PLAN MELBOURNE 2017 - 2050

The state Labor Governmnent's recent introduction of the new Plan for Melbourne includes changes to the residential zones which will result in more density in our residential suburbs. 

It is the result of recommendations from a comittee made up of academics and representatives of the development industry without any resident representation. So what's different? This has always been the case with the planners saying they know what's best for us.

The current requirement of a maximum of two dwellings on one block has been scarapped so there will now be no limit. And folllowing the Minister for Planning's outburst in parliament criricizing Glen Eira and Boroondara' s residential zones he has made sure that the established suburbs will in future be forced to accept 70% of all new development and has relaxed the protection previously provided.

A copy of our email to residents right across Melbourne is attached above.

We expect that the residents will react vigorously against this latest plan for Melbourne which will very quickly change the way we live.

*Watch this space re the residents' of Melbourne response.

*See details for rally on the steps of parliament in the post above.

POLITICAL DONATIONS -JUST A ANOTHER FORM OF CORRUPTION?

There has been a lot of concern expressed about political donations being made to gain an advantage , especially by developers. So how does our political donation system work?

According to an article in The "Conversation" membership of political parties has declined, so they have to bolster their coffers by appealing to the public and corporations for donations.

Anyone can donate any amount they like. At the federal level donations above $13,000 must be disclosed once a year but  such disclosure is usually not notified until well after the donation is made. In NSW donations from property developers and tobacco. liquor and gambling industries are banned.

In Victoria there are no disclosure restrictions but gambling and casino donations are capped at $50,000.

Traditionally, state and federal electoral commissions have not taken action even when politicians didn't disclose donations. The "Conversation" article makes the point that the system is riddled with inconsistencies, lacking tranparency,  as money can be channelled through different jurisdictions to avoid disclosure. The article goes on to say that we expect our politicians to be accountable in exercising their public duties. In particular, politicians should not engage in corrupt behavour such  as bartering with a wealthy donor to make decsions in their favour in exchange for a large sum of money. But it's not just the actual corruption that the issue; even the perception of corruption can damage trust in the political system.

In Victoria there are many cases that indicate  donations have swayed planning decisions in favour of developers, so we say that Victoria's very lax controls need to be tightened up along the lines that now apply in  NSW  by banning donations from developers.

You can read the Conversation article by going to :   www.theconversation.com/explainer: how does our political system work

MARKHAM ESTATE DISASTER

The Andrews Government has announced that it is redeveloping the Markham Public Housing Estate in Ashburton with a proposal to increase the number of public housing from 56 to 62. It will be financed by 190  dwellings to be built on the site and sold to private buyers.

What is not disclosed is that the number of bedrooms in the new 62 pulic dwellings will contain less bedrooms than the already demolished 56 public dwellings. 

The proceeds of the sale of the 190 private dwellings will achieve much more revenue than that required to build the public housing so really this con is all about making a profit while doing nothing to assist the 30.000 people on the waiting lists for public housing.

The Minister for Planning, Richard Wynne has appointed himself to be the "Responsible Authority" thereby removing any say or control by the Boroondara Council. Places Victoria, which is managing this development,  promised to "engaage with community and stakeholders"  which is a deceptive way of indicating that the community and council would be consulted but really meaning that they will have no input at all.

There has certainly been no consultation, instead Places Victoria has run "Pop-up information sessions" in the street around Ashburton displaying pretty pictures that are very deceptive. For instance they depict buildings that do not show their real heights and any details provided about the development is very general and of little value. These information sessions are nothing more than a public relations excercise that have had the opposite effect of making the local residents very angry. They are not against public housing, quite the contrary, they support this site for public housing, but not 6 & 7 storey blocks of  apartments that will not be for public housing squeezed into this site that will be totally out of character with their local area.

Shame on you Richard Wynne and shame on you Daniel Andrews.

THIS IS NOTHING MORE THAN A LAND GRAB FOR PROFIT.

If you would like to help use the attached submission in the top right corner of this post to send your own message to the government.... 

email: richard.wynne@parliament.vic.gov.au

            martin.foley@parliament.vic.gov.au

            jacinta.allan@parliament.vic.gov.au

OUR 'MAD AS HELL' FORUM A GREAT SUCCESS

The hall was overflowing with many standing. Each of the 3 panelists, David Davis (Shadow Minister for Planning) Prof. Michael Buxton (Environment & Planning RMIT) and Dr Bob Birrell (Australian Population Research Inst.) commented upon the current government's review of suburban planning under Plan Melbourne Refresh and the review by a government Panel of the residential zones. The indications are that the intent will be to allow more medium density and high-rise into the established suburbs of Melbourne. 

The audience reaction made it very clear that this was unacceptable.

The Forum was well attended by residents from many parts of Melbourne. (We noted representatives from resident groups from Darebin, Thornbury, Knox, Vermont South, Malvern, Monash, Glen Huntly,Whitehorse, Brunswick, Brighton, Surrey Hills, and a group with concerns about development at Pentridge. There were many others including all the suburbs in Boroondara).

Members of the audience were given the opportunity to speak and ask questions of the Panel with all being  critical of the government's plans for our established suburbs.

The audience was asked to consider and support a "Residents' Bill of Rights" (RBR) and a motion to do so was passed unanimously. One of the  aims of the RBR is to ensure that residents in future have a real voice in how their residential suburbs are developed along with a list of demands for changes to the overall planning for the future of Melbourne and beyond. 

A copy of an updated version of  "Residents'Bill of Rights" (RBR) is attached (see above). The updates include many of the suggestions in the  emails of support from resident groups and we are now very confident that we  speak for most if not all of the  resident groups right across Melbourne and beyond.

It is our intention to push hard for the RBR to be accepted to protect the interests of residents from developers who are plundering our residential areas, only intent on exploiting every construction opportunity regardless of the impact upon our local residential areas and lifestyle.

We strongly believe this RBR will be widely applicable and we seek your support to get it accepted. You can  send your intention to support the RBR to the Convenor of PLANNING BACKLASH  -  drostmary@gmail.com   

DEVELOPMENT AND YOU

Melbourne is set to double it's population within the next 30 years and our governments of both political persuasions  are continuing to push population growth through continually increasing immigration. In 2000/2001 our intake was 80,000 and it is now around 250,000 pa_.

Our governments, both State and Federal, keep telling us that all this population growth feeds our economic growth, so do you really feel better off now than you did in 2000?

No, well the Productivity Commission tells that the actual benefit per head over the last 20 years is only around $380 in total. The Commission goes on to say that what benefits there are go mainly to the new arrivals. not to the existing citizens.

Its the record rate of our population growth that is causing all our problems with planning and development issues. And now Planning Minister Wynne wants you and I to move over to make more room for greater density in our residential suburbs  by "unlocking the potential in the middle suburbs".

I suggest that the Minister is influenced by the development industry's political donations and influence from the developers'  lobbyists.  The effect will be to rejig the residential zones to accept multi-storey development in our residential areas to cope with all the growth in our population.

Will that benefit you? No, it certainly won't.  Any benefit will all go to the new arrivals just as the Productivity Commission has said.

BRAG believes that the Minister's plan will result in increased pressure on our already overloaded infrastructure and we all know that our government cannot finance the infrastructure upgrades to cope with today's demands, let alone what will be required when our population doubles. 

It is time for a public debate on these issues and a total re-think about immigration. population growth and infrastructure issues.

The attached item  (above) "Population Growth can make us worse off", written by Ross Gittens, is worth reading.

CONCERNED ABOUT DEVELOPMENT NEAR YOU?

BRAG has been active fighting against unacceptable development in Boroondara for over 12 years and we can help you with your planning issues including preparation of objections to Council and VCAT.

A recent government report has called for 'INTENSIFICATION OF MELBOURNE'S INNER AND MIDDLE SUBURBS, INCLUDING BOROONDARA.

If you don't want to be 'INTENSIFIED' join BRAG now. an application can be downloaded by clicking on "BRAG Membership Application" in the heading containing links at the top of the home page.  

You can also download our "Guidelines"(see attachment above) on how to object but,,  if you need more just email us at info@brag.asn.au with the details and we will do our best to guide you through the process.

PLAN MELBOURNE REFRESH

PLAN MELBOURNE REFRESH (PMR) is about the eighth plan for Melbourne over recent years and they have all been about intensification of Melbourne. Our urban planners have no real answers to the populion growth inflated by ever increasing immigration, they just want to cram, ram and jamb more development into our residential areas.

For more information on this latest "refresh" see BRAG's email to members attached at the top of this post. PMR is suggesting that the middle suburbs of Melbourne can take more development. Of course the planners, who's profession's income is derived from the development industry, keep pushing this line because the developers don't see any beneifit of developing brown sites or in regional areas because the real economic benifits come from developing in the green and leafy eastern suburbs like Boroondara. That is why we are being targeted.

Read BRAG's email and you will see there are alternatives to the cram, ram and jamb idea.

Time for a big rethink on the rate of immigration and the tunnel vision in all these plans for Melbourne. How about planning now for another city in Victoria which could be progressively developed over many years  to accomodate several million people if that's what is necessary. Or how about cutting back our record immigartion numbers to around the 100,000 p.a. which would still put us ahead of the other OECD countries and meet our international obligations regarding the world population problems. We are sure you can think of more solutions. 

We  urge you to make a submission to Plan Melbourne Refresh by 18th December.