Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) (1503)
Incorporated pursuant to order of Council of 7 September:
I am directing my adjournment to the Minister for Government Services, Danny Pearson, and it is a matter raised by Russell Huntingdon, president of the University of the Third Age’s Melbourne City campus, and on behalf of the more than 1000 people who participate in dozens of courses.
They have a needless and damaging space problem. We here in this place have evident and sensible solutions—and ones with no losers and multiple winners. Ones that are apolitical.
U3A’s CBD campus is literally all over the place. Pre COVID, it was forced by a tight commercial property rental market to split its classes over as many as 13 sites across the CBD.
The cost of renting these spaces by the hour is unsustainable.
The University of the Third Age is a community gem, a marvellous mix of intellectual, cultural, and social stimulation. It enhances mental and physical health.
These hugely important benefits—which will be increasingly valuable as older age brackets account for an increasingly big chunk of the population—are undermined by the lack of a common space.
Our COVID-ravaged CBD, the economic heart of the state, is suffering an activity deficit and a space surplus. This is of community-wide significance.
The needs of U3A are modest. They are looking for around 250 square metres where they can have an office and rooms that they can use flexibly.
The action I seek is for Minister Pearson to direct his department to review the state government buildings in the Melbourne CBD, and to investigate whether any vacant state government facilities could accommodate the University of the Third Age.
Fiona Patten MP
Leader of Reason
Member for Northern Metropolitan Region
Adjournment 14/9/21
Answer
Thank you for your question. This has been referred to me as the responsible Minister.
I acknowledge the request regarding the University of the Third Age’s Melbourne City campus and their observations made regarding the CBD.
The Department of Treasury and Finance (DTF) is responsible for procuring, managing and disposing of office accommodation for all Victorian Government departments and its client agencies, which is managed through the Shared Service Provider (SSP) group in the Department.
The accommodation portfolio under SSP’s management is occupied by Victorian Public Sector (VPS) staff to support their operational activities across the state.
SSP is mandated to manage the portfolio efficiently, minimise vacant space and deliver Centralised Accommodation Management savings back to Government.
Currently the SSP CBD office portfolio is fully allocated to Victorian Government Departments and Agencies and while the current COVID 19 restrictions have resulted in substantial office accommodation being unoccupied due to work from home orders, this space still remains allocated to Government Departments and Agencies.
SSP does not provide space to non VPS entities due to legislative and risk management frameworks, by exception only some accommodation space has been sub‐let to third parties external to the Victorian Government in certain commercial contexts. However, this has involved rigorous procurement and tender procedures to support an equitable market approach to ensure these spaces are sublet at commercial market rents in line with government procurement processes.
At times there are government grants and funding available to various not for profit agencies and community groups which may be of interest to the University of the Third Age. Typically detailed funding submissions are required to be prepared and lodged. Submissions received are then reviewed and assessed against the funding objectives and eligibility criteria that is relevant to that specific funding. Information regarding funding grants and programmes can be found on various web sites including www.vic.gov.au/grants.
The Hon. Danny Pearson MP
Assistant Treasurer
Date: 25 / 10 / 2021
