Tuesday, 3 March 2026

 James NEWBURY (Brighton) (14:36): (1532) My question is to the Premier, and I ask: when will the state Labor government admit that steamrolling the community on planning decisions is wrong? The Minister for Planning has approved a planning application for Young Street in Brighton by Brighton Grammar School. Days ago the minister approved an application amendment. The approvals have left the community, who voiced concerns about the applications, feeling that Labor has shut Victorians out of the planning system. We know that planning laws have shut the door on the community’s say over what happens in their streets. As one neighbour said about the government’s management of the application process:

It makes you feel quite powerless. We have elderly neighbours who can’t send an email to object. It’s just very sneaky.

For background, the amended application will allow the school to build a new sports hall on a property they purchased which runs adjacent to neighbours. Local views on the new two basketball court hall should be central to our application process – they are not. Under Labor the community is ignored. If elected, the Liberal Party will give the community back their rights.