Media Statements
Joint Statement - Local community say no to Labor's planning takeover

Joint Statement – Local community say no to Labor’s planning takeover
John Pesutto, Leader of the Opposition
James Newbury, Shadow Minister for Planning
More than 400 people from across Camberwell, Hawthorn and Kew met on Sunday afternoon to say no to the Allan Labor Government’s takeover of local planning powers.
This comes after Minister for Planning, Sonya Kilkenny, recently announced fast-track approvals for towers of up to 20-storeys across ten communities and moved to “switch off” the rights of local residents to have a say in the planning process.
Boroondara Council alone has estimated that 48 per cent of the local area in the impacted catchment is currently covered by a heritage overlay, meaning that high-density multi-storey towers will need to be imposed without community input for Labor to meet its housing target.
The Liberals and Nationals will oppose any attempt to remove third-party rights in the planning process and any attempt by Labor to remove heritage protections.
Furthermore, the Liberals and Nationals will oppose Labor’s imposition of fast-tracked densification across the ten major activity centres that Premier Jacinta Allan has identified so far, where they have not had genuine community consultation and involvement.
Leader of the Opposition, John Pesutto, said: “Due to Labor’s gross financial mismanagement and inability to provide the services growing suburbs deserve, they are imposing blanket densification to meet their failing housing targets.
“A Liberals and Nationals Government I lead will keep communities involved in planning decisions, ensuring balance between redevelopment, local amenity, and densification.”
Shadow Minister for Planning, James Newbury, said: “Labor’s solution to a decade of failed housing policy is to rip away the rights of the community to have a say in the planning system. Only the Liberals and Nationals will ensure local communities voices are heard.
“Labor cannot manage money, cannot manage our planning system, and Victorians are paying the price.”
Joint Statement – Local community say no to Labor’s planning takeover
John Pesutto, Leader of the Opposition
James Newbury, Shadow Minister for Planning