Wednesday, 31 July 2024

 Renee HEATH (Eastern Victoria) (18:28): (1013) My adjournment is for the Minister for Planning, and the action that I seek is for her to correct the statements included in her disappointing, dismissive and unapologetic response to the petition about the Wonthaggi audit overlay that was tabled this morning. Putting aside the fact that many residents are still waiting for formal notice that the Wonthaggi North environmental audit overlay (EAO) has been removed from their property, the response is also incorrect and misleading. The response from Minister Kilkenny states that funding has been provided by the government and the local Bass shire council:

… to undertake a preliminary risk screen assessments (PRSAs) for existing titled lots in the precinct that have been affected by the overlay.

This implies that every titled lot affected by the EAO either has or will have a preliminary assessment undertaken, with costs to be covered by the council and the Victorian Planning Authority. This is simply not the case.

Locals have been informed that a number of properties which have not yet had a PRSA will not be assessed, as they are large blocks which have been rezoned from farming to urban. The justification is that they are likely to be subdivided in the future and another assessment will be required then. However, the facts have not changed. These properties were also subject to the southern and retrospective overlays and deserve to be treated as any other. As one constituent said in correspondence to my office:

… as the overlay was retrospective, a blight had been put on their title and should be removed at no cost to them …

… we feel those owners deserve the same assistance as other owners.

I could not agree more with them and call on the Minister for Planning to either correct the record or commit to treating those properties the same as the others.