Done deal with no consultation

By Meg Kennedy

A new block of portable homes for those in need of refuge are now part of the Bacchus Marsh community.
The six units, part of the State Government’s Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Plan, have popped-up in Queens Crescent, Bacchus Marsh.
A letter, from DHHS to residents of the area stated the land “has been chosen as one of three suites for the modular unit program, announced as part of the Victorian Government’s $45 million Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Plan in January [2018].”
“We expect to build six relocatable units on the site – five for recently homeless people and a sixth for support staff. It is anticipated that the units will be built and residents living there by mid-2019,” the letter read from October 2018.
Although no building permit issue is listed on the Moorabool Shire Council website, a spokesperson for Member for Melton Steve McGhie said the building is exempt from a planning permit, as they “allow Governments to construct and operate vital community care units, including women’s refuges and disability centres.”
The spokesperson also said that community members will be invited to attend the site, and a unit will be available for interested parties to view.
“Once tenants move in the housing providers will be available to talk with local residents regarding the project.”
Member for Melton Steve McGhie said that “we want to break the cycle of homelessness in areas like Bacchus Marsh – this project is part of a package to house rough sleepers and connect them with the services they need to turn their lives around, improving the community for everyone.”
Moorabool Mayor Cr Paul Tatchell said he certainly does not have an issue with providing accommodation as “public and emergency housing has been neglected to crisis point for over two decades”.
However, Cr Tatchell did take exception to the “arrogance of this State government”, in particular the Planning Minister who “totally disregards Local government when it comes to planning issues, and more importantly the ratepayers when it comes to public consultation”.
And would the development be approved under normal circumstances, Cr Tatchell said “highly unlikely”.
“It doesn’t fit within the current Council Urban planning strategy, and certainly not without public consultation,” he said.
Cr Tatchell said Ballan has been running temporary housing for the disadvantaged, victims of family violence, including temporary emergency accommodation for eight years and “can’t get a politician near the place, let alone provide any funding”.
“The Ballan complex is run by goodwill, donations and volunteers from the local community, and supports twice as many people as this site with exactly the same services and probably more,” he said.
“There are 15 unused serviced sites sitting empty at the Ballan facility, if the Government was fair dinkum about the crisis, 15 families could be temporarily housed before they could get a media release out.”
Cr Tatchell said at last estimate 65 families are currently homeless in the Moorabool Shire.
“Let’s drop the grandstanding and tokenism and just fix the problem; this is about people not politics.”
The modular homes in Queens Crescent are expected to provide temporary housing for those in need for up to two-years, whilst equipping the tenants with the skills and support to move into permanent housing.