Tuesday, 16 December, 2025
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Caring helpers give cheer We Care Community Services volunteers PJ, Innocent and Lara were among dozens who were giving families a helping hand on Friday 12 December. About 1000 self-care hamper packs as well as kids activities, entertainment and a barbecue were staged at the centre in Dandenong North. More pictures, turn to page 12
(Stewart Chambers: 520667)
PPP ‘air rights’ By Cam Lucadou-Wells A cash-strapped Greater Dandenong Council may explore a public-private partnership to co-fund a potentially scaled-down Dandenong Community Hub project. In front of a hostile public gallery, councillors emphatically voted on 8 December to halve the “oversized” proposed facility to keep it within its $30 million budget. They also endorsed the exploration of a possible PPP including “any air rights” above the site. Council officers estimated the current onestorey design for DCH would balloon to $65 mil-
lion, plus up to $15 million for a basement car park. Cr Bob Milkovic said it made “economic sense” to utilise the highly-valuable site at Clow and Stuart streets and Sleeth Avenue with a potential PPP, to help deliver a “first-class” hub but “not at the expense of the whole municipality”. “Do we keep promising our community something which can’t be delivered?” Meanwhile, Cr Rhonda Garad, in opposition, has lodged a rescission motion so the decision will be reconsidered at the next council meeting in 2026.
She rejected the “complete cutting and gutting” of the Hub design, which was co-designed with community members at a cost of about $750,000. It was the third time that the council had sought a redesign. The Hub needed to be large enough to cater for relocated childhood services, as well as a high intake of humanitarian arrivals and high-need residents, Cr Garad said. The council’s city futures director Sanjay Manivasagasivam said Dandenong’s population was well served by other community spaces such as
Drum Theatre, DNA Gallery and Dandenong Wellbeing Centre pool. Greater Dandenong expects to go into underlying deficit for the first time in 2025-’26 as it commits to its $122 million Dandenong Wellbeing Centre. The council expects to take on significant debt and draw down on reserves for the DWC, borrowing $68 million in the next two years and spending $16.6 million from reserves next year. It will be spending up to $7.2 million a year to service the loans. More on the story, turn to page 5
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