Chris Crewther (Dunkley, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Over the past few months, I, along with the state shadow minister for small business, Neale Burgess, the deputy mayor of Frankston City Council, Steve Toms, and other councillors and elected representatives have met many times with the hardworking traders of Frankston, who base their businesses out of premises in Young Street or nearby. They are suffering. The works to redevelop the station precinct and Young Street began in December last year. Traders were told that the works would be completed in May 2017, this year, and planned and budgeted as such. We are now told that the works will be completed by the end of October, only two and a half months away. The street is a mess, and you rarely see the entire cohort of tradesmen all working at the same time. There have been many delays, over and over, and the slow progress of the project has led to many of the traders falling into financial hardship and severe emotional strain, employees being put off and even reported attempts of suicide.

Don's Custom Leatherworks has already closed, and there are at least three other empty shopfronts between Frankston Station and Bayside Shopping Centre. Five further businesses were closed when I last visited, unable or unwilling to open due to the loss of customers. One business owner had a stroke, from which he never recovered, and, tragically, he passed away last month. Businesses have reported losses of up to 90 per cent of their income, and many close the month $3,000 to $4,000 down on regular trade. The works have made many businesses near inaccessible, and minimal foot traffic along the previously busy Young Street has turned once prosperous businesses into empty shops. The traders' plight fell on deaf ears when they sought help from the state Labor member for Frankston, Mr Paul Edbrooke.

Yesterday a letter was delivered to the Hon. Jacinta Allan, the Minister for Public Transport in the Victorian government, co-signed by the Victorian shadow minister for small business, Mr Neale Burgess, Deputy Mayor of Frankston City Council, Councillor Steve Toms, and other councillors, as well as Karin Hann from the Frankston Business Network and the affected traders. They are requesting action not only to finish the works early but also to complete and give fair compensation to them and their businesses for all the suffering and losses they have received as a result of this bungled project.

I call on Mr Edbrook, Ms Allan and the state Labor government to open their eyes and ears to the troubles of our community and engage with our local businesses, whom thus far have been ignored and dismissed, to devastating ends. The ball is now in their court. We look forward to hearing from them by next Friday, 25 August and to hearing from at least one of them at our next meeting of traders at 5.30 pm on 28 August. (Time expired)

Steve Irons (Swan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Before I call the member for Calwell, if no member present objects, three-minute constituency statements may continue for a total of 60 minutes. I also advise the chamber that we are expecting a division shortly.