A VIETNAM veteran of Doreen has spoken about the heartache regarding the Brookwood Community Centre saga, and the RSL not yet being delivered the use of the full building.
Paul Adams said Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles came to Doreen just before the last election and told Doreen RSL members that if Labor won the election Doreen RSL would get $1.6 million.
“Simple as that, the man’s word was good as money in the bank. But little did we know there was a little devil in the detail. The money for the RSL depended on being at the Brookwood Community Centre, run by Whittlesea Council,” Mr Adams said.
“I realised this was another false dawn. We were getting a Claytons RSL, it might look like the real thing but it isn’t,” he said.
“For years we have been getting the Sir Humphrey Appleby soft shoe shuffle from the council. Endless words woven like a spider’s web giving only the allusion of interest.
“Finally, they have revealed their hand. The council’s letter to residents on May 5 contained council’s preferred option that confirmed they just don’t want us. A Faustian bargain with terms so onerous that the Sword of Damocles hangs constantly over us, we are to stand on quicksand and there’s nothing we can do about it.”
The council is seeking feedback from residents, regular hirers, and the wider community on a proposal to lease part of the community centre to the Doreen RSL.
Mr Adams said the restrictions imposed are “to keep us at subsistence survival until kicked out after five years, at most 10 according to whim.”
“I would rather meet in a tent in our own pigsty than be the tenant of this hostile landlord.”
“The council letter said though it’s not a done deal because there is a ‘consultation’ process before they confirm their preferred option. But history shows us ‘more swill, I’ll lay money down nothing will change’.
“Machiavellian princes and their knitting, you’ll get your RSL for now. And just to keep you dancing how about more obstacle course work, make a business plan and put it in a begging bowl.
“What logic explains a government putting up $1.6 million of taxpayers’ money for an RSL without any reasonable assurance it will continue to exist? Any limited time tenure is totally unacceptable.”
Mr Adams said Brookwood is a ‘community’ place, built for the use of the community. There is no hope that a piece of an existing facility would be permanently cut off from the community.
“Viable options exist for the RSL but only if the Federal Government removes the condition of binding the RSL grant to the council.
“The government has proven last week that nothing is written in blood so things can be changed when they want to. Same as negative gearing and capital gains tax.
“Just end this bad marriage. A quick and honourable death so we won’t have the ongoing uncertainty of being daily stuck in no man’s land living the death of a thousand cuts,” Mr Adams said.
A council spokesperson said council understands and appreciates the need for the Doreen RSL to have a permanent location for their members.
The current proposal is trying to balance the needs of the RSL with the needs of the broader community including the current users of the Brookwood Community Centre, the spokesperson said.
“This is why council is currently conducting consultation on our preferred option – to lease part of the centre.
“Once we hear back from our community council will make a final decision and have more to say.”
