Spottiswoode Hotel Sells For $2.335 Million

A YEAR after its owner made headlines warning he could not pay a new $30,000 annual licence fee imposed by the former Brumby Government – the popular watering hole known by locals as “The Spotty” has sold and will be replaced with a high-end restaurant.

Until recently the 1888 Spottiswoode Hotel at 62 Hudsons Road, on the north-east corner of Hall Street, in Spotswood, traded four days a week.

Because of a 14-minute cabaret strip show, however, the ALP government in 2009 deemed the hotel a high risk club and increased its annual licence from $3500.

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Victorian Government Promises to Get Tough on Underquoting, Again

AN ELECTION is coming up, and Victoria’s state government is pretending to get tough again.

Despite repeated requests from the media and industry bodies, it’s taken until now  – or actually  – until after any Brumby Government election win – to crack down on the way real estate agents price property.

If elected, the ALP government has promised to cut “price plus” advertising, as part of a plan to stamp out underquoting.

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Defunct Melbourne Convention Centre to be Sold as Development Site

Selling Melbourne to the WorldTHE Victorian Government will offload a prominent asset on the banks of the Yarra River, at the junction the CBD meets Southbank and Docklands.

The Department of Treasury and Finance is managing the campaign to sell the former Melbourne Convention Centre building at the south-west corner of Flinders and Spencer streets and abutting the prominent semi-circle Crowne Promenade Hotel.

The low rise building, once used as Melbourne’s makeshift Crown Casino is expected to be demolished.

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Housing Industry Association Slams Victorian Government For Threatening Not to Expand the Urban Growth Boundary

The Housing Industry Association is pleased the Victorian Government’s unfair levy on new housing has been defeated in parliament, but is now calling on the Government to proceed with the expansion of Melbourne’s growth boundary or risk jeopardising the state’s land supply and affordability.

“It is disappointing that the Brumby Government is still holding the housing industry to ransom by threatening not to expand the Urban Growth Boundary,” HIA Victorian Executive Director Gil King said.

“This will seriously impact on the cost of land and housing. How can Premier John Brumby break his commitment to ensure adequate land supply into the future?”

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Melbourne Metro Train Tunnel, and New Parkville Station, Announced by Government

John BrumbyPLANS to unveil a $100 million underground rail line that would better link the Melbourne CBD to the northern and western suburbs, were unveiled today by the State government.

The new line will link Flinders Street and Melbourne Central stations to a new underground station at Parkville, which will serve hospitals and the University of Melbourne. A train link will also go to Footscray, which has been earmarked as the possible stop for an Airport-to-city link, using an industrial-only train line that extends from near Tullamarine, to St Albans.

Below is the State Government statement about the proposal:

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New Victorian Urban Growth Boundary Proposed: Government Statements and Fast Facts

The public and community have been invited to make submissions on the proposed changes to Melbourne’s Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) flagged last December in the Brumby Labor Government’s Melbourne @ 5 Million strategy.
 

Planning Minister Justin Madden today released the draft UGB as part of the Brumby Labor Government’s Delivering Melbourne’s Newest Sustainable Communities package.

The draft UGB also incorporates the proposed alignment of the Outer Metropolitan Ring Road, proposed alignment of the Regional Rail Link and the creation of two new grassland protected areas in Melbourne’s west.

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