Community Newsletter - September 2019

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Tim Smith mp State Member for Kew Shadow Minister for Planning and Heritage Shadow Minister for Local Government Shadow Minister for Housing Shadow Minister for Population

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SPRING 2019

Dear Resident

I want to thank you for the opportunity to represent you for another term in the Victorian Parliament. It is a great honour and I will continue to work for our local area in and out of the Parliament.

We live in a great part of Melbourne, but the amenity of our area is under threat by some major issues in the short and long-term that I have been fighting hard to prevent.

Firstly, it is the Andrews Labor government’s plan to concentrate 70% of all new development in established and middle-ring suburbs in Melbourne*. This means our suburbs will be targeted by developers and backed by a supportive State government, working to introduce high density living into our local neighbourhood. This will increase the level of congestion on our local roads and strain our local services as our population booms.

Another longstanding concern I have is for our beautiful heritage homes that are an integral part of our local area. The State government’s Planning Scheme destroys heritage homes in Boroondara.

OUR HERITAGE

The recent destruction of Forres highlights the harsh reality of how the City of Boroondara is powerless to stop the loss of heritage homes to inappropriate development.

GONE FOREVER

The destruction of historic and heritage homes is on the increase in Boroondara, with developers given the go-ahead to demolish our heritage through Planning Scheme Amendment C299.

Other Councils can intervene to save their historic properties by introducing a heritage overlay, but not in Boroondara. Planning Scheme Amendment C299, which only applies in Boroondara, can block a heritage overlay on a property, and a demolition permit stands. This means the usual protections are not available in the City of Boroondara.

The Andrews Government must abolish C299 and stop discriminating against the City of Boroondara and its residents.

If you have any local or state issues and need any assistance at all please do not hesitate to contact my office via email or phone.

Yours sincerely,

Tim Smith MP | State Member for Kew

Suite 1, 400 High Street, Kew VIC 3101 TimSmithMP.com

/TimSmithKew

*Victorian Planning Authority Strategic Plan 2017-2020, Pg 11.

03 9853 2999 /TimSmithMP

$500 million in household bin taxes unused while recyclables are going to landfill.

The Recycling crisis has devastated Victorians who are horrified to know that recycling from their designated bins is going into landfill.

The State government has no solution to solve this crisis despite holding $500 million in taxpayer money for bin taxes and not using it to avoid this situation.

The State government has known for years that China would start to reject taking more Australian recycling exports at the end of 2017 and has not come up with an alternative plan. This lack of planning is now costing Victorians $700,000 a week for Local Councils to collect the recycling and take it to landfill.

This is an environmental disaster and must be stopped.

I'm keen to hear your views on Victoria's recycling crisis and any other issues important to you. Please fill out the survey on the back of this newsletter and return.

tim.smith@parliament.vic.gov.au /TimSmithMP

Tim Smith mp State Member for Kew

Long wait on bus Routes 302 and 304

More bus services in Kew are a high priority for Tim and he has raised issues with the Transport Minister

flickr photo by Philip Mallis. Used under a Creative Commons (BY-SA 2.0)

Tim Smith MP in State Parliament challenging the Andrews Government on its lack of funding for the Kew High School STEM Centre

Tim Smith MP announces that the Federal Government has stepped in to boost safety at the Boulevard after the State Govenrment failed to act.

and be certain that they can get on the next bus.

THE Andrews Government has ignored bus services in Kew for too long. Locals are reporting being stuck waiting for a bus on the 302 and 304 lines whilst full buses drive past, unable to carry any more passengers.

This is unacceptable in a city where public transport is necessary to limit congestion on our already choked roads. Locals should be able to confidently arrive at a bus stop

Government deals blow to Kew High School AS the Shadow Minister for Education at the 2018 Election I pledged that Kew High School would receive $10.8 million for a new STEM centre. This fabulous facility would have ensured that students had the very best education in the important areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics for the jobs of the future.

Josh steps in to fund Safety Upgrade for the Boulevard

Facility upgrade to benefit Kew sport clubs

Josh backs Walmer Street Bridge upgrade

IT was great to join the Federal Treasurer, The Hon Josh Frydenberg MP, to announce a much-needed upgrade to the female changing rooms at Victoria Park, Kew.

GREAT news for locals who use the iconic Walmer Street Bridge. I joined the Treasurer, the Hon Josh Frydenberg MP, who announced $1.5 million in Commonwealth funding to redevelop this important link between Kew and Richmond.

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I welcomed the Andrews Government’s announcement to match this funding because, win or lose; Kew High would get the funding it deserves. Shockingly, in this year’s budget the State government announced just $1 million in funding for a generic plan.

This is a terrible blow to the school’s long-term aspirations and to its students; who are being ignored by this government again. late into the night. Vandalism of street signs is also a common occurrence.

THANKS to Treasurer, The Hon Josh Frydenberg MP, Yarra Boulevard in Kew will finally be safe. I have been lobbying the State government for years regarding this dangerous stretch of road.

Speeding hoons are a constant danger to pedestrians, cyclists and drivers. There are constantly accidents along here, tacks laid on the road as well as noise complaints from locals who have to listen to hoons

The existing infrastructure at the club is old and inadequate and services players from Kew Football Club, Kew Cricket Club and the Kew Comets Junior Football Club. These upgrades will enable a record number of female football and cricket players to feel safe and secure in the quality facilities they deserve.

I have lobbied the Minister for Transport on this issue for over a year and have raised the issue in Parliament. The Minister shifts the blame to Public Transport Victoria and Public Transport Victoria blames the government. I will be doing all that I can to continue to push for more bus services in Kew to ensure that locals have the ability to get to and from the city on time, be that for work or leisure.

It is great to see the Commonwealth government provide the necessary money in the absence of State funding. The redeveloped bridge will service hundreds of cyclists and pedestrians.

The Andrews Government for years has ignored the plight of locals and passed the blame onto VicRoads; who have then have done nothing. The Commonwealth government has had to step in once again with the State’s failure to act.

Five million dollars of Commonwealth funding will mean the installation of more security measures including CCTV to catch perpetrators and adequate lighting for locals.

Supporting the White Ribbon event at Kew Football Club I attended the Kew Football Club's Mother's Day lunch to help raise money for their White Ribbon Australia event. Helping this cause is vitally important in helping stamp out men's violence against women and encouraging the comunity to stand up and speak out.

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unwanted, question. The estimated upper price for the unit was $750,000, yet at auction it was only put “on the market” at the $800,000 mark, ultimately selling for $871,500.

Recent auction in Kew breaches rules A recent auction in Kew caused several constituents to contact me about what appears to be a breach of the new rules governing auctions. The advertising material seemed to misrepresent the property, showing a courtyard which wasn’t on title as an Outdoor Entertaining area, and listing a shed standing on Common Property as a Fixture. Disturbingly, the Agent did not make mention of this in his preamble to the auction, until a potential bidder asked a specific, and from all accounts most

on the site of the old Cotham Private. Its great that the site will continue to be used as a private hospital.

As new laws were introduced in 2017 to tackle underquoting, I have asked the Minister for Consumer Affairs to investigate.

Go the Kew Bears!

I’m delighted to be supporting the Kew Football Club, which is great local club, for another season at Victoria Park.

Opening of Epworth Eastern in Kew I was very pleased to be part of the opening of the new Epworth Eastern Hospital in Kew,

They have an outstanding President Michael Cochrane and a terrific women’s program too. Go Kew Footy Club!

I wish them all the best in the finals.

Cladding crisis still creating uncertainty and fear

Community has its say on State government's tax grab

North East Link will impact on Koonung Creek Reserve

THE State government knew about the issue of dangerous flammable cladding for almost 5 years yet did absolutely nothing to address it whilst thousands of Victorians are forced to continue living in potential firetraps.

ON Tuesday 20 August, Georgie Crozier and I hosted a property tax forum at the Hawthorn Arts Centre. Over 200 people attended, many of whom shared their experiences and anger with the everincreasing property taxes.

THE State government’s North East Link will degrade Koonung Creek Reserve, diminish the amenity of North Balwyn and destroy the Boroondara Tennis Centre as well as many other local schools’ sporting grounds.

I have been calling on the Minister for Planning to act for months to ensure the safety of all Victorians in their homes. I have met with many residents of buildings clad in this dangerous material who were issued with enormous bills by the Victorian Building Authority. These bills demanded that residents and owners pay to remove the dangerous cladding even though they had purchased their properties in good faith, assuming it was safe for occupancy.

Shadow Treasurer Louise Staley MP gave an informative presentation of the levying of state taxes, and how the funds generated are spent. With over an hour of commentary from the floor, we heard many different examples of issues and anomalies with State taxation.

In July, the State government announced $300 million towards a $600 million fund to remove dangerous flammable cladding from private dwellings. This is a step in the right direction but is a drop on the ocean of what will be needed to rectify an unknown number of buildings. The State government advised 500 buildings needed to be rectified but the number is potentially far higher. I will continue to fight for immediate action before it is too late, many people do not even know they are living in a potential fire death-trap.

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Whilst many locals are rightly seething, it was an extremely positive evening to discuss the taxation system and hear proposed alternatives. Many of those present acknowledged their civil responsibility to pay their fair share of tax, but are incensed by the blatant gouging.

The information gleaned from this forum will assist greatly in policy development, and I am extremely grateful to all who attended.

If you are concerned by property tax, please let me know by sending an email to tim.smith@parliament.vic.gov.au

When the North East Link is completed it will channel thousands of extra cars down the Eastern Freeway and through local roads in North Balwyn, Kew and Kew East.

As if this isn’t bad enough, the Andrews Government refuses to even consider building the East West Link.

The independent body Infrastructure Victoria has declared the East West Link a vital priority project. Despite being a necessary project, the Andrews State government won’t build it and has spent more than $1 billion of taxpayers' money to cancel the contract and stop it being built.

They have even refused $4 billion from the Commonwealth government to build this road. Without it, cars will continue to come down the Eastern Freeway and the new North East Link only to end at a t-intersection at Hoddle Street. Their shortsightedness is astounding.

I will fight to protect our local streets and our amenity from this poorly designed North East Link.

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Tim Smith MP

State Member for Kew Suite 1/ 400 High Street, Kew VIC 3101 03 9853 2999 tim.smith@parliament.vic.gov.au TimSmithMP.com /TimSmithKew /TimSmithMP /TimSmithMP Authorised by Tim Smith MP, Suite 1, 400 High Street, Kew. Funded from Parliamentary Budget.

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