A matter of conscience
BENDIGO’S residential Strategy will be reviewed because of greater than expected growth.
The State Government has announced a grant of $50,000 to carry out the review.
The review is needed because, according to the State Government, 40 per cent of the forecast growth between 2006 and 2031 had already been realised.
Regional Development Parliamentary Secretary Damian Drum made the announcement this morning.
Mr Drum said the Bendigo Residential Strategy Review would deliver greater community and investor certainty, helping the region grow.
“The Bendigo Residential Development Strategy was adopted in 2004 and is currently being audited because of the faster than anticipated growth that has occurred in Bendigo in recent years,” he said.
“Strong residential growth has many flow-on economic benefits and having a clear framework for future development will position Greater Bendigo City Council to undertake more detailed, place-based planning in the future.”
Deputy Premier Peter Ryan said about 40 per cent of the forecast growth between 2006 and 2031 had already been realised.
The Residential Strategy impacts directly on where and how property developments use “infill” parcels of land, range of housing styles and also on housing affordability.
“This project will review the strategy, assess current and estimated land supply and demand and consider various legislative and policy changes,” Mr Ryan said,
“It will also consider the latest demographic data and establish a new strategic framework to guide the long-term residential growth of Greater Bendigo.
“The project will result in a revised residential strategy that will give developers, the community and service providers greater surety and confidence about where land can be developed for residential purposes, and that sufficient land is available to accommodate the City of Greater Bendigo’s future growth.”
Mr Ryan said a contemporary strategic planning framework was essential to the economic development of a large regional centre like Bendigo.
“Clearly identifying future growth options and supporting infrastructure needs will enable the Greater Bendigo City Council and other infrastructure providers to plan their capital works programs well in advance,” he said.
“Identifying long-term growth areas will enable the council and other service authorities to start planning for the delivery of services, thereby minimising the lag time between when residential development occurs and when the services need to be in place.”
Peter Kennedy | Bendigo Weekly | 09-Dec-2011 3.30pm
AS the curtain begins to close on 2011 and the world continues its slide into the silly season, Prime Minister Julia Gillard looks to have ended the year in a far better position than she was 12 months ago.
Ms Gillard looks more comfortable and even relaxed in her work. She has enjoyed more positive momentum in the second half of this year, and it shows.
The succession of high-profile and high-powered leaders to have met the Prime Minister in recent months, most notably, the Queen and the American President, coupled with the parliamentary coup of the year in replacing Harry Jenkins as Speaker with the controversial and now former Liberal MP, Peter Slipper, has been a boon for Ms Gillard and her party.
For the time being anyway.
The ALP national conference held two weeks ago agreed to sell uranium to India, something the Prime Minister says will help cut carbon emissions and strengthen our ties to the world’s biggest democracy.
And while the Prime Minister says the government will ensure we sell uranium to India safely, and Australia will meet all its treaty obligations to prevent proliferation, the fact remains India is currently not a signature to any nuclear non-proliferation treaty.
Given these sentiments, and if uranium is indeed such a positive aid to cutting carbon emissions, is it time we had THAT debate (again) about nuclear power in our own back yard?
Surely recent, and much earlier, events in Japan must count for something?
The ALP conference has also given at least some support for same-sex couples who wish to marry.
To quote the Prime Minister: ‘’… the party platform now supports letting gay men and lesbians marry. And we agreed that on any parliamentary vote members can vote with their conscience so that honestly held opinions on both sides of this debate can be expressed.’’
That’s at least a step in what this writer hopes is the right direction. It remains to be seen how Tony Abbott will react and whether or not he will also allow coalition MPs a conscience vote on this issue, something a resurgent Malcolm Turnbull has already called for.
It should also be said that Mr Abbott’s claims that every vote in the House of Representatives is already a conscience vote for coalition members are, quite frankly, a joke.
Politicians tread a fine line between balancing the twin duties of representing their constituents and their party.
And when it gets to the floor of the parliament, usually the party wins.
BENDIGO’S residential Strategy will be reviewed because of greater than expected growth.
The State Government has announced a grant of $50,000 to carry out the review.
The review is needed because, according to the State Government, 40 per cent of the forecast growth between 2006 and 2031 had already been realised.
Regional Development Parliamentary Secretary Damian Drum made the announcement this morning.
Mr Drum said the Bendigo Residential Strategy Review would deliver greater community and investor certainty, helping the region grow.
“The Bendigo Residential Development Strategy was adopted in 2004 and is currently being audited because of the faster than anticipated growth that has occurred in Bendigo in recent years,” he said.
“Strong residential growth has many flow-on economic benefits and having a clear framework for future development will position Greater Bendigo City Council to undertake more detailed, place-based planning in the future.”
Deputy Premier Peter Ryan said about 40 per cent of the forecast growth between 2006 and 2031 had already been realised.
The Residential Strategy impacts directly on where and how property developments use “infill” parcels of land, range of housing styles and also on housing affordability.
“This project will review the strategy, assess current and estimated land supply and demand and consider various legislative and policy changes,” Mr Ryan said,
“It will also consider the latest demographic data and establish a new strategic framework to guide the long-term residential growth of Greater Bendigo.
“The project will result in a revised residential strategy that will give developers, the community and service providers greater surety and confidence about where land can be developed for residential purposes, and that sufficient land is available to accommodate the City of Greater Bendigo’s future growth.”
Mr Ryan said a contemporary strategic planning framework was essential to the economic development of a large regional centre like Bendigo.
“Clearly identifying future growth options and supporting infrastructure needs will enable the Greater Bendigo City Council and other infrastructure providers to plan their capital works programs well in advance,” he said.
“Identifying long-term growth areas will enable the council and other service authorities to start planning for the delivery of services, thereby minimising the lag time between when residential development occurs and when the services need to be in place.”
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