Kim O’KEEFFE (Shepparton) (18:39): Today I rise to stand and make a contribution on the Prahran Mechanics’ Institute Repeal Bill 2024. I wish to acknowledge the lead speaker the Leader of the Nationals for his compelling and in-depth contribution and for sharing such a broad history of the Prahran Mechanics’ Institute and much more. I will also include some of the wonderful mechanics institutes in my electorate very shortly, but I will first speak to the bill.
The bill before the house is for an act to repeal the Prahran Mechanics’ Institute Act 1899, to dissolve the Prahran Mechanics’ Institution and Circulating Library incorporated and to provide for the transfer of property, rights and liabilities of that entity to the PMI Victorian History Library Inc. and for other purposes. Clause 4 provides for the repeal of the Prahran Mechanics’ Institute Act 1899, which will enable the PMI Circulating Library to be managed by the PMI Victorian History Library. Clause 5 provides for the dissolution of the PMI Circulating Library and once abolished its members cease to hold office, and any rules and regulations made under section 5 are revoked. Clause 6 provides for the transfer of the property rights and liabilities of the PMI Circulating Library to the PMI Victorian History Library on the repeal of the PMI act 1899.
The bill does not alter the position or rights of any party to the lease, and importantly, the employees of the PMI Circulating Library continue to be employed by the PMI Victorian History Library on the same terms and conditions, with their accrued entitlements to employment benefits and without breaking continued service. However, this does not prevent the terms and conditions of transferred employees from being later altered by or under any law, award or agreement to enable, for example, the employees to renegotiate their contracts or enter into an enterprise bargaining agreement.
In regard to taxes, no stamp duty or other tax is chargeable under any act in respect of anything effected by or done under this bill or in respect of any act or transaction connected with or necessary to be done by the reason of the bill. The purpose of this is to ensure that the PMI does not incur any tax liabilities as a result of the transfer of property due to the operation of the bill. The bill also provides a regulation-making power to deal with transitional matters for a period of two years. This is to ensure that if any additional matters arise from the succession that have not been addressed in the bill they can be dealt with through regulations.
The Prahran Mechanics’ Institute was first established in 1854, some 170 years ago – in fact the library celebrated its 170th birthday in February this year. The Prahran Mechanics’ Institute is a community-owned and run library that specialises in the history of Victoria. In addition, the PMI has served the Prahran community and more broadly the Victorian community as a central resource for research into the state’s history. To date the library has over 40,000 books for loan, many of which are not available for loan anywhere else in the state. Furthermore, the PMI provides a professional information service to its members and organises educational activities, including lectures, seminars and competitions, to encourage and facilitate the study of history. The Prahran Mechanics’ Institute is also home to the collections of the Mechanics’ Institute of Victoria, the Cinema and Theatre Historical Society and the Victorian Railway History Library.
The Prahran Mechanics’ Institute is Victoria’s second oldest library and is also the only mechanics institute in Victoria that is governed by its own act of Parliament. The decision was taken in 1899 to transfer the Prahran Mechanics’ Institute from the previous trustees to a body established for its proper administration, due to concerns about mismanagement the poor state of the library and buildings and the reduction in membership to only 10 members back then. As a result of history, the Prahran Mechanics’ Institute Act 1899 does not provide the governing committee with the powers to make financial decisions for its members. The act over time has required an amendment each time the committee has sought to purchase or sell land or change the composition of the committee. It is clear from this that it is no longer appropriate nor necessary for the Prahran Mechanics’ Institute to be bound by legislation that restricts its activities. As the successor body of the Prahran Mechanics’ Institute the PMI Victorian History Library is an incorporated association under the Associations Incorporation Reform Act 2012 and has a constitution in place to guide the board going forward.
In my electorate we have many historic mechanics institute buildings, which have been well utilised by the community. They are all historic heritage buildings with long histories. We have lost a lot of heritage – probably something that has not been raised enough today in the chamber – many buildings over time, and it is a good reminder that we must protect our heritage and our history. As I said, in my electorate we have many historic mechanics institute buildings, and they have been very, very well utilised by the community. For example, in Mooroopna we have the original mechanics institute right in the main street, which was built back in 1875. However, the building has succumbed to floods and is at present in McLennan Street. The site back in 1906 was actually moved. In 1920 a smaller hall, which is now known as the MG O’Brien Hall, was purchased and shifted and placed to the east of the hall. The original hall was replaced in 1933 by a cement structure largely funded by the Back to Mooroopna community. In 1974 and after being flooded to a depth of 25 centimetres across the floor, it was significantly renovated. The side hall, O’Brien hall, was replaced in 1953, and this site was also largely funded by another Back to Mooroopna event. From the onset a library was established, and it continued to serve the community for a long time and for lots of different purposes.
The mechanics institute today is still situated in the main street of Mooroopna in McLennan Street, where many people coming across the Peter Ross-Edwards Causeway from Shepparton are greeted front and centre with such an amazing building.
In Shepparton the mechanics institute has served the community since 1877. Currently the mechanics institute site has office space as well as community meeting rooms for groups such as the Shepparton Chess Club and the Goulburn Valley Quilters. The hall can be utilised as a lecture theatre and for music recitals and has a place for small stage performances and a meeting area. It is a very old building but very significant, sitting right in the main street of Shepparton.
In Tatura, one of our other smaller towns, the mechanics institute was first built in 1882 and was the first public building in Tatura. It immediately became the centre of community activity in the rich farming locality of Tatura, which often is known as the jewel in the crown of the Goulburn Valley. The first church services were held there along with school classes and all community public meetings. Along with this, it has also held the library and was also an entertainment hub for the community right up to and during World War I. After World War I ended, the community leaders of the day decided to build a commemorative hall to the fallen from the local area, and so the idea for another hall next to the mechanics institute was formed. Both of these buildings sit very proudly right in the main street of Tatura. Just recently we had the Tatura art show held at the new building. It was a significant time where the history of both halls was actually recognised through art and painting.
In another small town, Nathalia, currently the Nathalia and District Historical Society is partly housed in the former mechanics institute, built in 1887. The society commenced in the 1960s when a group of local people decided to protect the history of the area so it was not lost to future generations. In Wunghnu, another small little community, the first Wunghnu Mechanics Institute opened on 5 June 1887 – a brick building with a two-storey section at the front. The building was not to last long, for soon after the front section was burnt down, and by mid-1889 the mechanics institute committee was making moves to reconstruct either a single- or a two-storey new front to the institute. The current building dates from that exercise, and at the time of its completion it contained the original hall. The library, meeting rooms, reading room and upstairs billiard room still remain today.
In Numurkah the first subscribers to the Numurkah Mechanics’ Institute met on 21 June 1882 and the building was constructed within the following year. The Numurkah Mechanics’ Institute was the site of the first Church of England service in the town ahead of the construction of the church and was also used as a courthouse and a venue for balls, concerts, lectures and the Numurkah Dramatic Club, fire brigade concerts and the choral union. The Numurkah shire also met there before the shire hall was built back in 1889. The site was associated with a wide variety of cultural, social, religious, recreation and political events and groups from the earliest period of the town’s history. The building was constructed by TE Draper, initially with a single storey. A second storey that included a billiards hall was added in 1887. The site was then gifted by the institute to the shire in 1938 and auctioned by them in 1957 when it was valued at £18,000. It was eventually sold for £16,250 and used as a hardware shop. Sold again, the building remained a hardware shop until 1980. The building has since been renovated but retains a few original features, such as the timber ceiling and pressed metal rear wall surroundings that were once the stage.
In recently visiting Numurkah, I took note of the actual building, and it has a retail store in the building now. When you look above those rooflines you see such a lot of history. As I said, it is so critical that we maintain the heritage buildings within our communities, something that has been neglected and lost over many, many years. I did not get to speak much on the bill, but I think it has been great to hear the contributions today, and I will finish there.