FIGHT FOR DEC FUNDS

THE push for federal funding to redevelop the Derwent Entertainment Centre at Glenorchy has been taken up a notch with MP Andrew Wilkie lobbying Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg over the $200 million plan.

LOBBYING has begun for Federal Government funding to redevelop the Derwent Entertainment Centre — but any push needs a public commitment from the State Government.

Federal independent member for Clark Andrew Wilkie has approached Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg over the proposed redevelopment of the 30-year-old DEC under proposed new owner NBL boss Larry Kestelman.

He also plans to take it up with Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack, who controls regional development funding.

The venue is the key part of Mr Kestelman’s wider plans for a $200 million sporting, restaurant and shopping precinct that would also see the state returning to the NBL — but none of the proposal will go ahead without taxpayer funding to bring the DEC into the 21st century.

Mr Wilkie, who also met with Mr Kestelman last week, said Mr Frydenberg was aware of the proposal and the development’s benefits to the northern suburbs, but for now he remained noncommittal.

Just how much taxpayer funding is required is still being negotiated.

“The impression I got from

Larry is his proposal is well received by the State Government and is supported in principle, and my initial soundings suggest the Federal Government sees the merit in the project, but no one has moved beyond that,” Mr Wilkie said.

“I think the most important government actor at the moment is the State Government, because if the State Government moves beyond this gesture of support and clearly defines exactly what support it will provide, that will really unlock it and make it easier to pursue money in Canberra.

“It is very hard for me to pursue money in Canberra if the State Government hasn’t more clearly put their support behind it.”

The DEC is owned by the Glenorchy City Council, which is believed to have agreed to sell it and the adjacent Wilkinsons Point to Mr Kestelman.

Mr Wilkie said he was a supporter of Mr Kestelman’s proposal, but only as long as it met his four criteria:

A FAIR price for the DEC;

FORESHORE remaining in public hands;

ALL reasonable community concerns being addressed;

ANY public funding, state or federal, is strictly conditional on it being demonstrated there will be a strong benefit to the community.

Mr Frydenberg’s office was contacted for comment.