OCTOBER 31, 2018 \ STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
NEWS + SPORT + THE WEST’S BEST PROPERTY GUIDE
(Dennis Manktelow)
Female footy funds change Williamstown Football Club has secured a $1.5 million low-interest state government loan to improve female facilities at Burbank Oval. The club, which will also receive $273,000 from AFL Victoria, will use the money for two new unisex changerooms and lighting upgrades at the oval. The changerooms are part of the club’s $4.6 million redevelopment plans, which include match-day officials’ rooms, offices for Seagulls and Western Jets staff, and ground drainage and reconstruction. Club chief executive Jason Reddick said the changerooms were needed for Williamstown’s VFLW team and because of the growing use of its venue by local community clubs. “Our ground, last year, hosted nearly 40 different teams, over 3200 participants,” he said. “And with Western Region football finals being played there, VAFA finals being played there, there’s a genuine need to have club rooms to accommodate those sort of uses, as well as the local clubs and schools that come and utilise the ground throughout the year.” No.1 ticket holder, Williamstown MP Wade Noonan said he was proud of the club’s approach to create an inclusive culture and of its successes. AMY CATTERAL, MORGAN LOWE, KAYLA KOROPECKYJ AND SALLY SOULSBY
Goya Dmytryshchak
Residents challenge rates More than 400 Maribyrnong residents reeling from skyrocketing rates bills are challenging their property valuations. Star Weekly last month reported Maribyrnong and Hobsons Bay ratepayers were coming forward in droves to say their properties had been wildly over-valued, including a 96-year-old Footscray man who was told his home’s value has more than doubled in two years – pushing up his rates bill by $1938 to $3832. While the average general rate increase is capped at 2.25 per cent across all properties, individual rates fluctuate more broadly in a revaluation year.
Maribyrnong council has so far received 414 objections since issuing the latest rates notices – more than five times the 73 objections lodged in the previous valuation year. Councillors were last week confronted by an overflowing public gallery at the monthly ordinary meeting. Maribyrnong chief executive Stephen Wall repeatedly deflected blame for the situation, pinning the spike on state government regulations requiring rates to be pegged according to the independent valuations. But angry ratepayers accused the council of failing to adequately curb expenditure and stand up for residents. Long-standing Footscray residents were
particularly vocal, arguing their rate payments had become untenable due to rezoning that has made the area more attractive to developers. They argued it was unfair to charge them according to the value their property could attract were their homes levelled to make way for multi-storey apartments. Footscray home owner Yvonne Collett said council rezoning her property had doubled her rate bill to $6000. Another ratepayer said he would happily sell his home for the valued amount, but would be unlikely to gain that price on the open market. Steve said elderly residents should not be forced to sell their homes to pay their rates. “My property in the two years has gone up
88 per cent in regards to the valuation of the land,” he said. “I mean that’s ridiculous. Even though these valuations were done independently, it’s not the case … we’re all in the same position here. I’m contesting it.” Mr Wall conceded the system was not ideal, but said the council’s hands were tied. Council’s director of corporate services Celia Haddock said the council offers one of the highest pensioner rebates in Victoria and does not charge penalties for late pensioner payments. “Payment plans and options for residents that are having difficulty paying are also available,” she said.
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