Go public with Coal Creek, he says

Council’s fourth revival strategy for Coal Creek in 20 years can’t fly. The rehash of previous ideas doesn’t make a realistic strategy.

It is encouraging that there is a recognition of the widespread support for Coal Creek and the importance of its role in the community over 50 years protecting our heritage.

Platitudes are however cheap, but real commitment with real dollars backing a reinvestment in a sustainable Coal Creek is needed.

It is encouraging that a clear majority of the councillors supported the new directions strategy. But it is simply kicking the can down the road without proper financial plans, clear performance targets and business strategy.

Business turnarounds are driven by good business plans with clear targets and real resources to reinvest. The estimated cost of any closure in 2017 was $3.5m or $4m in today’s dollars. Surely even blind Freedy can see each year of the lack of financial commitment seriously cost ratepayers. The fumbling of council over the past four years with closure would cost us $8m.

Council has wasted at least $2m on expensive, unimplemented, grandiose plans and three years of neglect that have increased losses to $1m per annum. Even blind Freedy could see if you are unwilling to reinvest you must accept that losses will accumulate.

Making strategic capital investments like Wonthaggi State Coal Mine and Sovereign Hill is the only way to succeed. Without a commitment to reinvestment which has been avoided now for 20 years, the proposed strategy is a plan for failure, an avoidance that has cost council and the community over $10m.

It’s time to get serious about turning Coal Creek around and to stop the haemorrhaging of money by establishing, like Campaspe Shire has for the Port of Echuca, a not-for-profit company run by competent people with a commitment of resources and to turn it around.

Council has proven one thing that it is incompetent in managing businesses be they caravan parks, Splash or Coal Creek. Council’s plan is a plan without substance and a plan for failure. PR strategies may confuse some people, deflecting their immediate concerns but they delay the inevitable. Council through its inaction and lack of commitment has already cost $3m dollars in the past three years.

Council has allowed it to deteriorate as a strategy probably on the part of some to justify closure.

The proposed asset management review like two previous reviews with the lack of maintenance would lead to a further loss of buildings, our heritage and the story line of the museum.

Council’s pathetic solution is to turn volunteers into toilet cleaners and staff replacements is a ruse and clearly against the Victorian Volunteer Strategy and Act that prohibits using volunteers to replace staff.

Stopping kicking of the can down the road and the haemorrhaging of money requires real leadership by all Councillors. Doing nothing destroys our heritage through neglect and will cost us dearly. It’s time for our timid councillors to show some spine and not just accept council staff reports as Gospel.

If council is serious and wants to stop the haemorrhaging of monies, management needs to be transferred to a not-for-profit company with a real partnership with business people, council reps and community reps, with a real strategic business plan, real targets, and reinvestment funds.

If our councillors don’t bite the bullet and make these changes we will be looking back in 10 years on further losses over $10m.

Andrew McEwen, Korumburra