We have worked closely with our community over the last six years to bring a pragmatic and balanced approach to planning for growth in our activity centres and beyond. The announcements we’ve seen yesterday and today will substantially change the character and future sustainability of our neighbourhoods – without consultation.

This is the latest in a series of announcements with inadequate or rushed consultation that together stand to disempower local councils and devalue the interests of local communities. Announcing a major planning decision with long term local impacts during the election caretaker period — and less than a week until election day — raises questions about transparency and due process.

We are yet to see any detail around how these changes will impact our existing structure plans or how residential amenity will be maintained in the context of these new plans for rapid and immediate growth.

A liveable community needs more than just proximity to transport. Plans for rapid population increases in our activity centres must be balanced with more funding for parks, schools, and other amenities. The Government must explain how these plans will mitigate the impacts on climate and urban heat, while we lose the green, leafy streets our residents have told us they value.

These announcements follow the recently rushed two-week consultation on the biggest shake up to ResCode in 20 years, which if implemented will mean residents won’t have any say on controversial development applications in their neighbourhoods.

We call on the Victorian Government to start consulting openly, honestly and often with councils and their communities before these significant and controversial decisions are made.