Melbourne City Council to spend $300,000 of ratepayers’ cash on Trades Hall renovation

CITY councillors have pledged to hand over $300,000 of ratepayers’ cash to Trades Hall for renovation of the 19th century building in Carlton.

CITY councillors have voted to hand over $300,000 to Trades Hall for renovation of the 19th century union building in Carlton.

The handout of ratepayers’ money is for the renovation of the Trades Hall council chamber, first built in 1892 and then rebuilt after a fire in 1962.

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The vote, supported unanimously by nine councillors, was made in secret during a council meeting and only made public the following day.

Acting Lord Mayor Arron Wood said the commitment was because of the heritage and the community use value of the site.

Melbourne Trades Hall council chamber, circa 1889. Pic: Trades Hall

“Trades Hall is one of the most unique and historically significant buildings in Melbourne,” the Cr Wood said.

“Designed by the same architect (Joseph Reed) behind Town Hall, the Exhibition Building and Melbourne Library, it is important we continue to support Trades Hall’s history and future.’’

The funding ensured that the newly refurbished chamber would be available for bookings by the public, he said.

Fellow councillor Nick Reece described the donation as a “fantastic initiative”.

“Any person who doesn’t support the renewal of Trade Hall doesn’t have an appreciation of Melbourne’s heritage buildings,’’ Cr Reece said.

But Evan Mulholland from the free-market think tank the Institute of Public Affairs described the gift of ratepayers’ money as “outrageous’’.

“With private sector union membership at a record low of 9 per cent, never put it past a desperate union movement to leach off hard working ratepayers rather than dip into their own $1.5 billion in total assets.’’ Mr Mulholland said.

He said the state government had already given $10 million of taxpayers’ money to fix the supposedly deteriorating Trades Hall.

“Melburnians have had a gutful of this shameful extravagance all the while bins are overflowing on city streets.”

Trades Hall building in 1950. Pic: HWT/ARGUS COLLECTION

The revamp of Trades Hall began three years ago and has a multimillion-dollar budget.

The council chamber has in the past been used for discussions about federation in the late 19th century and for anticonscription campaigners during World War One.

In more recent years, it has been also been a venue for comedy festival shows.

The council’s spending pledge will be included in the council’s annual draft budget which is due for public release on May 15.

The move comes as voters in the municipality started receiving their ballot packs this week to elect a new mayor.

A total of 14 candidates are vying to take the place of Robert Doyle who quit in February amid a sexual harassment scandal.

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