Councillor calls for consultation

A BOROUGH of Queenscliffe councillor wants a commitment from the state government that local residents will be consulted before changes to planning rules that impact them are introduced.

Cr Donnie Grigau gained the support of his fellow councillors with his motion that council should advocate on behalf of the community, maintaining that “the interests of the borough community should be placed first in state government planning reforms that affect the borough”.

“The Victorian state government has made a number of changes to the planning system in the last 18 months and is currently considering further significant planning reform,” Cr Grigau told the council.

“I want to ensure state government planning reforms are introduced following appropriate consultation with the people these reforms affect, and the reform process is open and transparent and looks after the interests of residents.”

The council will now to write to the Minister for Planning Richard Wynne and Opposition Minister for Planning Ryan Smith requesting that “effective, open and transparent consultation be held with both local governments and local communities on proposed planning reforms before any planning reform decisions are made”.

Queenscliffe will also continue to advocate for the state government to “acknowledge that the community’s voice must remain central in planning decisions and planning reform”.

Councillors have requested chief executive officer Martin Gill provide a report to the council within six months, updating the status of any reforms.