If Signature Care does not develop an aged care facility in Goulburn, the government will find someone that will.
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Hume MP Angus Taylor made the statement following the company's threat to abandon the 144-bed development. Signature Care CEO Graeme Croft has termed the council's infrastructure charges as "significantly higher" than other areas, making his project "unsustainable."
Councillors earlier this month declined to grant him a reduction in the estimated $1,831,362 payable for water, sewer, stormwater and roads and traffic infrastructure. However they decided as a compromise that the company could pay $626,964 of this amount over two years. Mr Croft had stated in a letter that $1,072,063 was more comparable to other council areas where his company was also developing aged care facilities.
The council rejects his arguments and says it is not fair for the community to bear the cost.
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The Goulburn facility hangs on a planning proposal that is underway to rezone part of the land. A development application also has to be submitted. The estimated infrastructure charges emerged in pre-lodgement discussions with council planners.
Mr Croft said when he raised concerns about the charges, council management asked him to put forward his case, outlining the project's benefits to Goulburn, among other aspects.
"We did that and spent a lot of time on it," he said.
"We had no queries about it, it went to council and was shut down. They asked us to do it and now they've ignored us."
Mr Croft earlier told The Post he would walk away from the project in favour of building an aged care facility in Queensland, where he said the state's government was offering incentives. He acknowledged that he could not simply transfer the federally funded aged care beds, without government approval.
Council general manager Warwick Bennett said it was Mr Croft's call as to whether he took the development elsewhere.
"We told him our door is open for further discussion and he has not accepted that offer," he told The Post.
Mr Bennett and Mayor Bob Kirk met with Mr Taylor on Friday to seek his views ahead of another possible meeting with Mr Croft.
Mr Taylor said the 144 beds were allocated to Goulburn and couldn't be simply taken elsewhere.
"We want to see that development happen as quickly as possible here," he said.
"If Signature Care isn't able to do it, we'll find someone who will. This is a major initiative by government and a significant amount of funding and I'd be very concerned if it didn't go ahead."
Mr Taylor said a great deal of groundwork had gone into securing the aged care beds for Goulburn, which carried $10.8 million in annual funding once the facility was operational.
"We do need another aged care complex and I have no doubt there will be very strong demand for those places if Signature Care don't do it," he said.
"Those 144 beds are allocated to Goulburn (by the federal government) and can't be taken elsewhere," Mr Taylor said.
Mr Croft said he had not altered his stance since councillors' October 6 decision.
"We've said from the outset that we cannot support these charges," he said.
"They don't make sense when compared to other councils and Goulburn Mulwaree need to re-look at them...We can't see ourselves going through it with these fees attached."
Mr Croft said Goulburn was not a wealthy area and his company could not "charge a premium" for places.
Unless the council came back to him with an offer, the project would sit in abeyance.
"It's early days and we haven't looked at what we'll do. We have other projects underway and Goulburn is not a priority," he said.
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