No Labor support Demons’ Yarra Park plan

LABOR has ruled out supporting the contentious Yarra Park training ground plan after earlier refusing to state its position.

LABOR has ruled out supporting the contentious Yarra Park training ground plan after earlier refusing to state its position.

The powerful East Melbourne Group — backed by some of the state’s wealthiest and most influential families — had claimed the ALP was the only party refusing to rule out the Demons’ bid to secure a prized parcel of land in the MCG precinct near Jolimont station for a training centre and HQ.

But Melbourne ALP candidate Jennifer Kanis yesterday told residents Labor would not support the proposal, which includes a six-storey building with offices, a gym and medical facilities, proposed to be built on top of rail tracks in the northeastern corner of the park.

REVEALED: DEMONS’ GRAND PLAN FOR YARRA PARK

RESIDENTS GROUP FIGHTS YARRA PARK TRAINING GROUND PLANS

MELBOURNE QUASHES CLOSED-OFF COMPOUND FEARS

“I appreciate the work the East Melbourne Group have done to highlight the need to protect Melbourne’s precious open space and would like to confirm that a re-elected Andrews Labor Government will not support the proposal by the Melbourne Football Club to take over Yarra Park,” she wrote in a letter to residents.

The residents’ group has been letterboxing 4000 homes in the two seats affected by the proposal — Richmond and Melbourne — with “How to use your vote to save Yarra Park” flyers.

The battle for Richmond, between Planning Minister Richard Wynne and Greens candidate Kathleen Maltzahn, is on a knife’s edge. The Liberals will not to run a candidate.

On Monday, Ms Kanis would only say it was wrong to suggest she supported any proposal for Yarra Park.

Asked in a survey sent out by the residents’ group if they supported the proposal, Mr Wynne and Ms Kanis said: “We believe the club should think some more about the alternatives and come up with an option that has broad community support.”