Save Our Suburbs Inc. (Vic)

State planning policies are incorporated into all municipal planning schemes. Our overall concern is that this review, as with the Planning & Environment Act Review and other changes to the planning regime over the last decade, has weakened planning controls in the short-term economic interest. 

13 March 2010:   
 
The long-awaited VCAT Review Report focuses mainly on operational and administrative issues and makes some very timely and useful recommendations, including more staff and even a new logo!  But it has not come to grips with most community complaints about planning issues.

The Report was finally released at the end of February after 3 months on Hulls' desk. One controversial recommendation is to fast-track major projects (recommendation #70), reflecting the Minister’s desire to minimise red tape by circumventing the planning assessment process. There is no mention of the earlier suggestion that VCAT might establish an ongoing advisory committee of various stakeholders, including community representatives.

Along with the Planning Act Review and other recent changes to the planning regime (allegedly in the short-term economic interest), the draft changes to the state planning rules will weaken urban planning controls. This is despite the fact that current crises like peak oil and climate change demand MORE prescriptive regulation, not less, to actively focus development and new infrastructure on creating a more functional, sustainable city.

On 2nd February 2010, SOS lodged a critical submission with the Department of Planning on the Review of the State Planning Policy Framework.

To download the submission, click on the attachment below:

"Insight" on SBS, Tuesday March 2 - discussion on what a growing population boom will mean for house prices and the way we live. Australian current affairs forum program, presented by Jenny Brockie.
Watch online at:
http://news.sbs.com.au/insight/episode/index/id/167#watchonline

More revelations about spin doctoring by Madden and his planning department surfaced in the last week of February in the form of an internal memo from a media advisor accidentally sent to the ABC.
 
Madden subsequently "counselled" then "re-deployed" the adviser, whose memo detailed, among other things, a plan to release a planning report on the controversial Windsor Hotel re-development and then publicly cite community reaction to support a pre-determined decision to block the scheme.
 
Listen to the full versions of Madden’s defensive radio interviews on Feb.26, courtesy of the Marvellous Melbourne website - first with
Jon Faine (ABC 774)  - www.vimeo.com/9744001
and then
“Jon, er, Neil” Mitchell on 3AW  - www.vimeo.com/9752386
 
The ABC TV news stories on Feb 25 & 26 are also worth checking out:     www.vimeo.com/9732178    www.vimeo.com/9771435