Tuesday, 26 August 2025

Planning policy

David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (00:59): (1878) My matter is also for the attention of the Minister for Planning, and it concerns the state government’s forced densification and high-rise agenda across certain areas of the city. The 50 smaller centres and 10 large centres that they have laid out, particularly in the case of Stonnington and Glen Eira – those municipalities are ones that have very high levels of density already but particularly a lack of open space. Recent figures show that Stonnington and Glen Eira have the lowest amount of open space for population of any municipality in Victoria, and that is actually quite an important point, because these municipalities are the epicentre of the government’s decision to force in massive density and massive high-rise. What I am seeking from the minister is that in all of these areas, all 60 of them, there be prepared proper open space plans and that these be put out immediately so that the community can see what the government is proposing and how they intend to fund the open space. If you think of a municipality like Stonnington, there is a massive shortage already in open space, and the state government intends to pack many, many more people in on their population – or more correctly, their dwelling targets.

Michael Galea interjected.

David DAVIS: Well, there is not enough open space. I am saying that the amount of open space per head of population is the lowest in Stonnington and Glen Eira of any municipalities in Victoria, and yet these are the epicentres of where the government wants to put massive new developments. What I want to say is: where will the children play? Where will they go for ovals? Where will they go for parkland? Where will they walk? Where will they walk their dogs? I have to say, the state government has not thought this through, and they have not put one cent of money in for the purpose of actually providing the open space that will support these vastly increased populations. In the City of Boroondara, for example, they are almost going to double the number of dwellings. You would then say there is going to be a large number of children who will need sporting ovals to play on. Where will those sporting ovals go? Who will pay for those ovals? How is the state government intending to do that? The Minister for Planning needs to immediately come forward to explain to the communities how the government will deal with these open space requirements. Or does she expect them to live like sardines – crammed in, packed in? That is exactly what she intends.