No to late close

By Danielle Galvin
CARDINIA Council has rejected plans for the Cardinia Club to extend its hours until 3am despite concerns that it could put the Pakenham Racing Club at a commercial disadvantage.
Cr George Blenkhorn put forward an alternative motion at the council meeting to allow the venue to remain open until 3am but his motion was lost after a call for division at Monday night’s council meeting.
Council officers recommended that the Cardinia Club have an extension of hours until 1am.
Cr Blenkhorn said the application came in some time ago and that it was a tricky decision for councillors.
“The application to allow extended hours of pokies and sale of liquor – both of these services provide a dilemma for me personally,” he said.
“Many have no problem but there is a small minority who do have problems (with gambling).”
At the meeting, Cr Blenkhorn said the Pakenham Inn was last week successful in its bid for 18 more pokies, which he explained was part of the original permit to allow the venue to have 50 pokies in total.
He said the application before the council would extend the Cardinia Club by a few hours during the night and that the profits would be used in the development of the new racetrack in Tynong.
“There are venues in Pakenham who for some nights in the week are open until 5am and the profits go towards those private businesses,” Cr Blenkhorn said.
Pakenham police had also weighed in on the application, telling Cr Blenkhorn that their only concern was the potential for noise of the patrons leaving the venue. Cr Blenkhorn recommended that crowd controllers would alleviate this problem and that there was one objection received in relation to noise.
“Packaged liquor is not for sale so I don’t believe patrons would be taking their liquor outside the venue,” he said.
“It is probable that if the venue closes at 3am, it’s most likely people will head home at that time rather than heading over to the other two venues.
“If the Cardinia Club is only operational until 1am every night, that puts it at a great commercial disadvantage to the two other commercial venues.”
Councillors Brett Owen, Collin Ross, Graeme Legge and mayor Ed Chatwin voted against the alternative motion in support of the council officers’ recommendation.
Cr Owen voted against the alternative motion saying that he believed the council should retain a strong stance against pokies.
“No doubt there will be more applications before council for venues with pokies,” he said.
“But I think our position should remain strong.
“With the Pink Hill development in Beaconsfield, council wanted a 1am close which the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) upheld.
“Moving forward, we have to maintain that line of a 1am close.”
Councillors who voted against the motion also expressed their concerns about the plans for a retirement village and independent living units near the Cardinia Club.
“We must look at the future for residents who will be living in close proximity to the venue,” Cr Owen said.
“I acknowledge that Pakenham Racing Club puts back to the community but I will be voting against this amendment.”
Cr Legge said it was a complex situation and that he knew that the Racing Club would not compromise its behaviour or good record, which was a credit to its management, but that he did not support the venue being open until 3am.
The club was permitted an extension of hours to 1am.