I was not the only one sitting up late last night, writing to various members of the Victorian Legislative Council. There are about 55 neighborhood groups, many councils and other bodies, all trying to stop what is going ahead. They have been involved in this battle for a long time. In the absence of any reasonable information and consultation, neighborhood groups have been writing and distributing their own information about what Planning is about to do. It has been a real case of grass-roots action in the face of a well-auspiced disinformation campaign conducted by Victorian Government and major Developer lobbies via the mainstream press, with the complicity of ABC Radio and Television. The government would not be able to get away with this without their support. Anyway, here's my letter, which I varied slightly depending on who I was writing to. Here is what I see is at stake, and now a fait-accompli, unless somehow we can push back...
Dear Member of the Victorian Legislative Council
Request your Support on Disallowance of Planning Provisions Amendments
I hope this message finds you well. I am reaching out to express my deep concern regarding the Victoria Planning Provisions Amendments VC257, VC267, and VC274. I urge you to consider voting to disallow these amendments based on the compelling grounds outlined in the Report from the Select Committee, as well as the numerous submissions from individuals who are directly affected or can see how these and similar provisions in all states of this country will pan out.
The amendments, as they stand, diminish the ability of Victorians, both First Nations and others, to have a meaningful say in their local environments. If we have no say, neither do the birds, animals and trees. This shift means treating residents as passive participants rather than active contributors to their communities - as though we were no longer full citizens, but subjects. It is crucial that we maintain our connection to our surroundings and ensure that local voices are heard in planning decisions. If these amendments and this whole planning push for massive cities goes ahead they will constitute a serious and irreversible abrogation of our rights, as well as a terrible attack on our natural surroundings.
The reliance on concrete and land clearing, alongside limited green infrastructure, contradicts our collective efforts to mitigate environmental impacts.
The Inquiry showed that the amendments will not provide cheaper housing, nor that they are designed even to provide housing for Victorians. Our natural increase is only about 0.5%, and that is surely an indication of how we wish to live, in all our diversity. Obviously it is not the local endogenous population that is driving the concreting over of green spaces, the activity centres, and the consequent deaths by starvation and thirst of our much maligned wildlife, which I am well aware of as a former policy advisor to the Australian Wildlife Protection Council.
I was particularly taken aback to learn about the close collaboration between the Property Council of Australia, the UDIA, and the State Government during this inquiry. It raises questions about the influence of property industry lobby groups on our governance and our democratic rights to self-determination.
I sincerely hope that you will stand firm against these pressures and advocate for the best interests of all Victorians. Your leadership in this matter is crucial, and I trust that you will consider the long-term implications of these amendments.
Thank you for your attention to this important issue.
Sheila Newman
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