Secretaries of the unions on Thursday unanimously agreed to the green ban,a practice popularised in the 1970s and credited with saving the City Baths,the Regent Theatre,Flinders Street Station and Queen Victoria Market from development.
“We’re going to protect this institution,” Victorian Trades Hall secretary Luke Hilakari toldThe Age. “We won’t let our heritage be trashed. This is not a building you should touch.”
Managers of the hotel – which is named after wartime Labor prime minister John Curtin –announced earlier this year the venue would close when its lease expires in November after the owners listed the building for sale with an asking price of $6 million.
The sale was finalised this month. Agent CBRE would not confirm details,but an industry source said thebuyer was an overseas-based developer.
The unions last imposed a green ban six years ago at thesite of the Corkman Irish Pub,which wasdemolished by its owners.
Hilakari said the ban would make it tough for anyone to develop the venue into apartments,and he urged the state government to step in to protect significant pubs and live music venues.