State Government vows to make Places Victoria more efficient, monitor parking spaces
- Kylie Adoranti
- Leader
- January 15, 2015 12:00AM
THE State Government has vowed to make government developer Places Victoria more efficient and promised to monitor councils’ decisions on parking spaces in new apartment complexes.
These are among a list of thorny planning matters Acting Planning Minister Tim Pallas has assured the government will address.
Mr Pallas said under the new Labor Government, Places Victoria would have “a greater purpose and focus”.
He described Places Victoria as being “a shambles” under the former Liberal Government.
“There was a revolving door of management and we look forward to a period of better management,” he said.
Mr Pallas said his government would oversee councils’ use of carparking waivers “to protect livability and to make sure cars aren’t causing congestion and parking in suburban streets”.
“Local councils decide the carparking ratios for apartments in their areas. State governments have a responsibility to protect Melbourne’s livability. Development is important — but it needs to strengthen our communities, not weaken them,” he said.
“There was a revolving door of management and we look forward to a period of better management,” — Acting Planning Minister Tim Pallas
When asked about whether the scrapped Linking Melbourne Authority would be replaced, Mr Pallas said the government was in the process of establishing Infrastructure Victoria — an independent organisation to oversee capital projects.
He said there were no plans to review the urban growth boundaries and the green wedge would be protected.
The government has also promised to conduct a review into the residential planning zones.
Mr Pallas told the Leader the government would recast Fishermans Bend as a series of neighbourhoods.
“Part of this involves ensuring there is a mixture of heights and densities — from medium to high. Fishermans Bend is not a short-term project. It is a place that will evolve over many years into a precinct where people will want to live, to work and to raise a family.”
Mr Pallas was acting planning minister at the time of publication, replacing Acting Planning Minister Robin Scott who has been on leave and who was replacing Planning Minister Richard Wynne who was recovering from a minor heart attack.
Opposition Planning Spokesman David Davis said Mr Pallas criticising Places Victoria was “the pot calling the kettle black”.
“Places Victoria was a step by the previous government to clean up the rabble and mess left by Labor by the Vic Urban authority.
“Presumably Tim Pallas will retain the butler that was introduced in Labor’s period,” he said.
Mr Davis said the government had to release more details on its plan for Fishermans Bend.
“I have no idea what the erratic Andrews Government will do (to Fishermans Bend). The CFMEU-inspired planning spokesman prior to the election had no idea where it was heading.”
Glen Eira Debates 
January 17, 2015 at 2:47 PM
It will be great watching what the new government comes up with on planning. I’m not expecting too much given their Melbourne 2030 history and the short sightedness of all governments. Changes and tweaking and limiting the powers of Vcat are essential. Whether this government has the courage to introduce real planning and cut the powers of developers is fundamental to any progressive change.
Some of the quotes in this article contradict 100% the lines that council has insisted on feeding residents especially Hyams’ constant contributions. He has claimed that council can only abide by the state government parking ratios. Here is the opposite version of what is possible – “local councils decide…”. I’ve always suspected that this is the case and another reason why Glen Eira propagandists should not be believed.
January 17, 2015 at 10:21 PM
Only words at present but encouraging nonetheless from the new government.
After the complete mess he made of the Health portfolio I wouldn’t be putting to much weight on anything that oxygen thief Davis says.
January 18, 2015 at 9:03 AM
You would have to agree with this comment, sadly Davis turned out to be a failure, for a while I though he may have come through a reasonable minister.
January 19, 2015 at 9:31 AM
So Tim Pallas [Planning Minister du jour] felt the need to issue a soundbite to the gullible press that the Government was “going to do something”, without a clear idea of the problems they wanted to solve, or the policies they should pursue, or an understanding of the issues and systems that led to the current mess. If the Government wants to “monitor” something, it’ll need to do something better than merely collate statistics from Councils. Councils cannot be relied upon for accurate statistics based on consistently applied definitions. GECC has an appalling track record with its own contributions to development activity reports, published under the aegis of the predecessors to DELWP.