By Casey Neill
Greater Dandenong CEO John Bennie says next year is a year of opportunity.
He was the guest speaker at the final Greater Dandenong Chamber of Commerce Business Awards breakfast for the year at Sandhurst on Wednesday 18 October.
“There will be a state election and there’s every likelihood there’ll be a federal election in 2018,” he said.
Mr Bennie said this created an advocacy opportunity for the council.
“We do put a lot of time and effort into understanding what the broader needs are of the community.”
He urged businesses to make their needs and wants known, and said it wasn’t just about residents.
“Our advocacy list is a mile long,” he said.
He said an A-League football team for the region would inspire people, generate community pride and build new facilities.
“This could be a life-changer,” he said.
“The government needs to come to the region and support the provision of soccer stadium.”
On community safety, Mr Bennie said Greater Dandenong needed more police, a family violence support and safety hub, data on packaged liquor outlet sales to assist with planning, and cash for CCTV.
He said the municipality also needed more funding for material aid agencies and support to tackle unemployment.
“Unemployment in the City of Greater Dandenong is the highest in Victoria. Income is the lowest in Melbourne,” he said.
“It’s not a very nice picture to hear, but it’s the reality of life.”
He said improved pathways into education and employment for youths would assist with intergenerational poverty, and gaming machine numbers should at least be capped, if not reduced.
There are 956 pokies in Greater Dandenong and the municipality’s losses last year were $1000 for every adult.
Mr Bennie said the $40 million Springvale Community and Learning Hub warranted Federal Government support.
He said the library would return $6.29 for every $1 the council spent, and the overall project would create 180 construction jobs.
Mr Bennie said Dandenong South had been designated as a national employment cluster but needed greater support and collaboration to make the title mean something.
He said short-term needs included a new rail crossing at Pound Road and Remington Drive, a new crossing at Eumemmerring Creek, and land to develop Glasscocks Road.
Longer-term, the council will advocate for a connection to EastLink at Bangholme Road, extending the Dandenong Bypass to the South Gippsland Freeway, and a Westall Road extension.
“We need governments to put their foot down and accelerate the delivery of many of these things,” Mr Bennie said.
He said the Dandenong South Inland Port would reduce truck movements on the Monash.
“It’s a no-brainer. It has to happen,” he said.
The council will call for a $15 million investment from the government into a rail line linking the area to the Port of Melbourne.
The Greater Dandenong Chamber of Commerce Business Awards winners will be announced at the Atura Hotel in Eumemmerring from 6.30pm to 9.30pm on Wednesday 22 November.
Visit www.greaterdandenongchamber.com.au/events for ticket information.
