THE Discovery committee of management needs to show a sustainable model for the centre’s future before the state government will commit any funds, Member for Bendigo West Maree Edwards says.
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The government launched its $500 million Regional Jobs and Infrastructure Fund in Castlemaine on Monday, including $250 million to regional infrastructure.
Despite the ample funds in the government’s war chest for the regions, Ms Edwards said it would be up to Discovery to prove it can stand on its own two feet into the future.
“Once they can present a sustainable model to us, then we will examine their plan and determine whether it’s eligible for any of the funding streams,” she said.
“It’s not for us to tell them how to do that, once the model is in place we will go out of our way to see it it fits.”
Bendigo Trust chairman Ian Hart said the Discovery centre was running at an annual loss of $200,000, while the committee of management blamed the state government and council for a lack of commitment.
Two projects in the Bendigo region were promised regional infrastructure funding in the lead-up to last year’s election, including $5 million to the Aspire precinct project and $1 million to the Harcourt Mountain Bike Plan.
Across the state, the Geelong Performing Arts Centre would receive receive $30 million, there was $25 million to the Ballarat Railway Station precinct and $19 million to the Grampians peak trail.
Ms Edwards said it was unfair to say the state government had not been supportive of Discovery.
“The centre has received $70,000 from the state government and there’s still two years of that left,” she said.
“It’s not like the state government hasn’t supported Discovery.”
Acting Premier James Merlino and Minister for Regional Development Jaala Pulford visited Castlemaine on Monday to launch the $500 million funds and discuss how they would be shared throughout Victoria’s regional cities and towns in the next four years.
