Michaela Meade
Hume council is calling for police to be given greater power to deal with hoon drivers, as it prepares to review its own local laws in a bid to crackdown on hoon behaviour.
Councillor Jack Medcraft last week asked the council to write to Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes and acting Police Minister Danny Pearson to request changes to police powers, in response to growing community concerns about hoon activity in Hume.
The council is also preparing to review it’s General Local Law No.1, which governs the safety of the municipality, and will investigate whether changes to the law can be used to support police in relation to hooning.
Michaela Meade
A state government proposal for a 500-bed COVID-19 quarantine hub in Mickleham has divided the community.
Last week, Acting Premier James Merlino revealed that a site on Donnybrook Road was the state government’s preferred location for the hub, which will house returned travellers.
The site is next to the existing federal government-owned Mickleham Post Entry Quarantine Facility.
The state government has committed $15 million to design the hub, however its construction is dependent on federal government approval and funding.
The state government said the hub would cost about $200 million to build, with construction to begin in September if federal approval is granted.
Oliver Lees
Hundreds of people have taken to the streets of Sunbury to voice their disapproval at the proposed dumping of contaminated soil at a site in Bulla.
Protesters, many wearing ‘No Toxic Soil in Sunbury’ T-shirts and others carrying picket signs, gathered at the Village Green beside Sunbury Memorial at noon on Sunday.
Community members and local politicians addressed the crowd before the protestors made their way down Macedon Street before returning to the Village Green.
The Sunbury and Bulla communities have voiced their frustration at the Victorian government over a proposed relocation of contaminated soil from the West Gate Tunnel Project to a site on Sunbury Road in Bulla.
Goya Dmytryshchak
Maribyrnong council has released its draft 2021-22 budget, which includes an average 1.5 per cent rate rise, a review of the municipal charge and endorses a proposal to borrow $10 million for the Footscray Town Hall redevelopment.
The council intends to raise $100,776,958 by general rates and municipal charges, according to budget papers.
Councillor Jorge Jorquera told last week’s council meeting he would like to maintain the municipal charge at $20 rather than raise it to $30 as proposed.
Deputy mayor Anthony Tran said he would like to see modelling ranging from $20 to $100 in municipal charges.
“Can we go from $20 to maybe $100 so our residents can really see the effects of municipal charges, especially when going from lower ratepayers to the higher,” he said.
Hume council will take Bulla’s toxic soil saga to the Supreme Court.
Last week, Hume councillors voted unanimously to have the council’s lawyers initiate legal proceedings to review a decision by Planning Minister Richard Wynne that could see testing and disposal of spoil from the West Gate Tunnel project at a site on Sunbury Road.
As reported by Star Weekly, Mr Wynne approved Hi-Quality Group’s planning scheme amendment for the site on March 29.
Council estimates the legal proceedings will cost between $100,000 to $200,000, but noted that cost could be higher if it were to lose the case.
Council received 58 community submissions and over 300 emails in relation to council officers’ recommendation to initiate legal proceedings.