Tuesday, 2 June 2026

 Wendy LOVELL (Northern Victoria) (15:36): My constituents in the Macedon district are seriously concerned about a proposed housing development that will build 2300 new dwellings in the tiny hamlet of Clarkefield. Together with the recently approved development in Riddells Creek, this would bring over 9000 new residents into two neighbouring rural towns. The Labor government gave residents and the council just 28 days to study and assess the proposal, with public submissions closing yesterday. That is not enough time for close consideration of over 80 technical documents, and councillors are furious that the proposal is being rushed through with minimal scrutiny. Local residents and stakeholders are outraged about this proposal, which contradicts the shire’s statement of planning policy intended to protect smaller settlements like Clarkefield. In the first phase of the development, local traffic would rely on a single, unsignalised intersection on the Melbourne-Lancefield Road, a 100-kilometre per hour rural arterial. This would be a serious hazard when traffic increases significantly. There is no secondary school planned for Clarkefield or Riddells Creek, and all other colleges are bursting at the seams. Train patronage will explode, but there is no plan to expand parking at the railway station or extend the platform to allow boarding on all six carriages of a train. Greater Western Water has said it does not plan to put in reticulated sewerage at the site before 2040. If the government pushes ahead with this development, it must address the – (Time expired)