Planning fee waived for cancer centre

A planning application fee of almost $10,000 will be waived for a proposed cancer day centre at West Gippsland Hospital.

Despite one councillor expressing concerns it would create “a slippery slope”, Baw Baw Shire councillors voted six to one to provide one-off support for a special case.

Council previously signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with West Gippsland Healthcare Group (WGHG) in 2021 to advocate for a new hospital being built on Lardners Track in Drouin East. The new hospital became a guarantee earlier this month after gaining bi-partisan support ahead of the state election.

Cr Danny Goss, urged councillors to “put our money where our mouth is.”

“Because, after all, if they can save $9000, that’s $9000 they can spend on something else.”

Cr Annemarie McCabe said, unlike other councils, Baw Baw had no policy on fees and charges being waived or reduced.

“This to me is a slippery slope. I understand it is well intentioned, but are we setting a precedent and where would we be drawing the line?”

Shire chief executive officer Mark Dupe proposed the general business motion to waive the fee of $9663.30 for a planning permit application from WGHG for the proposed cancer day centre in Sargeant St, Warragul.

He said it was an appropriate matter and appropriate time for council to consider the hospital board’s request.

Mr Dupe recommended the fees be waived because council had actively advocated for WGHG support and any advancement of its service was critical for the municipality. The motion stated “this waiver is a one-off” and “does not imply pre-determination of the application”.

Cr Goss said council should be trying to facilitate whatever building, structures and progress the hospital wanted to make.

“We absolutely love the work you have done, we love the work you are doing, we appreciate it. And we will do our little bit to help you.”

Cr Joe Gauci said council had been unwavering in its support for the new hospital and “this is just a small little part of saying we’re with you, and we’re going to help you all the way through.”

“I’m hoping that in the very, very near future we will be helping them out a lot more with other things that are going to be coming forward. We’ve shown what community force can do with getting certain incomes when it comes to the hospital,” Cr Gauci said.

However, Cr McCabe, spoke against the motion, saying “I’m inclined to hold off” because of the lack of council policy.

“I love what the hospital provides for our community and I fully support the MoU,” she said.

Cr Peter Kostos said individuals were raising money for cancer fundraisers and this was council’s opportunity to waive a small amount.

“For a cause, for a disease, that affects nearly every Australian sometime or other. If we can assist in a little way to get a cancer day centre up and running, I fully support this recommendation.”

Cr Michael Leaney said there were only a few levers council could pull to provide financial assistance to WGHG.

“This is a small, little token that we can actually do, in financial terms, to assist our great hospital that we have here in West Gippsland.

Cr Leaney said it may be years before the new hospital was built and “we need these services provided in our community now”.

“In the grand scale of things, probably $9500 is not going to make a great deal of difference to the hospital. But it will make a difference in terms of sending that signal that we genuinely support the MoU, we genuinely support the hospital. We will be continuing to work with the WGHG way beyond the hospital being built.”

Cr Goss called for a division. Crs Goss, Gauci, Kostos, Leaney, Jazmin Tauru and Tricia Jones voted for. Cr McCabe voted against.

Crs Keith Cook and Darren Wallace were absent.