St Kilda’s iconic Palais Theatre will be restored under a Labor Government.
Labor leader Dan Andrews has pledged to invest up to $13.4 million to upgrade the heritage listed building to save the crumbling venue from its current decay.
Labor has promised to “lead an alliance with the City of Port Phillip and the operators, Palais Theatre Management, to undertake the comprehensive $26.7 million restoration”.
“Under Labor, the theatre will be repaired over five years, so it can still operate during the restoration. Labor’s contribution will match Council and the operator, dollar for dollar”.
“I saw Midnight Oil at the Palais in ’92. The place went off. I’ll never forget it,” Dan Andrews said.
Mr Andrews credited Albert Park MP Martin Foley with spearheading to project. “Martin Foley is the best friend the Palais could ever hope for in Parliament. This is all his work.”
Labor’s lead in restoring the Palais also takes the momentum out of musician Tex Perkins’ run for the seat of Albert Park. One-policy Perkins was running for a seat to raise awareness that the building needed restoring but with Labor’s announcement today his political ambitions have been almost extinguished.
“The Palais is the heart and soul of live music in this city. It’s stood for 87 years and we refuse to sit back, like the Liberals, and watch it fall apart,” Dan Andrews said.
The Palais Theatre supports 200 jobs and generates $34 million in revenue a year.
The Victorian state election will be held on November 29, 2014. Early voting is now open.
READ: Music becomes a hot political issue in Victoria
