By Andrew Paloczi
KORUMBURRA Senior Citizens Club members have been urged to work with South Gippsland Shire Council to find a solution to their quest for a home base, Member for Monash Russell Broadbent highlighting the opportunity for the parties to meet and put the past behind them. He did so on Thursday at the Korumburra Middle Hotel with over 30 people, mostly senior citizens, present for a meeting with the Federal Member, the gathering chaired by local identity David Amor.
Mr Broadbent acknowledged there has been angst on both sides of the issue but expressed confidence that bad blood doesn’t have to remain.
However, with council having received a legal writ, there seems little prospect for negotiation unless legal action is withdrawn, councillors having been advised not to discuss the Senior Citizens Centre issue due to the legal proceedings. Councillors did not attend Thursday’s meeting other than a brief visit from Cr John Kennedy who explained he was required at his shop.
While the matter is currently going down the legal path, Mr Broadbent stressed the importance of removing lawyers from the equation due to the costly nature of such proceedings.
The Senior Citizens Club has previously stated it owns the Radovick Street building that long served as its home, but is now focused on other issues, arguing Korumburra Shire was made a trustee for the building in 1984 and that council can’t profit from its sale.
That and other legal claims are matters for lawyers to hammer out should legal action continue. Mr Broadbent said he will continue to advocate for the matter to be sorted out between council and the Senior Citizens Club.
“I don’t want division in my community, I want resolution,” he declared.
“There’s got to be give and take on both sides.”
The Member for Monash encouraged the seniors to be flexible and not to rule out the prospect of an alternative home if it proves impossible to return to the Senior Citizens Centre.
Kris Crichton of the Senior Citizens Club agreed with Mr Broadbent that continuing legal action is less than ideal.
“This needs a political fix; we need to get the lawyers out of it,” he said.
Member of the Senior Citizens Club Beryl Jarrett acknowledged Mr Broadbent’s advice, expressing hope his advocacy can help facilitate a discussion between the seniors and council to iron out the issues. While sympathetic to the concerns of the seniors about past events, Mr Broadbent remained steadfast in the importance of moving forward.