By CASEY NEILL
Bangholme’s Riverend Road businesses say the precinct desperately needs a $3.44 million infrastructure upgrade – and they can cover the bill.
The newly-formed River End Business Community said the tax revenue it would generate from new wages alone would more than pay for the proposal for roads, public transport connections and footpaths that it presented to the ALP and Liberal candidates for Isaacs ahead of the Saturday 2 July federal election.
Spokesman Ian Clark from Melbourne Cable Park said Mark Dreyfus and Garry Spencer were both “extremely supportive of the need for this funding and were excited by the opportunities it presents”.
“We are confident they will be able to show their Canberra colleagues the urgent need for our community development funding but also the importance of investing in local jobs in Isaacs,” he said.
The River End Business Community is focussed on developing and promoting the precinct which includes Craft and Co Farm, Cornish College, Nine Dragons Horse Club and Melbourne Cable Park.
Mr Clark said they would be making a combined $15 million-plus investment and creating about 180 new jobs.
“The flow-on effects of this are huge,” he said.
“All of these businesses are privately funded and none are seeking any government assistance with their specific business operations.
“We are, however, struggling with the constant lack of investment in failing local infrastructure in the area.”
They’re asking the Federal Government to provide $3.44 million to Greater Dandenong Council and the State Government “fully funded from the additional tax revenues that our investment is creating”.
Mr Clark said economic impact assessments from the Greater Dandenong and Frankston councils found the businesses would create about $30 million in wages in 12 months, which would generate more than $7.6 million in tax revenue.
“After construction this then drops to $5.7 million of new recurring tax revenue,” he said.
“If you extend this further with the new GST revenue, company tax, payroll taxes and council rates this is nothing short of an economic windfall for the government.
“The economic benefits from this construction work create another 21 new jobs and an additional $1.37 in wages which we have not included in our assessment.”
Mr Clark said there were no footpaths, public transport links or bicycle access in the area, and drainage was poor.
He said students, tourists and workers could only access the area by car.
“Road safety issues are reaching a point were an accident is almost inevitable because of the failing road surfaces and edges of the road,” he said.
“The road is increasingly being used as a shortcut to avoid EastLink tolls. Traffic levels are growing significantly.”
Mr Clark said the group had met with Greater Dandenong and Kingston councils as well as state and federal MPs and candidates.
“There is unanimous support for the business investment in Riverend Road,” he said.
“But there seems no ability to resolve the problems within government circles.”
The councils are hamstrung by rate-capping and the State Government has no funding to pass down, Mr Clark said.
“When we have discussed the challenges and the solutions with the Federal Government, their response is that the issues are both state and local issues and they cannot help, despite being the tier of government that will receive all of the new tax revenue our investment is creating,” he said.
Melbourne Cable Park could attract 90,000 people to Bangholme each year with lakes for water-skiing, wakeboarding, kayaking and stand-up paddle boarding.
Nine Dragons’ teaching and learning centre attracts international students, Cornish College is a co-educational independent school, and the 40-acre The Craft and Co Farm opened includes a vineyard, cafe and cellar door.
