GRAND SLAM Ex-premiers fight tennis uni campus FORMER premiers Jeff Fiona Hudson Kennett and John Cain are allies in a bid to city editor block a planned univer- "It is a sporting precinct. sity campus with stu- I'd take some convincing dent housing at Mel- that to use it for education purposes is an appropriate bourne's tennis centre. use of the land," he said. The former foes both "To plonk a six or seven- want the State Govern- storey building there for ment to protect the sport- student accommodation ing precinct from the con- requires more investiga- troversial development. tion. I've got great reser- The Herald Sun has vations about the capacity learned Melbourne Park of education institutions chiefs are ready to call for to manage anything." expressions of interest from developers to build a Mr Kennett said a uni- university on land next to versity at Melbourne Park Vodafone Arena that is could endanger one of now used as a bus car park. Australia's greatest La Trobe University has sporting precincts. already drawn up plans for "It is not the place for a a $100 million campus, university. It should be including a six-storey, opposed and fought as 400-room accommodation strongly as possible," the tower for foreign students. former Liberal leader said. The project has split the "We don't need more 12-member Melbourne and accommodation. We have Olympic Parks Trust, our university and learn- which controls the land. ing precincts. Former Labor premier "This continual grab for Mr Cain, dubbed the fath- land and expansion is just er of the tennis centre, not warranted — and it's yesterday called for a full certainly not warranted investigation into any on that location." proposed development. Continued Page 4 Are we being served Fiona Hudson city editor THE plan to serve up Tennis fraternity divided a university at the Sports Australia Hall of Fame chairman Neale home of tennis has Fraser said he needed divided leading fig- more details, but would ures in the sport. support the idea if Tennis Australia's best-ever Australia and the trust did. " female player, Margaret Those people know what Court, who has an arena they are doing," he said. at Melbourne Park Davis Cup stalwart named after her, said the John Alexander, who was proposed development behind a recent develop- was sad. ment at Adelaide's Tennis centre custo- Memorial Drive tennis dians would probably centre, questioned regret it if a university whether a university was went ahead, the 11-times appropriate for Mel- Australian Open singles Margaret. Court Rod Laver bourne Park. "It'd be bet- champion said. especially when the tennis Melbourne and Olympic ter kept as a sporting "I can't see it being is on. This will only make Parks Trust." thing," he said. "It needs done for any reason that it worse. Trust member and Ten- something that will service makes sense," she said. "It seems strange to nis Victoria president the entire community." But legend Rod Laver, put university students in Hamish Macmillan also Leading coach Peter Vodafone whose name adorns cen- the middle of ... the declined to comment. McNamara said he was Arena tre court at the site, said MCG, the tennis, Olympic Former Davis Cup aware of the university he had no objection. Park and the rugby." coach Tony Roche said he plan and supported it. "I don't know much Several sources have needed to know more "Education and sports about it ... I think it could told the Herald Sun that about the plan. go together. We are a very be great," he said from Tennis Australia, which "I can't get a feel for sports-mad town ... but California. "I have no runs the Australian Open how it would work and it's good to be flexible," Planned great objection, no." at Melbourne Park, is how close it would be to he said. "Everything is Leading female player strongly opposed to the the courts," he said. possible in Melbourne; university site Nicole Pratt said she was development push. Former Wimbledon that's why we're such a baffled by the plan. But officials are united champion Pat Cash said liveable city." "You'd always like that in refusing to comment. he didn't think a uni cam- Frank Sedgman, winner area to stay tennis only," A spokesman for Ten- pus would be a problem of Wimbledon in 1952, said she said. nis Australia president at the site. "It's a great the idea sounded good. "The thing you notice Geoff Pollard said: "It is location, it's one of the "I imagine it's not being most around the precinct something we're looking best sports areas in the used much the rest of the is car parking is diabolical, at in conjunction with the world," he said. year," he said. Ex-premiers fight tennis uni campus From Page 1 amazing what (ideas) Uni to squeeze can be brought up to tennis precinct As well as intruding on actually enhance that the sporting heartland, whole precinct." the planned university Mr Samuel said any ap- would add to traffic con- proved development gestion around the busy would leave room for the area, Mr Kennett said. Herald Sun December 4 Australian Open tourna- ment to grow. He said the common ground between him and Government. The trust "The whole of the Mr Cain reflected the expects to call for expres- northern car park could strong personal interest sions of interest from de- take another six or seven both took while in office velopers early next year. courts," he said. to develop the tennis cen- Mr Samuel said he en- La Trobe University ap- tre as a world-class venue. visaged a sports- proached the trust with "I hope the current oriented university that the idea about a year ago. Premier also takes a would build strong links The Herald Sun be- passionate interest in to surrounding venues, lieves the trust resolved the area and will inter- including the MCG and at a meeting last week to vene," he said. Olympic Park. call for expressions of in- Tennis Australia offi- As well as lecture the- terest from other parties cials, who run the Aus- atres and student accom- as well. tralian Open tournament, modation, the complex Sources close to the are believed to be private- could include a gym, pool, project told the Herald ly opposed, but will not health spas, restaurants, Sun the Government was comment publicly. shops and other facilities. very keen on it. Melbourne and Olympic "The object is to bring But a spokeswoman for Parks Trust chairman more and more people Premier Steve Bracks said Graeme Samuel said the down into the precinct," she could not comment. project was in its early he said. stages and would need "If you use vision and Have your say: approval from the State lateral thinking, it is Voteline, Page 17 Protest: former premier Jeff Kennett. Picture: DAVID CAIRD