Lord Mayor candidate pledges CBD school to help homeless youth

A CBD school would be established for homeless youth in a council-owned building on Bourke St, a lord mayoral candidate has promised in a last-ditch bid for votes.

A CBD school would be ­established for young homeless people in a council-owned building on Bourke St, lord mayoral candidate Jennifer Yang has promised.

As postal voting in the by-election comes to an end, the ALP-backed candidate announced an $8 million homelessness package.

Voters have to post ballots by 6pm on Friday, but the Victorian Electoral Commission said a result was not expected until late next week when all ballots were received.

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Melbourne mayoral candidate Jennifer Yang has promised a school for homeless youth in the CBD if she is elected. Picture: Wayne Taylor

Ms Yang’s latest promise is to establish a city campus of Melbourne City Mission’s Hester Hornbrook Academy, an independent school for young people in need.

It would occupy the 11-storey Bourke St building built in 1941 and formerly occupied by the Commonwealth Bank.

Ms Yang said the present ground-floor lease for the City Duty Free shop would be ended, forgoing about $800,000 in annual rent.

The former Manningham mayor had earlier promised to commit another council-owned property, the seven-storey archives building on Lt Bourke St, to a refuge for women and children.

Her package also includes $575,000 for peer-to-peer street workers to engage with rough sleepers and $420,000 for the night cafe.

The City Duty Free store in the old Commonwealth Bank building would lose its lease if Jennifer Yang’s plan were to go ahead.

“Homelessness is the biggest issue currently facing the City of Melbourne,’’ Ms Yang said.

“The council can and must do more for our most vulnerable.”

Ms Yang is one of 14 candidates contesting the by-election to replace Robert Doyle who resigned in February amid a sexual harassment scandal.

An inquiry ordered by Town Hall found four adverse findings against Mr Doyle, including that he touched the breast of former councillor Tessa Sullivan in the mayoral car.

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@IanRoyall