Best Christmas Wishes (Zak) Being Our Biggest Concern
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DECEMBER 2018 & JANUARY 2019 ISSUE 148 PRICELESS WWW.DOCKLANDSNEWS.COM.AU : Docklands_News ■ Report brings no hope ■ New park excites for river reform Page 7 Page 3 ■ Hoon hotspot raising hell ■ Fun run comes to Docklands Page 8 Page 5 Docklands is in dispute By Shane Scanlan Some Docklands towers and real estate agents are involved in bitter, ongoing disputes with short-stay apartment operator Shivesh Kuksal. Mr Kuksal, 27, came to national attention was aimed squarely at himself. early this year when allegations from Chairman Neville Sanders, of strata-manager disgruntled guests were aired on a current Whittles, explained that the figure was affairs television show. a recommended estimate only and the He has been embroiled in contested committee was entitled to spend as much as magistrates' court intervention orders necessary on legal fees throughout the next brought by building and property managers financial year. as well as Victorian Civil and Administrative Mr Kuksal was accompanied by Madgwicks Tribunal (VCAT) actions from local real lawyer Debra Dunn and a number of estate agents wishing to terminate leases associates who audio recorded and filmed alleging non-payment of rent. Many of the meeting. these matters are ongoing, with Mr Kuksal countering with allegations of his own. Whittles recently told Docklands News it had On October 31, Mr Kuksal sought election issued 67 breaches of OC rules against Mr to the owners’ corporation executive Kuksal’s entities since September 17. committee of 889 Collins St but was rebuffed. Zenith Serviced Apartments is a business At the annual general meeting, Mr Kuksal name registered to Avant-Garde Venturers contested the facilities manager’s report, Pty Ltd, which is owned by Kornucopia Pty which nominated two of his businesses as its Ltd (formerly The State of our Times Pty “biggest concern”. Ltd) and is owned by Aadih Pty Ltd. Aadih “Short stays figures have slightly increased is owned by Icarus Foundation Pty Ltd to 118, with Zenith apartments / Kornucopia which, in turn, is owned by Shevish Kuksal of Best Christmas wishes (ZaK) being our biggest concern. We are Australian Wharf, Docklands. working with the OC to take appropriate All 13 Trip Advisor reviewers rate Zenith Children were treated to Brunch with Santa at The District legal action and pull this operator into line,” Docklands as “terrible”. Accompanying the report from Facilities Management commentary allege the business is a “scam” Shopping Centre on December 1. Victoria said. which does not return security bonds. Mr Kuksal spent considerable time Accountant Jarrod Rogers, who last The centre reports that the big guy in red Hopes are high for a big haul of pressies contesting a budget recommendation to was in fine form, despite making a flying under the tree when he makes his official allocate $25,000 for legal matters, saying this Continued on page 6. visit to Docklands. visit on December 25. 2 DOCKLANDS NEWS ISSUE 148 Now THAT’s a cinema! Docklands is not only getting some cinemas this month, it is scoring arguably the most sophisticated Suite 108, 198 Harbour Esplanade and luxurious complex in the country. PO Box 23008 Docklands 8012 Tel: 8689 7990 www.docklandsnews.com.au The eight-cinema Hoyts complex under the Melbourne Star at The District Docklands Advertising shopping centre is due to open this month, Hyper-local print works for advertisers with a formal launch to take place in the new in our digital world because local year. people are interested in local news. Hoyts CEO Damian Keogh said his company To sell to the Docklands community, had taken a long-term decision to invest speak with Shane Scanlan: around $10 million into the Docklands M: 0419 542 625 Tel: 8689 7980 cinemas. [email protected] He said Hoyts had not gone into the venture Reader contributions are welcome. with its eyes closed, and he was aware that Send letters, articles and images to: the precinct had struggled in the beginning. [email protected] “In our own vernacular … we know the The deadline for the February edition is area comes with certain aspects in terms of January 24. attracting foot traffic all week long,” he said. Publisher: Hyperlocal News Pty Ltd But, Mr Keogh said, the sum of all the leisure Mr Keogh explained that the common “Treat City”. ABN: 57 623 558 725 and entertainment offerings at The District perception of cinemas needed to be put Mr Keogh said his company had not been was already showing good growth in patron aside when describing the eight auditoriums actively opening new cinemas over the Editor: Shane Scanlan numbers. – including two 300-seat Xstremescreen past decade, with the notable exceptions Journalist: Meg Hill cinemas. “School holidays and weekends are already of Chadstone shopping centre and performing well,” he said. “The marketing “We haven’t shirked on making sure the Christchurch in New Zealand. Follow us on Twitter challenge is to get locals and tourists down experience is up there with the best in the He said Hoyts had been in discussions with @Docklands_News there during the weekdays too.” world,” he said. “Each seat is a powered, leather recliner. We’re using Dolby Atmos the District developer AsheMorgan for many Like us on Facebook He said he was confident that the complex’s throughout and every cinema will feature years and was confident the complex and the Docklands News unique offerings would be strong enough to award-winning RGB laser projection by centre would be successful. make Docklands a cinematic destination. Christie Digital Systems.” Opinions expressed by contributors are He said he hoped the local community not necessarily shared by the publisher. “Marketing will be a big part of it too,” he Mr Keogh said patrons would be treated would be proud of the quality of the cinema said. to bars and cafes, as well as an open-plan complex. ATTENTION LANDLORDS NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS Diet • Higher rents WE NEED YOUR Quit smoking • Stronger occupancy • Shorter vacancies PROPERTY TO Find new PROPERTY • Unprecedented demand RENT NOW MANAGER! If you change the management of your property to me, I will give you 3 months management FREE, which is a saving of approximately $400-$600 CALL NOW and make • New year City Residential your Lina D’Ambrosio • New property Always returning calls on: new year’s resolution manager 0430 929 851 [email protected] 818 Bourke Street, Docklands T: 9001 1333 SELLING | LEASING | PROPERTY MANAGEMENT www.cityresidentialbourkestreet.com.au Please support our advertisers because without them we would have no Docklands News ISSUE 148 DOCKLANDS NEWS 3 Bureaucrats formalise river governance malaise By Shane Scanlan ■ Land and funding set aside for back-of- house facilities; In 2014 hopes were high ■ PV to complete a dredging study by October 2015 and the government then for the establishment of an fund a dredging program for the river; independent authority to and activate local waterways. ■ Streamlined approvals process for events. Some targets have been hit: But four years later, those hopes have ■ The floating wharf at Southgate has been not only been scuttled, the bureaucratic achieved; overlay of intersecting state government organisations and regulations is ■ 20-years leases have not been achieved. recommended to be worse. Rather, the government is offering 10-year licences which, as Mr Gordon points out, Docklands News has secured via Freedom are not recognised by banks and offer no of Information the state’s latest report in its real security of tenure; effort to rationalise waterways governance – Lower Yarra River: Recommendations on ■ Land and funding has “theoretically” Future Funding, Governance and Strategic been set aside for back-of-house Considerations for Management of the Lower facilities. But Development Victoria is Yarra River. currently assessing five-year tender bids for non-marine recreational use of this The report documents the conclusions of a It further recommends that other government-owned site upstream of the three-person committee established in 2016 stakeholders and river users feed their views Bolte Bridge; in response to the government’s rejection of into the Lower Yarra River Management a previous committee’s views, which in 2015 Committee but, tellingly, excludes reference ■ Funding for dredging has been achieved; unanimously called for establishment of a to the charter boat industry. and local port authority for local waterways. The president of the Melbourne Passenger ■ Event approval processes remain as That committee had industry representation Boating Association, Jeff Gordon, said cumbersome and inaccessible as ever. and, in hindsight, was the best opportunity the Lower Yarra River Management Overall, opportunities for commercial for reform in this area in the past 20 years. Advisory Committee had not contacted activation of the waterways are further away his organisation during its two-year study The government’s latest effort winds back than ever. period. the clock as it recommends formalisation Jeff Gordon. of a situation where responsibility for local After reading the report, supplied by A high-performing commercial operator waterways is shared between Parks Victoria Docklands News, Mr Gordon said: “It assessing Melbourne as a place to introduce is that they want to kill the industry. They and the City of Melbourne. looks like PV has secured its grip over the river-commuter ferries would take one look don’t want us. We’re obviously in the way.” waterways. It is not prepared to give it up.” at the governance structure and run 100 But, it doesn’t stop there. This time, the Besides governance, the 2016 report made miles. “Lower Yarra River Management Advisory “It is reaching out to the City of Melbourne a number of other recommendations which Committee” has recommended adding two and Melbourne Water but had failed to even The winners are the bureaucrats who have can be summarised as: more players into the mix at the highest level discuss anything with the businesses who secured their short-sighted right to hold – Melbourne Water and “traditional owners”.