CORKMAN DEMOLITION - BUILDING UNIONS TO IMPLEMENT GREEN BAN

18 Oct 2016

The CFMEU and the Building Industry Group (BIG) of unions today announced their intention to implement a Green Ban on any future development at the site of illegally demolished the 159 year old Corkman Irish Pub.

The CFMEU and the BIG will advise all members not to take part in any further development at that site until they are satisfied that the development will see the site is transformed into a community asset.

The building was illegally demolished over the weekend by developers 160 Leicester Pty Ltd. It is clear that the fines imposed for illegal demolition were no disincentive to the rogue company. The BIG consider that in order to prevent similar vandalism in the future, the company should be required to surrender the land to Melbourne City Council.

Quotes attributable, Luke Hilakari, Secretary Victorian Trades Hall Council:

• “It doesn’t matter how big the fine is if at the end of the day these cowboy developers still profit from the vandalism of Victoria’s heritage. Even if we tripled the fines, you’d just see phoenix operations move in.”
• “This could have been any heritage site. Are we going to wait until developers tear down Parliament or the Town Hall? Or are we going to send a message that we take heritage vandalism seriously?”
• “The only way to permanently protect our heritage is for illegal demolition to amount to surrender of the site itself.”
• “This site must never be developed now. It should stand as a warning to any other cowboy developers – Victoria’s heritage is not for sale.”

Quotes attributable, John Setka:

• “This reckless and illegal demolition of a heritage building demonstrates total disregard for the safety of workers and the community, potentially exposing both to deadly asbestos.”
• “The architecture and stonemasonry of this building represent a bygone era that has largely been overtaken by modern building techniques such as pre-fabricated panels, flat pack kitchens and modular bathrooms. We won’t let greedy property developers strip Victoria of our building heritage – we’re defending the heritage of our trade and of our state.”
• “We’re calling on the Melbourne City Council and the State Government to take this site off these heritage vandals, and put it to public use.”
•  “The CFMEU has been working collaboratively for over thirty years with people like David Marriner from the Marriner Group to protect iconic buildings of historical significance across Melbourne. This demolition was disgusting.”

Quotes attributable, David Marriner:

• “The Marriener Group has worked in the best interest of maintaining Melbourne’s iconic heritage buildings while at the same time remaining conscious of sustainable long-term development and job creation. This balance ultimately delivers a profit and net community benefit.
• At all times we’ve respected the law and have been conscious of due process to reach these outcomes. The action of rouge developers like this encumbers the entire development sector and undermines the community’s faith that we can have sustainable development while protecting our rich heritage landscape.”