Thursday, 14 November 2024

 Brad BATTIN (Berwick) (14:50): (910) My question is to the Minister for Planning. Minister, what information do you have regarding the consultation process to rename Berwick Springs lake in the Berwick Springs estate to Guru Nanak Lake, after the founder of the Sikh faith Guru Nanak Dev ‍Ji? In asking this question many people in the local community have raised concerns that no residents were consulted during the process to rename the lake, which has a proud history in the local area. Casey council have stated that at no time were they engaged to do local consultation, as the land is Melbourne Water’s and the state government’s, and from the Labor media release there is an admission that only the traditional owners and the Sikh community were consulted. It is worth noting that the residents in the area had to pay $500 towards the maintenance of this lake and continue to support the efforts to maintain it for the area’s use. The concerns raised are around this being divisive because it is named after a religious leader, not a local as per the rules of the government’s process. We ask what information the minister has.