Excess claim denied

By Melissa Meehan
THE government body in charge of Dandenong’s revitalisation has been accused of lashing out on entertainment over the past two years.
The Opposition’s spokesman on scrutiny of government, David Davis, says VicUrban spent more than half a million dollars “wining and dining staff and clients”.
He said a freedom-of-information request showed that VicUrban employed a “top shelf” catering manager to co-ordinate catering and services food to board members, guests and bureaucrats.
“There is a drought across Victoria but not at VicUrban,” Mr Davis said.
A spokesman for VicUrban said that the costs were at a time of major activity in the property sector. “Like all businesses we are currently reducing discretionary expenditure wherever possible,” he said. “We need to attract investors and partners for our projects. As such we conduct a number of events that require the attendance of external people and organisation – in line with normal business practice catering is provided at such events.”