This venue - and, more particularly, location - has some of the most blindingly obvious - and essential - attributes for a successful vIC (that have eluded all of the other alternatives devised or actually initiated over the past 25 years); it is the perfect position for a VIC, when compared to the features of the successful ones across the country. It is:

On the two most significant, accessible, recognised, identifiable major thoroughfares, both north/south and east/west, in the city. Mair St is the recognised bypass route for traffic not wanting to enter the town centre proper - see next point.

Close to the town centre but not right in it: an obvious position for visitors but not so busy as to make it difficult for them to find and manoeuvre to access it.

Landmark building and location - easy to locate and identify: critical factors for visitors.

It can feature:

Associated substantial display, celebrations and events' spaces; i.e.: the main hall - as originally intended - to complement the VIC and the Library/city archives.

Associated office space - both existing and to be added - for community and commercial tenants, especially where associated with city promotions and events.

Ample, accessible ground level vehicle parking, especially for vehicles with trailers or caravans attached - from both Mair and Doveton Sts.

The entire Civic Hall itself can be readily remodelled to reduce its bulkiness and 1950s (cream brick) appearance, both by rendering and by adding office, residential and other (community) spaces around the building's exterior (other than the frontage, which presents well). These additions would replace ground levelling parking that could be incorporated into additional multilevel parking (above the existing decked parking). Potentially the internal height of the main hall could be reduced by inserting a 'hanging' floor, although if the hall becomes successful as an exhibition and meetings venue, this would probably not be necessary. Other enhancements such as general amenities' and sound quality upgrades can surely be attended to.

The Civic Hall is a big, solid building, built for and by the community; to demolish it and replace it with some more doubtful substitute would be scandalous.

Hedley Thomson, Canadian

This year as we finish our Christmas shopping please spare a thought for others.

Once you’ve bought a Kris Kringle for a workmate, a quirky gift for your brother-in-law or any of the presents you need for family and friends, consider one more gift for someone who really needs it.

 One more gift to Red Cross will help ensure an older or isolated person gets a phone call every day to check they’re OK, clean water for a young child in a remote village in Myanmar, or a shower and a meal for a teenager sleeping rough.

 This Christmas I urge everyone to consider making one more gift to Red Cross.

 To make your gift to Red Cross call 1800 811 700 or go to redcross.org.au

Penny Harrison, Executive Director, Australian Red Cross

The federal government voted down their own bill to start reining in corporate tax dodging last week. One major oil company paid only $248 tax on $1.7billion by shifting profits offshore and intends to move $60billion offshore over the next 25 years.  Incredibly, the anti-corporate tax avoidance bill was voted down after the Senate added an amendment to make sure all major corporations have to disclose the tax they paid. What about the ordinary tax payer? 

Richard Larson, Watson