By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
EMBATTLED Little India traders have demanded the Labor Party’s proposed showcase Indian cultural precinct be set in Dandenong.
During a pre-state election grilling by traders and Indian media last night (Thursday), Opposition planning spokesman Brian Tee refused to guarantee the precinct would be set in the 20-year-old south Asian-themed shopping strip despite its “compelling case”.
“There’s no three or four spaces we want to pick from.
“It’s about getting that consultation going, having a look at what’s out there and having that potential to grow – and this space has its advantages.”
Under questioning at the meeting at Roshan’s Fashions in Foster Street, Mr Tee made some concessions such as “clearly this is one of the ideal locations… obviously this area is very competitive… you need an existing base to start with and a base to grow”.
He also criticised Places Victoria for its lack of empathy for the traders’ plight during street works in 2010 and 2011.
Mr Tee – who has supported traders’ protests to ‘save Little India’ – described the proposed precinct as something that would rival Lygon Street.
He envisaged it as an area for festivals that would be marketed as a tourist attraction and a celebration of Indian culture – but a place where “the community, more broadly” would savour the experience.
The precinct’s composition was “speculative”, he said.
It would be subject to talks with Indian community leaders, though there “clearly will be a retail aspect”, Mr Tee said.
He also hinted that it could hitch onto the “great success with Bollywood films”.
“We want to make sure we get this right.
“The crucial issue is where we will locate it. I can’t answer that today.”
Mr Tee acknowledged that traders had suffered financially and emotionally after being treated “badly” by Places Victoria during the Revitalising Central Dandenong project.
He cited the “disadvantages, closing off of roads, the lack of respect… and the impact on people”.
“I do think Places Victoria has a lot to answer for,” he said.
“(If an ALP government was elected) you would have a different approach from Places Victoria… I can guarantee you.”
Questions from the floor described traders being hospitalised due to their businesses being “ruined” as roads were closed and buildings demolished in 2010 and 2011.
Shop-owner Kaushaliya Vaghela questioned Mr Tee on how building the precinct outside of Dandenong would benefit Little India traders.
She told the Journal that traders would revive protesting on Parliament steps if they were “let down”.
Lawyer Kusum Vaghela likened re-siting the precinct to “demolishing a heritage building and building it somewhere else”.
Grocer and cafe owner Steven Khan unsuccessfully appealed to Mr Tee for more compensation for traders on top of the six-months rent free which had already been provided by the State Government.
Mr Khan said that he had been debt free before the works and boasted of not “owing money to anyone”.
However, he said the works had caused him to become more than $60,000 in debt because of lost trade.
