for consideration for the 2019-20 Growing Suburbs Funds.
The Broadmeadows Revitalisation Board received expert and local advice.
It was formed at the request of the Victorian Minister for Industry and Employment and the Minister for Suburban Development to provide advice for the delivery of the revitalisation of Broadmeadows.