PCC and PCB off Govt taskforce

BOTH the Perth City Council and the Perth Convention Bureau have been dropped from the WA Government taskforce overseeing the Perth Conven-tion and Exhibition Centre.

In just two weeks, the taskforce will decide whether the Multiplex Consortium’s documents outlining how it will pay for the construction of the PCEC is suitable.

State Cabinet has decided to limit the taskforce’s membership to Government agency representatives to ensure “appropriate confidences” are kept.

A spokeswoman for Tourism Minister Clive Brown said Cabinet had decided the PCEC project was at a stage where expertise was needed to weigh up Multiplex’s finances and lock up some planning issues.

“Cabinet decided the PCEC project had moved beyond big picture industry development issues,” she said.

Convention Link’s Dianne McLeod branded the move to remove the PCB from the taskforce as “incredibly short-sighted”.

Ms McLeod said the conventions industry would be the end user of the centre and it seemed its representative – the bureau – would have no further direct input.

However, the PCC and PCB will not be kept out of the loop entirely.

Cabinet also has decided to set up two subcommittees to report to the taskforce and both organisations will be involved with them.

Mr Brown’s spokeswoman said the convention industry would still have input through the subcommittee.