Friday, 14 November 2025

 Anthony CIANFLONE (Pascoe Vale) (17:15): (1412) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Planning, and the action I seek is for the minister to visit my electorate to further consider local views and community feedback in relation to our vision to revitalise central Coburg as a future job, skills, cultural and housing hub for Melbourne’s north. Further to my contribution on the Planning Amendment (Better Decisions Made Faster) Bill 2025 yesterday, the Victorian Labor government very much continues to consult and listen to my community in relation to the proposed central Coburg, Brunswick and Sydney Road activity centres. We facilitated a two-phase activity centre consultation process, which Sheena Watt in the other place and I officially launched on 25 June, through numerous local community pop-up and consultation sessions and many others I have continued to directly speak with through regular emails, street stalls, doorknocks, phone calls, meetings and much more. Through this significant, extensive feedback, locals have spoken loud and clear on the fact that (1) we need to build and provide more local housing to support young people, families, workers, retirees, downsizers and those in need – in essence, they support more local homes; (2) we need to continue to invest, however, to deliver better infrastructure, facilities, kinders, schools, services, open space and general amenities to accompany new homes across our suburbs; (3) we need to support the creation of more local jobs to complement the evolving skill sets of locals; (4) we need to make provision to ensure we continue to preserve the rich history, heritage, culture, ambience, vibrancy and character of our community, both in built form and in substance; and (5) we need to continue to engage, listen and consult with the community as the activity centre plans are finalised and subsequently progress over the coming decades until 2050. We need to bring the community along as we strive to deliver more local homes.

This has been reflected through a range of submissions and feedback. Merri-bek City Council’s submission states they welcome the state government’s ambition to meet the current and future needs of housing. However, they encourage the state to also consider accompanying investment to help solidify the future livability of our local activity centres, namely via the Upfield line; revitalising local bus and tram connectivity, including through accessible tram stops; investment into Coburg High; and ensuring that build-to-rent developments contribute fairly towards new local infrastructure and open space. Merri-bek has also launched its own vision and community consultation on the future of its own major landholdings in central Coburg, proposing a $60 million Coburg library and piazza, a thriving local economy with new office and retail precincts and a mix of new market, affordable and social housing developments.

I also acknowledge the feedback from Coburg and Brunswick community reference groups and thank the many locals who participated in that process. They outlined a number of key priorities, including that we ensure a variety of housing options for families and downsizers; that we revitalise Victoria Street Mall in central Coburg to improve ambience, amenity, shade, seating and safety; that we work to foster local creativity, cultural life, music and nightlife opportunities; and that we invest in Coburg Primary School, Merri-bek Primary School, St Paul’s Primary, Coburg High School, the Coburg Olympic pool, Coburg Leisure Centre and the Upfield rail line of course. They want an improved active transport corridor along the Upfield line, which we are going to help deliver through the eight level crossing removals through Brunswick; better east–west connections; more road safety, including for Murray Road and pedestrians, cyclists and vulnerable road users; more green space, more tree canopy, better community wellbeing services and much more.