Archive:  Melbourne 2030 Portal Website

 Last Updated  9/5/06

How Bad Is Melbourne 2030?

(31/8/05 - SP) Find out: have your say and vote on issues on a new community website  www.melbourne2030.org.au

MRRA has received notice of a new website set up to gauge public opinion on Melbourne 2030:  Kelvin Param of Glenroy is really using his initiative in establishing a Melbourne 2030 website. The wider we can spread this, this better.  It would be good if you could pass it round your membership and ask them to respond to his questionnaire.  He has in mind to hand some of the results on to Minister Hulls.

We all know how much everybody here ‘loves it’ (Melbourne 2030), so we encourage you to take a look at the site, register and put in your views.  MRRA has notified Mr. Param of its main concerns with Melbourne 2030.  Here’s what we said:

You may be wondering why Macedon Ranges Residents’ Association has an interest in Melbourne 2030.  The answer is: because it’s Melbourne’s strategy (one a lot of people in Melbourne don’t like) and it’s ‘urban elements’ are being applied in a rural Shire.  Not only is Macedon Ranges a rural shire, it’s also an area of State level environmental, landscape and recreation significance.  A lot of our residents are incensed at the amount and type of suburban development occurring here, over which we seem to have no control.  The Association has met with Mary Delahunty (who said the government was committed to protecting Macedon Ranges) and Rob Hulls (who basically told us no money, no help, we’re on our own).

If you think Melbourne 2030 (and ResCode) isn’t working in Melbourne, take a moment to think about its (their) impact in rural areas.  Our ‘charming’ country towns and villages are starting to turn into the worst kind of suburbs with the same type of mindlessly monotonous development Melbournians don’t want.  Our country ‘whistle-stop’ railway stations are being dubbed “activity centres”, and we currently have a five storey proposal on the books in Gisborne (because, of course, Gisborne’s an “activity centre” too, even though it’s not so identified in Melbourne 2030).  It wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Newham General Store pop up as an activity centre one of these days!

MRRA is affiliated with the Coalition of Groups which is looking to organize a meeting with Minister Hulls to discuss problems with Melbourne 2030.

 We have our own website (www.mrra.asn.au) which runs as a news and information site.  We also have a sizable membership and “Keep It Rural” email network through which we issue alerts and news bulletins.  We are 18 months into a “Say NO To Suburbia” campaign, the objective of which is to have State level planning protection re-instated in Macedon Ranges.

Well done, and thank you.