Korumburra Seniors and council heading for Supreme Court showdown
Mediation fails
THE LONG battle over the empty Korumburra Senior Citizens Centre continues, the matter now heading to the Supreme Court of Victoria in early December after Wednesday’s mediation session in Melbourne between the Korumburra Senior Citizens Centre Inc and South Gippsland Shire Council failed to achieve a resolution.
Korumburra Senior Citizens Centre Inc is the organising body for the Korumburra Senior Citizens Club.
“We were fairly determined to try and reach some sort of resolution but it just didn’t happen,” secretary of the Committee of Management of the Korumburra Senior Citizens Centre Inc Kris Crichton told the Sentinel-Times.
In a follow-up written statement, he explained that the Supreme Court of Victoria directed the Korumburra Senior Citizens Centre Inc and South Gippsland Shire Council to attend mediation on June 3, ensuring those attending were able to make decisions to achieve an outcome.
“In compliance with the directions of the court, the Committee of Management of the Korumburra Senior Citizens Centre Inc attended mediation firmly of the view that with a modicum of common sense a resolution could be reached,” Mr Crichton stated, appearing to suggest blame for that not occurring lies with council.
The formal mediation follows a protracted saga in which members of the Seniors group have repeatedly asked to meet informally with councillors while council has been adamant the only path for discussion was through official mediation due to continued legal action.
“Despite the failure of mediation, there is nothing preventing the parties from meeting with a view to reaching a resolution, which is confirmed by the Supreme Court of Victoria,” Mr Crichton wrote.
He alluded to the argument of the Seniors group that there is a trust deed in place making South Gippsland Shire councillors trustees of the Korumburra Senior Citizens Centre.
“The Committee of Management of the Korumburra Senior Citizens Centre Inc are committed in the interests of the ratepayers of South Gippsland to meet with the Councillors/Trustees to reach a resolution and save the substantial costs to both parties of a four-day hearing in the Supreme Court of Victoria,” Mr Crichton stated.
South Gippsland Shire Council was contacted for comment.
“As the matter is currently subject to active legal proceedings, it would be inappropriate for Council to comment further at this time,” a council spokesperson said.
