Penalties for Illegal Building Demolition

Shadow Minister for Planning, David Davis

The Liberal Nationals strongly support tougher laws that increase penalties for those who breach laws tearing down buildings that have appropriate heritage protections.

Irresponsible developers should not be able to thumb their nose at the law and at the community.

The Andrews Government dithered and delayed in its response to the Corkman fiasco, but heritage means protecting valuable buildings and streetscapes that become more important as our population increases.

Labor’s plan for intense development in Melbourne’s south and east will see heritage buildings torn down and valuable streetscapes and suburbs lost forever.

Infrastructure Victoria has targeted the south and the east for intensification:

Land use planning decisions should factor in the capacity of existing infrastructure. For example, greater densification of housing in established areas … Suburbs in Melbourne’s east and south are particularly well placed to cope with extra demands on existing infrastructure … This rebalancing is unlikely to occur without intervention. (Infrastructure Victoria, Draft 30 year strategy)

Their recommendation that this “rebalancing” occur as a result of “intervention” needs to be seen for what it is.  This is nothing short of a call for Daniel Andrews’ government to gut planning schemes, tear up neighbourhood residential zones and force the bulldozing of large tracts of existing and often heritage housing stock and vegetation in the currently “leafy” eastern and southern suburbs of Melbourne, without the consent or agreement of affected communities.

Media contact:   James Duncan 0457 758 018 james.duncan@opposition.vic.gov.au