Statement - Labor Minister caught talking out both sides of her mouth

Statement – Labor Minister caught talking out both sides of her mouth

James Newbury, Shadow Minister for Planning

Thursday 29 August 2024.

The Allan Labor Government’s Minister for Planning, Sonya Kilkenny, has been caught twice in the same week talking out both sides of her mouth.

Minister Kilkenny recently announced fast-track approvals for towers 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.

A newly released letter exposes that a number of years ago, this same Minister personally lobbied against a proposed 10-storey development in her own electorate, on the basis of “bulk and density”.

Furthermore, it has been revealed the recent move to fast-track towers up to 20 storeys will impact swathes of heritage protected properties.

Boroondara Council alone has estimated that 48 per cent of the local area in the impacted catchment is currently covered by a heritage overlay.

On the same day as announcing the Allan Labor Government’s move to overrule heritage protections, the Minister attended an event at Government House and claimed to be a protector of heritage.

Shadow Minister for Planning, James Newbury, said: “The Minister for Planning, Sonya Kilkenny, has been exposed saying different things to different audiences.

“Victorians deserve better than a Labor Government that says one thing, yet does another.

“Labor cannot manage money, cannot manage our planning system and Victorians are paying the price.”

James Newbury, Shadow Minister for Planning