Questions intensify over Port Fairy wharf building revenue

Moyne Shire Council has confirmed all revenue generated by the Port of Port Fairy is retained within the port budget, except the revenue from the wharf building, which goes into the council's consolidated revenue.

The chairs of the Port of Port Fairy committee at the time the redevelopment was negotiated have told The Standard they were assured the wharf building revenue would go into the port budget, and said council needed to explain why it wasn't.

One former chair, Cr James Purcell, said the arrangement made no sense to him.

"The port is an area that's designated by a boundary, why isn't the income generated within that boundary (which includes the wharf building) directed to the port?" Cr Purcell said.

"When the old co-op building was there, the lease money from that definitely went into port revenue, so I think the question is why isn't the money from the current building going there?"

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Another former chair Colin Ryan said the building had been "paid for by the port and the money was to go back into an account for the port".

Council has not explained why the wharf building revenue was not directed into the port budget like all the port's other revenue streams.

Director of infrastructure and environment Edith Farrell said even though the money went into council revenue, it could still be spent on projects within the port.

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