Politics in Victoria has today reached its nadir.
Events of today have proved really disheartening. Looking back we can no longer distinguish between Labor and Liberal governments and each of their approaches to planning and real democracy. It’s impossible to answer which planning minister has been worse, Wynne or Guy, or which party has been more open and transparent in its dealings with developers. Or for that matter, which government really gives a stuff about local communities.
What has happened today tops it all off. Clifford Hayes’ attempts to get his bill up in the upper house failed along party lines by four votes. We listened in disbelief to some of what was said from both sides of politics.
The Age is now reporting that Labor is not going to do anything about developer contributions at council elections and that it will push ahead with single councillor wards. All of this in the face of stern opposition from most reasonable people and organisations. (See: https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/local-councillors-candidates-free-to-solicit-big-donations-20191112-p539yr.html)
Is it therefore any wonder that there is anger, disillusionment and/or apathy? We are so poorly governed at every level from Federal, State to Council. The name of the game is simply:
- stay in power
- operate in secrecy
- undertake bogus ‘consultations’
- fill every document and speech with nothing more than motherhood statements, and
- Ignore all reasonable feedback if it opposes the predetermined decision
We can only hope that the upcoming IBAC investigation into Casey council will at the very least shed some light on alleged council(lor)/developer corruption and force the necessary changes to our woeful legislation!
Glen Eira Debates 
November 13, 2019 at 2:35 PM
We are badly governed, but that is a reflection of the candidates chosen by the major parties and how their party machines operate on behalf of major donors. I have my doubts that we have reached the nadir. We’re on a slide, going down, and it can get worse.
November 13, 2019 at 5:23 PM
Both parties are totally useless. They follow the $$$$$$
November 13, 2019 at 5:40 PM
Andrew’s doesn’t want IBAC sniffing his rotten government and their rorts. IBAC should look at GE as well as Casey as there is far to much money being splashed around the joint, and far to much secrecy that may be a smoke screen to cover under the counter payments for a developer friendly outcomes within our planning schemes. Anyone who has participated in these or any planning processes in GE knows there is something rotten that smells like blue-vein-cheese but looks and taste like crap. (MODERATORS: sentence deleted)
November 14, 2019 at 8:26 AM
I fully support Clifford Hayes in his bid to get the government and Councils to give residents a voice. There are a lot of angry residents who are having their quality of life considerably reduced due to the over development in their suburbs. Very depressing.
November 14, 2019 at 9:25 AM
Lets just hope that the latest push by the press results in more disclosure at ALL levels of Government and less secret unaccountable decisions
November 16, 2019 at 9:48 PM
A shocking outcome in Parliament, with back door deals with minor parties and “independents” to insure the bill was defeated. Developers: 1, Residents: nil. Meanwhile, there is no end in site, to the massive immigration that is feeding all of this. Murrumbeena is the next major target for massive development, with Hughesdale also getting more dogs boxes crammed in. The community is truly powerless against this endless assault on their livability and amenity. 😦