Tuesday, 3 September, 2024
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Refugee’s tragic plight
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Centre Road flood report
Noble Park exodus
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Sudesh Singh reads the open letter to a throng of Little India traders in Foster Street on 27 August. (Stewart Chambers: 427430)
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A near-deserted Little India precinct, despite bright signage and marketing. (427430)
Save our shops Little India traders in Dandenong fear they are set to “lose everything” in the face of soaring rents and a $600 million redevelopment of the iconic 30-year-old shopping strip. In an open letter to Premier Jacinta Allan, the Little India Traders Association states it is set to launch a public campaign to “save our precinct”. Business owners gathered in the eerily-deserted Foster Street retail strip on Tuesday 27 August to demand Allan and Multicultural Affairs Minister Ingrid Stitt meet with them. Top of their concerns was that their Government landlord Development Victoria has proposed a sizeable rent hike – up to double in some cases. LITA spokesperson Sudesh Singh questioned whether this was a “planned deterrent” for “already struggling” traders. “This move directly contradicts a previous commitment made by the Andrews Labor Government that rents would not be increased until the precinct’s redevelopment was complete. The business owners argue that the widely-
renowned shopping strip attracts visitors from overseas and interstate, as well as being ideally placed within 20 kilometres of 117,000 residents of Indian background. But they have felt “neglected” and “disheartened” by the Capital Alliance $600 million proposal to rebuild the area, including 470 new homes, apartment and office towers, a supermarket, food market hall and community spaces. “(The redevelopment) offers nothing for Little India’s actual preservation or support,” Singh stated. “We would like to know whether the Government intends to save this precinct or let it be destroyed.” A State Government spokesperson said the Government had provided traders with “significant support” for several years, including rental relief and mentoring sessions. “We’ll continue supporting traders and working with them on their options for remaining in the precinct.” More on the story, turn to page 6
Little India traders make a defiant stand. (427430)
12698263-FR35-24
By Cam Lucadou-Wells