Council throws veterans a lifeline

By Sean Car

The City of Melbourne is exploring options with the Department of Defence for the sale of the old repatriation clinic at 310 St Kilda Rd.

It comes after Defence said last month that it intended to sell the site on the open market, following another failed attempt to offload it to the Victorian Government.

That initial news shocked the Australian National Veterans Arts Museum (ANVAM), which has lobbied all levels of government about the site for many years. It wants to become a trustee of the heritage building to establish an art gallery, studios and community retail space for veterans to practise art and recover from trauma, which is consistent with its original use as a clinic for veterans.

In a letter addressed to ANVAM chairman and director Mark Johnston on March 20, Assistant Minister for Defence David Fawcett initially wrote: “The Department of Defence has been working with the Victorian Government to explore the opportunity for a direct sale of 310 St Kilda Road to the Victorian Government with an appropriate security of purpose clause.”

“The Victorian Government has confirmed it is not in a position to develop an off-market sale offer that meets the requirements of the Commonwealth Property Disposals Policy (CPDP).”

“Unfortunately, gifting the site to ANVAM is not permissible under the CPDP. Defence now intends to proceed with the sale of 310 St Kilda Rd on the open market at full market value in accordance with the requirements of the CPDP.”

While Senator Fawcett told ANVAM’s chairman that Defence was committed to supporting veterans by ensuring that any sale of the site included requiring uses that supported rehabilitation of veterans, the decision left the veterans’ group furious.

Under CPDP guidelines, property under Commonwealth ownership can be transferred between any state, territory and local government at a peppercorn rate so long as there is a security of purpose.

In a desperate effort to keep the building in public hands, Mr Johnston reached out to Lord Mayor Sally Capp to understand whether the City of Melbourne, as the only remaining level of government in play, would be in a position to purchase the site.

On April 5, a second letter to Mr Johnston from Mr Fawcett confirmed that the City of Melbourne had indeed entered into negotiations.

“I am pleased to advise you that I have discussed the sale of 310 St Kilda Rd, and the opportunity for the City of Melbourne to participate in an off-market sale, with Melbourne City Lord Mayor, the Right Honourable Sally Capp,” Senator Fawcett wrote.

“Following this discussion, I have requested that the Department of Defence engage with the City of Melbourne to explore an off-market sale in accordance with the Commonwealth Property Disposal Policy.”

“Defence will continue to ensure that any sale process provides for protection of the heritage values of 310 St Kilda Rd, including a requirement that future uses appropriately consider the historic use of the property for rehabilitation of veterans.”

Constructed in 1937, the clinic was important for the rehabilitation of veterans and provided a wide range of services to support injured soldiers with recovery and reintegration into civilian life.

The Department of Defence told Southbank Local News that it had nominated the property to the Victorian State Heritage Register. However, the Heritage Council of Victoria is unable to consider the application until ownership of the building is settled.

While the news doesn’t guarantee security for the ANVAM proposal, it does provide it with hope. A City of Melbourne spokesperson told Southbank Local News that it was still in the preliminary stages of gathering more information on the property.

“City of Melbourne maintains a watching brief on appropriate properties, which are available and may be suited to a range of community and administrative purposes,” the spokesperson said.

The cost of restoring the building, which has been unused for more than 20 years and is understood to be riddled with asbestos, has been estimated between $10 - $20 million.

While ANVAM says that these are costs it is willing to seek philanthropic support for if necessary, the group has also developed a business case for its proposal at the request of Creative Victoria, which forecasts a positive return on investment.

While separated from the Arts Precinct by the Victoria Barracks, the building also sits within the state government’s zoned Southbank Arts Precinct. ANVAM says its proposal lends itself to a range of government strategies relating to the creative industries and mental health.

Mr Johnton told Southbank Local News that his group looked forward to progressing negotiations with the City of Melbourne so that ANVAM could start raising funding for remediation works.

“Working with the City of Melbourne toward transforming 310 St Kilda Rd into a national cultural institution for veterans is a positive development,” he said.

“The city has demonstrated time and again that it highly values the culturally significant sites in its boundaries like 310 St Kilda Rd is to the veteran community.

“The condition of sale mandated by the Federal Government whereby ANVAM will create an arts-based centre for veterans’ wellbeing and rehabilitation will be delivered in a way that invites the broader community to be part of the process.”

“Once operational as Melbourne’s newest cultural institution, 310 St Kilda Rd will be the southern gateway to Melbourne’s arts precinct.”

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