Lack of respect on show
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 | 20-Oct-2011 9.30am
What constitutes a failure? Is having a go worth some sort of recognition or has our society morphed into a ‘winner takes all’ situation where losers outnumber winners?
These are the questions I’ve been asking, and asked, after some recent media reports that include the reference ‘failed political candidate’ to describe people who have stood for parliament, but not been successful.
I count myself in that category, twice over, but have never viewed the fact I did not win as being a failure.
As a community I believe we should acknowledge the efforts of people willing to put themselves forward to represent the rest of us, supposedly with a view to wanting to make a positive difference.
As a candidate, one is expected to work harder and longer than ever before, an often thankless task that involves massive amounts of time away from your family, an incredible amount of focus and effort, a reduction in income (in some cases to zero), all the while having your life laid bare for anyone and everyone to scrutinise.
It’s also an incredibly exciting rollercoaster ride, and one you seek to undertake of your own volition with the knowledge it is a tough gig.
But the vast majority of candidates of all political persuasions I have met, interviewed or run against would resent being labelled a failure simply because they did not win.
A candidate’s brief is to do their absolute best and to leave nothing in the tank come election day. No “what ifs” as a few wise politicians have said to me over the years.
There would be an outrage if Australians labelled an athlete or team that wins a silver medal at next year’s London Olympics a failure.
And a racehorse beaten in a photo finish for the Melbourne Cup could hardly be termed a failure.
I took part in a really enjoyable session of radio earlier this week on the ABC, and at the end of our chat, walked out of the studio and was immediately asked, rather mischieviously, by one of the ABC staff: “so, what’s it like to be known as a failed political candidate?”
I suspect the asker of the question knew what I thought of the premise before he asked, but in our collective of three or four, none of us thought the term appropriate.
For what it’s worth, I don’t believe elections should be viewed as something to be won or lost.
People win lotteries and raffles where skill and effort are forsaken for chance and luck. But any athlete worth their weight knows that it takes a lot of hard work to succeed. Likewise, election success must be earned, and so, too, respect.
pk@bendigoweekly.com.au
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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