Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — My question is to the Minister for Planning, represented here by Minister Dalidakis. Carlton’s Corkman Irish Pub has stood proudly on the corner of Leicester and Pelham streets in Carlton for 159 years. The building was recently sold to developers for $4.76 million, who then saw fit to tear the historic and much-loved building down on 15 October without any approval — a move that spewed asbestos across the site and put public health at risk. Without heritage restrictions on the site, it has now doubled in value since its demolition. With a pathetic fine of just $380 000 now in the offing for these reckless developers, what is the government going to do to make sure these developers do not get away with this historic vandalism?
Mr DALIDAKIS (Minister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade) — I thank the member for her question. I say from the outset that this is an act of wilful vandalism, but it is also far more serious than that given the very serious health repercussions caused by the exposure of asbestos in the destruction of this pub. The asbestos was not dealt with in an appropriate manner. It has left both the public exposed and the people that undertook this reckless destruction and demolition exposed. It has left the people that transported the asbestos exposed and the people where they dumped the asbestos exposed, and this has the potential, as I said, for very serious health consequences.
I know that Minister Wynne has spoken at great length about this issue and about looking at possible interventions by the state and by him as minister. I know that Minister D’Ambrosio has spoken at length about the very serious consequences of the unfortunate disturbing of the asbestos. Whilst you have asked Minister Wynne in particular for a response — and I will ask the minister to outline very specifically the opportunities for government to respond as per your question — I will also seek from Minister Wynne a joint response to you, including from Minister D’Ambrosio, given that the issues are so interconnected.
Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — Thank you, Minister. I look forward to those responses and I appreciate you getting both ministers to respond to this, because in the past the government has not had a great track record on preserving some of the historic buildings in Melbourne, even in the last two years that it has been in government. I certainly was involved in trying to save the Princess Mary Club, which was left in neglect by the owners. It had a historic overlay on it, but it was left in neglect by the owners.
Mr Davis — Absolutely shameful.
Ms PATTEN — It was absolutely shameful, Mr Davis, and then the government allowed that to be demolished. We are seeing the same thing on our doorstep with the Palace Theatre, where that has been gutted, and I think the government should have intervened. Is the government going to impose further sanctions on these developers who are flouting the laws around development of historic sites?
