First up, please send a quick email to the Premier, It could make a huge difference at this point 
Ask how you could vote for him in the upcoming election if he is allowing his government to give away our irreplaceable civic core for $1 per year for 100 years -- and to get for that vast gift an activation of the plaza that is best described as unlikely, or a maybe.

• The meeting of our delegation, as above, with the Premier went very well.  He listened intently and was respectful.
• Victorian ex-Premier Hon.Ted Baillieu AO and ex-Chair of the Australian heritage Council, very generously flew himself over from Melbourne at his own expense to join the party led by Hon. Rev. Dr. Lynn Arnold AO.
• The party comprised also Liz Vines OAM, distinguished Heritage Architect, Geoff Hayter Land Economist and Property Consultant, Alan Rumsby fmr Commissioner ERD Court and Planner, and me.
• We explained that we wanted a vigorous and lively open plaza with low-rise cultural uses building/s.
• We had initially supported the 3-storey approved option as a compromise but the Premier did think it was viable anyway.

As above, our core proposition is that the state government is giving away our irreplaceable civic core for $1 per year for 100 years -- and may get nopublic benefit in return as there is a very low likelihood that such an over-scale private building will activate the plaza.  And there was no competitive tender.

We feel that this is politically insupportable, especially with an election coming up.

• The possible/maybe/hopeful activation of the plaza to a reasonable level has markedly not happened with Tower One.
• Such a plaza, well developed, should attract millions per year.In our opinion this proposal would have destructive knock-on effects that would change the economic trajectory of the city forever.
• We are still attempting to clarify the status of our appeal to the Australian Heritage Council on the grounds of the global first legislation of women’s full democracy.
•  Barbara Pocock has championed this very effectively in Parliament here>
  We presented an option of a trade-off being canvassed, with Walker, of government land with building stock needing renewal around Victoria Square.
• This government has inherited the chronically mis-managed project, but the Premier in turn admitted that the proposed 38-storey private tower proposal was on his watch.
• Local developers such as Theo Maras are beginning to speak out as they are very concerned at the effect on the city property market and investment.
• We pointed at that the proposal’s support seemed to be limited to within the walls of the parliament.
• The issue is damaging the Premier’s credibility, and would put an ineradicable stain on his legacy if he failed to act to protect his city.
        PLEASE STAY TUNED- THIS IS GETTING INTERESTING
• We urge you not to give in to the temptation to say it is a ‘done deal'.
• We are on a roll at this point because there is no reasonable argument that supports this potentially, extremely damaging proposal.
• We are getting near constant radio exposure- today, Friday, Barbara Pocock will be on Radio 891 after the 5 o’clock news. Geoff Hayter has just completed an extraordinary interview at 2pm on the same station that will be available for download shortly.

The Premier is prepared to listen. We need to keep up the pressure on him so he can act. Please email him as above, and Treasurer Koutsantonis if possible.

Geoff's was a cracker of an interview on property implications just now and we'll send that link through soon,

Thank you,

Rob

Robert Farnan
for Save Festival Plaza Alliance
SaveFestivalPlaza@gmail.com
https://savefestivalplaza.net
https://www.facebook.com/SaveFestivalPlaza/  https://www.instagram.com/save_festival_plaza/