Archive 3: State Government Headlines
Last Updated 20/6/17
Associations Incorporation Act
Environment
ESC - Essential Services Commission
Dianne Hadden MLC
Protect Macedon Ranges
Councillor Conflict of Interest
Joanne Duncan MP Member for Macedon
National Party Calls for Wish List
Speeding State Pollies
Victorian Upper House Inquiry 2007/08
Rail
Bendigo 'Fast' Rail
Bendigo Fast Rail Song
Snail Rail - Dear Diary
Snail Rail - Log of Lateness
Buses
Black Forest Drive
Transport
Valuation of Land Act (2005)
VCEC - Victorian Competition & Efficiency Commission
Accountability & Corruption (see also Councillor Code of Conduct)
NSW Labor Government Takes Giant Strides By Banning Developer Contributions To Political Parties (19/11/09 - P) So, when can we expect the same propriety in Victoria?
Thanks To ICAC, Exposure Of Corrupt Conduct Increases In NSW (10/12/08 - SG) Yet Victoria continues to sail on without an anti-corruption commission, but not necessarily without corruption
State Opposition Turns Up The Heat On Corruption (22/4/08 - SG) What's the government going to do about it?
Political Donations, Sponsorship And Influence (16/7/08 - SG) How do we know if our politicians, councillors or decisions have been bought? The short answer is, we don't.
Ombudsman's Report On Conflicts Of Interest In Local Government Now Out (14/3/08 - C) Recommendations to tighten accountability in local government
C-O-R-R-U-P-T-I-O-N: Full Frontal Exposure Of Full Blown Corruption By ICAC In NSW - Save Our Suburbs (NSW) Calls For An Inquiry Into Government Planning Policy (3/3/08 - SG) Is such scandalous behaviour happening in Victoria, where our State government flatly rejects calls for an independent anti-corruption body like NSW's ICAC? Without a Victorian ICAC (Independent Commission Against Corruption), we will probably never know...
New Victorian Parliamentary Watchdog To Be Formed (14/12/07 - SG) Upper House Standing Committee on Finance and Public Administration on the way - Bring it on!
Victorian Liberals Call For Anti-Corruption Commission (20/9/07 - SG) MRRA says, we'll second that motion! Can any government expect to be seen as "clean" without a commission?
Independent Commission Against Corruption [ICAC] In NSW Delivers Recommendations To Reduce Risk Of Corruption In Planning (20/9/07 - P) 24 recommendations that, when measured against how planning is administered in Victoria, make you suck your breath in. How's this for starters - developers to declare political donations, Councillors to step aside from decisions involving donors, Councils to give reasons for planning decisions, and Councillors' votes to be on the public record... Luscious. Can we please have these standards in Victoria?
Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) Releases Report On Corruption Risks In Planning (23/12/05 - P) Risks sound similar for Victoria
Associations Incorporation Act
Associations Incorporation Act Changes Need Your Attention (17/10/12 - CC) Alert To Community Groups: Information sessions being held round Victoria
ESC - Essential Services Commission
"Coalition To Block Hulls' Dodgy Freedom Of Information Laws" - Media Release (3/3/08 - SG) Coalition stands up for continued community access to FOI.
Victorian FOI Laws Under Attack, Say Greens (24/2/08 - SG) Greg Barber calls for you to tell decision-makers to think again before watering down FOI access because departments find them inconvenient
Shadow Minister For Planning Says "Labor's UGB Lies Exposed" (10/12/08 - P) Brumby Government opens the door on another 43,000 hectares of urban sprawl
Inquiry Into Victorian Environmental Regulations Kicks Off - Submissions In By 15th October (11/9/08 - SG) State government wants to know which environmental regulations are onerous for business, says removing red tape will better protect the environment
State Government's New Growth Agenda For Melbourne Unleashed (11/3/08 - P) Can-Do Premier cracks the whip by announcing land releases that should satisfy even the most greedy developers - for now. But is it a well-considered response that gives Victoria a viable future, or just an economics-driven knee-jerk reaction?
Victoria Gets A New State Government As "Team Brumby" Takes Over (7/8/07 - SG) But has a social and environmental conscience left the building with Bracks and Thwaites?
MRRA submission: (28/4/15 - P) Central Victoria Landscape Assessment Study (Round 2)
State Government Announces Next Stage Of Local Government Act Review Consultation. Submissions close September 16 (19/7/16 - C) A completely overhauled Local Government Act and substantial changes are proposed. A quick look suggests plenty of good moves, but others aren't as welcome including Mayors being elected for 2 year terms, removing some requirements for Councils to report to / gain consent from the Minister, and - gulp - some assumptions that Councils 'will do the right thing'. What? In Macedon Ranges Shire??
Local Government Act Review - Submissions On Discussion Paper Due 18 December (24/11/15 - C) Here's your chance to get improvements to how councils behave - who could resist that?
Natural Gas In Woodend And Macedon - What A Blast! (8/9/06 - SG) Like the three bears, some people have too much, and some have none...
Natural Gas Isn't Proving To Be A "Goer" (10/6/06 - SG) Some of those who haven't got it want it, but many of those that could have it seem to be saying 'Thanks, but no thanks'
Reticulated Gas: Local Labor MP Joanne Duncan Says Maps Of Where Gas Will Go Are Now Available (30/5/06 - SG) It's a bit late isn't it? MRRA called for this information to be made public 18 months ago
All Out Of Gas? Natural Gas Hits Hurdle In Woodend (2/9/05 - SG) Town residents definitely "not happy" as gas bypasses them
Macedon Labor MP Joanne Duncan Gives Rock Solid Assurance On Natural Gas (16/8/05 - SG) No native trees to be removed or damaged in natural gas rollout (Woodend Star, August 2005).
UPDATE Re: MRRA Calls For Environment Effects Statement (EES) Process for Natural Gas Rollout (8/7/05 - SG) UPDATE (25/7/05 - SG) Macedon to be consulted
MRRA Calls For Environment Effects Statement (EES) Process for Natural Gas Rollout (8/7/05 - SG) Major infrastructure project but not enough information on costs and impacts on native vegetation, street trees, roads and services...
"Natural" Disaster: Gas Rolls Out, Trees Come Down (25/6/05 - SG) Coming to a street near you!
Gas 'Naturally' (21/3/05 - SG) Will We Ever Be Consulted?
Joanne Duncan MP Member for Macedon
Local Macedon Labor MP Joanne Duncan In Woodend 19th and 23rd September (14/9/06 - SG) Joanne says join her and 'Conrad' (the caravan) at Buffalo Stadium, Forest Street, Woodend 10am - Noon
Reticulated Gas: Local Labor MP Joanne Duncan Says Maps Of Where Gas Will Go Are Now Available (30/5/06 - SG) It's a bit late isn't it? MRRA called for this information to be made public 18 months ago
Meet Joanne Duncan: Invitation to Woodend Area Residents March 27th (18/3/06 - SG) State member for Macedon invites you to join her
Tell Local Labor MP Joanne Duncan How You Feel About Planning, The Environment And Other Issues (3/7/05 - SG) On-Line Survey
Nationals Ask "Could You Find A Better Use For Bracks Gvt's Advertising Budget?" (10/3/06 - SP) MRRA says, we definitely know what we would spend some of it on! How about you?
'Lead-Footed' State Pollies Nabbed Speeding - Including the Police Minister (16/7/06 - SG) $12,000 in fines racked up by State politicians in 18 months
Good News from "Our Parks Not for Sale" Coalition, Brimbank (17/8/11 - CC) It's a victory for "People Power"
VEAC Report On Investigation Into Metro Public Land Available (17/8/11 - E) Report marks the end of VEAC's role. Now it's over to the State government...
Victorian Upper House Forces Investigation Of Development Of Public Lands (10/12/08 - E) Unprecedented move is a fine example of democracy at work
Public Land Consultancy Report "A Review of the Management of Riparian Land In Victoria" Released (24/6/08 - E) Recommends a series of reforms to riparian governance
State Ministers To Appear Before Upper House Inquiry Into Public Land (9/5/08 - SG) Questions, yes; Answers, ? Update: (26/5/08) Seems government land isn't public land...
D Day Call For Assistance From Blue Wedges (1/5/08 - SG) Can you please put in a submission to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance and Public Administration by May 7?
Dealing With A State Government That Doesn't Seem To Understand Or Care (24/2/08 - SG) A community activist's response to the Upper House Public Land Inquiry's report, and other observations
Victorian Upper House Select Committee On Public Land Development Inquiry (14/12/07 - P) Interim Report on the inquiry now available
Victorian Upper House Inquiry Into Public Land (4/12/07 - P) Submissions now available on the Internet
Planning Backlash Alert: Upper House Inquiry Into Public Land - Starts 26 Sept (20/9/07 - P) Community urged to get involved, attend first hearing at Kew Cottages
Upper House Committee Launch Inquiry Into Selling Or Alienating Of Public Land For Private Development (29/5/07 - P) Those who fought against handing public land over to pokies in Kyneton can well say "and not before time either..."
Final Rate Capping and Variation Framework Released by Essential Services Commission (2/11/15 - C) It's a document that appears more strongly influenced by Councils than community
Draft Rates Capping and Variation Framework Out For Comment - Submissions Close August 28 (10/8/15 - C) Some you win, some you lose
Democracy4sale" Who's Paying Who? (21/7/06 - O) Two fascinating websites let you look at who is donating to political parties. Some of them (donors and donations) might surprise you.
"Bracks Broken Promises" Website Worth A Visit (30/5/06 - SG) The Bracks government has a whopper of a broken promise right here in Macedon Ranges where 'we will protect' seems to mean nothing
Brand New Planning Minister Unwell (16/12/14 - P) Richard Wynne in hospital after heart attack and surgery
Brimbank Council Sacked (17/9/09 - C) State government acts on new report: suspend or sack them
Damning State Of The Environment Report For Victoria: Change Your Ways Before It's Too Late (10/12/08 - E) Blind Freddy could have seen this coming after the Victorian government's chillingly opportunistic response to Land and Biodiversity in a time of Climate Change paper
Ye Gods! Is This Where Train Travel In Victoria Is Heading? (1/5/08 - SG) 'Squeezy' and 'sardines' hardly rate - have a look at how too many people, not enough trains is "handled" in (we believe) China
Fast Train Pain: Murphy's Law Rides The Rails (23/3/07 - SG) More rail fables (or should that be foibles?) you can thrill your grandchildren with...
Whooo Whooo Booo Hooo: The Fast Train Cometh - And Some Wish It Would Just Goeth Away... (12/9/06 - SG) Definitely not working for us, say frustrated commuters, after losing an hour on just three train trips
UPDATE WOOooo-WOOooo! Here Comes The Very, Very, Very Fast Train: Timetable Now Available (13/8/06 - SG) Blink and you'll miss it! It'll be a blur alright as it roars through our stations: no stops in Macedon Ranges (19/8/06 - SG) UPDATE: Fast Rail Timetable Deciphered: Mystery of extra stops at Gisborne solved
WOOooo-WOOooo! Here Comes The Very, Very, Very Fast Train: Timetable Now Available (13/8/06 - SG) Blink and you'll miss it! It'll be a blur alright as it roars through our stations: no stops in Macedon Ranges
Bendigo 'Fast' Train: Snail Rail Goes "Grand Prix" As Trains Race Head-To-Head To Kyneton (5/4/06 - SG) Mindful of everything that's going wrong on the Bendigo line, fearful passengers were grateful to get off
'Snail Rail' Contagion Infects Ballarat Line? (27/3/06 - SG) It seems the trip to Ballarat might not be without its problems either
More "Snail Rail" : A Late Traveller's Log (10/3/06 - SG) Complaints keep coming about the Bendigo Snail Rail as another 'lucky commuter' logs in with MRRA
Just When Some Thought It Had Gone Away, "Fast Rail" Is Back As "Snail Rail" (5/3/06 - SG) Tales from the Dark Side: We all know it ain't going to be a Fast train! The betting's now focussed on how slow it can go
Death of Cypress Tree at Woodend (14/6/05 - SG) Is there anything good about the Fast Train? We are losing things we can't replace...
Black Forest Drive: Baillieu Govt Delivers Promise For Four Lanes All The Way (13/4/11- SG) Road returns to the four lane configuration supported by majority in community
Council Says State Government Is Responsible For Providing Bus Services (2/9/05 - SG) Community petition for better transport sent to wrong level of government?
Local Resident Claims Councillor Gagged Petition Presentation (21/7/05 - C) Or was the Councillor simply following Council meeting rules?
Moves Afoot To Take Property Valuations Away From Councils And Hand Them Over To The State Government (21/2/09 - SG) Finding information about it all isn't easy
Proposed Changes to the Valuation of Land Act (21/3/05 - SG)
VCEC - Victorian Competition & Efficiency Commission
All Hands On Deck! Victorian Competition and Efficiency Commission's Recommendations For Environmental "Regulation" Are The Road To Environmental and Social Ruin (24/4/09 - SG) Some dinosaur thinking strikes again: have we learnt nothing from catastrophic deregulation in the financial sector, and the very real dangers confronting us from climate change?
Inquiry Into Victorian Environmental Regulations Kicks Off - Submissions In By 15th October (11/9/08 - SG) State government wants to know which environmental regulations are onerous for business, says removing red tape will better protect the environment