Latest news with #VCAT
The Age
5 days ago
- Business
- The Age
The suburban towers being green-lit without community approval
A 17-storey community housing tower is set to transform Greensborough's skyline after the state government controversially pushed through the development and overrode council objections about the building's height and absence of family-friendly apartments. The Allan government has frequently wielded its strengthened powers to bypass local councils and fast-track developments, directly approving 11 major residential projects this year alone as it seeks to speed up new approvals and meet ambitious housing targets. This and other planning reforms centralising power have drawn the ire of councils, who argue community needs are not being adequately addressed. The Greensborough apartment project was green-lit through the government's Development Facilitation Program (DFP), which allows Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny to bypass councils if a project makes a significant contribution to the economy or includes affordable housing, under changes made in September 2023. The minister can also waive mandatory planning requirements related to building height, setbacks and garden areas. Decisions made by the minister under the provisions cannot be appealed to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT). Loading Kilkenny last month approved the tower, in Melbourne's north-east, which permits construction of more than 200 one- and two-bedroom apartments. The homes, to be built above a Savers shop on Para Road, will be operated and managed by a community housing provider offering rental homes to people on low to moderate incomes. 'This project will ensure hundreds of Victorians will be able to live close to the things that matter to them – living in walking distance to the train station, buses, parks, schools, shops and services,' Kilkenny said.
Sydney Morning Herald
5 days ago
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
The suburban towers being green-lit without community approval
A 17-storey community housing tower is set to transform Greensborough's skyline after the state government controversially pushed through the development and overrode council objections about the building's height and absence of family-friendly apartments. The Allan government has frequently wielded its strengthened powers to bypass local councils and fast-track developments, directly approving 11 major residential projects this year alone as it seeks to speed up new approvals and meet ambitious housing targets. This and other planning reforms centralising power have drawn the ire of councils, who argue community needs are not being adequately addressed. The Greensborough apartment project was green-lit through the government's Development Facilitation Program (DFP), which allows Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny to bypass councils if a project makes a significant contribution to the economy or includes affordable housing, under changes made in September 2023. The minister can also waive mandatory planning requirements related to building height, setbacks and garden areas. Decisions made by the minister under the provisions cannot be appealed to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT). Loading Kilkenny last month approved the tower, in Melbourne's north-east, which permits construction of more than 200 one- and two-bedroom apartments. The homes, to be built above a Savers shop on Para Road, will be operated and managed by a community housing provider offering rental homes to people on low to moderate incomes. 'This project will ensure hundreds of Victorians will be able to live close to the things that matter to them – living in walking distance to the train station, buses, parks, schools, shops and services,' Kilkenny said.
News.com.au
09-05-2025
- Politics
- News.com.au
Whittlesea council election in Melbourne overturned over ‘fraud' votes: VCAT
Voters will be forced to return to the polls in Melbourne's outer suburbs after a local election was voided over concerns about fraudulently completed ballots. The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal sided with the state's election commission on Thursday in overturning the Whittlesea City Council's Lalor Ward result. The VEC said staff had identified a 'high number of returns' in the Lalor Ward, of which 81 were ultimately deemed to be suspicious. The final margin between Mr Kozmevski and the runner up candidate was just 39 votes. In a statement, the VEC said it did not suggest Mr Kozmevski, or any other candidate, were involved in fraudulent activity. Stevan Kozmevski, who was declared the winner of the October 2024 vote, will removed from the office of councillor effective immediately following the ruling by VCAT. In her judgment, VCAT Vice President Judge English said she was satisfied electors were 'prevented from recording their votes effectively according to their own preference'. Supporting Victorian Electoral Commission's position, she said 'there [had] not been the free and fair opportunity of electing the candidate which the majority might prefer'. A postal by-election will be organised by the commission at 'a suitable date'. Acting Electoral Commissioner Dana Fleming said Victorians could be confident 'their vote is safe and will not be undermined by those seeking to do wrong'. 'To those who seek to subvert our electoral processes, there will be consequences to your actions. We will detect your efforts, and we will act,' she said. The VEC had earlier referred allegations to police of suspected postal vote tampering in Whittlesea and Knox City Council Baird Ward, which is yet to be decided by VCAT. In a statement, the City of Whittlesea said that it noted the results of the Tribunal and that Mr Kozmevski would be removed from the office of councillor immediately. 'Council thanks Mr Kozmevski for his service to the City of Whittlesea community over many years, across a number of Council terms,' the council said. 'Council is not responsible for holding local government elections, they are conducted by the VEC.' Mr Kozmevski was first elected to the council as an ALP-endorsed candidate in 1997, according to the council's website. He served two terms as mayor and 22 years in total on council.
Sydney Morning Herald
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
Vote rigging in local election voids result, as councillor vows to run again
The result of a council election in Melbourne's north has been declared void due to ballot paper rigging, which will send voters to a byelection. Veteran Labor-aligned councillor Stevan Kozmevski has lost his position on Whittlesea City Council after the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) nullified the result in the council's Lalor ward due to 'attempted and actual interference with the election'. Kozmevski was successful in October's council election with a margin of just 39 votes, but electoral officers later discovered 81 suspicious returned ballots. The interference might have affected the result, VCAT found in its judgment, handed down on Thursday. Neither VCAT nor the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) have suggested that Kozmevski was involved. The perpetrators of the vote-rigging scheme have not been found, despite a police investigation. Kozmevski said he intended to run again when a byelection is held. No date has been set. Loading 'It is disappointing to have to return to a byelection due to the behaviour of a small group. The attempted fraud by person or persons unknown on behalf of a candidate whose platform was simply anti-Labor Party is disturbing,' he said. 'Their attempt failed miserably as the preferred candidate for the fraud ran last in the ballot and the flow of preferences directed against me was not enough to change the result.' The VEC submitted that the scheme was designed to elect Nicholas Hajichristou, who ultimately polled third out of three candidates in Lalor ward.
The Age
09-05-2025
- Politics
- The Age
Vote rigging in local election voids result, as councillor vows to run again
The result of a council election in Melbourne's north has been declared void due to ballot paper rigging, which will send voters to a byelection. Veteran Labor-aligned councillor Stevan Kozmevski has lost his position on Whittlesea City Council after the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) nullified the result in the council's Lalor ward due to 'attempted and actual interference with the election'. Kozmevski was successful in October's council election with a margin of just 39 votes, but electoral officers later discovered 81 suspicious returned ballots. The interference might have affected the result, VCAT found in its judgment, handed down on Thursday. Neither VCAT nor the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) have suggested that Kozmevski was involved. The perpetrators of the vote-rigging scheme have not been found, despite a police investigation. Kozmevski said he intended to run again when a byelection is held. No date has been set. Loading 'It is disappointing to have to return to a byelection due to the behaviour of a small group. The attempted fraud by person or persons unknown on behalf of a candidate whose platform was simply anti-Labor Party is disturbing,' he said. 'Their attempt failed miserably as the preferred candidate for the fraud ran last in the ballot and the flow of preferences directed against me was not enough to change the result.' The VEC submitted that the scheme was designed to elect Nicholas Hajichristou, who ultimately polled third out of three candidates in Lalor ward.
