By Matthew Sims
Hume council has pledged to seek further clarification from the next federal government about the future of the Centre for National Resilience in Mickleham.
At its meeting on Monday, May 9, Meadow Valley ward councillor Naim Kurt raised a motion to write to the upcoming federal finance minister to provide further detail about potential future uses for the $580 million facility.
“There has now been discussions that the centre may be mothballed,” he said.
“I think it’s important just to get some answers on questions on what the future uses of this facility will entail once there is no longer a need for dedicated quarantine accommodation.”
Cr Kurt said as only 200 travellers had completed their quarantine at the facility, other uses for the facility could be considered, such as a hub for humanitarian needs to house refugees or displaced people during the war on Ukraine.
“The design of the facility, as I understand it, does allow for future public health emergencies, for humanitarian efforts or as crisis accommodation for bushfire-affected communities,” he said.
“As a welcoming city and one with a proud history of welcoming and advancing refugee issues in Hume, I think that Mickleham’s facility will be one that will be pretty well placed to house refugees from that Ukrainian conflict.”
Meadow Valley councillor Karen Sherry said the site had a number of potential uses beyond the Covid pandemic, including housing women and children fleeing family violence.
Aitkin Ward councillor Jim Overend said the council hoped to quell the council’s fears that it would be used as a detention centre or a home for delinquents.
“A detention centre or a prison is something that we don’t need out here in Mickleham,” he said.
Hume mayor Carly Moore said that the council hoped to be included in any discussions around the future of the site.
