Wednesday, 15 October 2025

 Rachel WESTAWAY (Prahran) (10:01): There are five locations in the seat of Prahran that are on the government’s list for their activity centre program, South Yarra, Prahran, Windsor, Toorak and Hawksburn stations, and we have just seen the government’s draft plans for Kew and Brighton released. Local communities can now see the detail, with buildings up to 12 and 16 storeys automatically approved without community consultation, walkable catchment areas extending 800 metres, reasons for up to six storeys, heritage areas that are threatened and plans for infrastructure and schools nowhere to be seen. Now, we all agree that we need more housing, but the Allan Labor government should be looking to reduce taxes and spread density fairly across Melbourne rather than imposing high rise apartments as they play catch-up for decades of neglect.

According to the Urban Development Institute of Australia, property taxes make up more than 40 per cent of the total state government tax take. When Labor came to power in 2014, it was only 18 per cent. Further, around 43 per cent of the cost of a new house and land package is made up of state government taxes and charges. The previous coalition government from 2010 to 2014 rapidly increased housing supply before Labor came to power and introduced a series of taxes that drove up prices and drove down supply. Now the government wants to override community consultation on developments and impose high-rise towers.