Urban Growth Boundary (UGB)

LABOR IN A MESS ON PLANNING

The incompetent Brumby Government’s most recent planning strategy – Melbourne @ 5 Million – is in tatters with the Premier and Planning Minister directly contradicting each other about the plan’s centrepieces – the expansion of the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) and imposition of a Growth Area Infrastructure charge (GAIC).
Late last year the Premier said that not expanding the UGB would add “tens of thousands of dollars” to the cost of a new home, but today the Planning Minister says that the government is “not in a hurry to move the UGB”.
Shadow Planning Minister Matthew Guy said once again Labor’s planning policies were a mess.
“If the Premier and Planning Minister can’t agree on whether the UGB should be expanded and how infrastructure should be funded, it is no wonder that Melbourne is failing to cope with rapid population growth,” Mr Guy said.
“Victoria needs planning policy certainty, but we are not getting this under Labor.”
Mr Guy said that the latest gaffe by the Planning Minister yet again highlights his bungled handling of the UGB expansion and introduction of the GAIC.
“Labor’s atrocious handling of this issue has caused outrageous uncertainty for Victorian industry and landholders,” Mr Guy said.
“Many businesses have paid thousands of dollars in design and consultancy works around the government’s pledge to expand the UGB – yet the Minister now flippantly says that he was never really committed to the idea.
“Labor’s planning mess has caused huge heartbreak for thousands of landholders and created massive uncertainty,” Mr Guy said.
Media: Matthew Guy 0400 001 282

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