It is the intention of the Victorian Government that:
- ALL MUNICIPAL COUNCILS within Victoria will be able to “compulsory acquire any land”;
- ALL MUNICIPAL COUNCILS within Victoria will become an “Authority” in their own right;
- ALL MUNICIPAL COUNCILS within Victoria will be able to make their own LOCAL LAWS (no longer ‘by-laws’);
- ALL MUNICIPAL COUNCILS within Victoria will be able to enforce these laws using authorised people — the police;
Authorised people will be able to legally enter a person’s property or home or business (a “building”);
- The council will impose “environmental improvements” required to be undertaken by the landowner;
- The environmental upgrade will affect both landowner and tenant;
- Future works to be undertaken at the landowner’s costs relate to the Victorian Energy Efficiency Target Act 2007;
- If the landowner is unable to pay the accumulated costs within a given period, the land will be “transferred” to the council as the new owner.
- If the landowner fails to undertake the specified “works”, the council may appoint a contractor to do the works and charge the landowner for the work;
- The landowner will be given “market value” minus any encumbrances (such as a mortgage) plus ALL of the council’s costs associated with the work of transferring the property.
- If the property is being leased, prior to being “transferred” and then sold, the tenant will have to vacate the property;
- After the land has been “transferred” to the council, many landowners and tenants will not only find themselves looking for rental accommodation, but will only receive “market value” as determined by a “valuer”(Clause 130) while the land remains with the council’s corporation as being the lawful owner [130 (8)].If councils use their new found “Authority” to implement ways to acquire owner-occupier or tenancy/occupier land, then a good question is — what do they do with the land and its improvements afterwards?
Submissions
The Victorian government is inviting the public to comment on this legislation by allowing interested persons to make a submission.
To prevent this legislation becoming law, enough people (particularly Victorians) should ensure that their political representatives become aware that should this legislation be read in parliament and voted on, that they will be held accountable.
Affirmative Action
To enable this to happen, the Victorian public should take the following action:
- Download a copy of the Submission Template here.
- Submission Comments – Exposure Draft Bill
- Edit the document by typing in the name and address of the landowner and/or tenant in the box located on the front page.
- Email an electronic copy to the person’s:
- Lower House member (1 person)
- Upper House members (5 persons)
- The Parliamentary submission website.
- Follow up these emails by arranging an appointment to visit the local member (Lower House) and as many Upper House members as possible. If these can’t be visited personally, they should be telephoned.
- When visiting or telephoning members, their position regarding this draft legislation should be determined — either supporting or opposing it.
If 1,000 or more Victorians were to undertake the above procedure, then the likelihood of the Bill being read and voted on in the parliament is very slim.
Spread the word!
Every person reading this needs to spread the word about this legislation to as many Victorians as possible. This can be done by:
- Using social media such as Facebook, Twitter, etc.;
- Emailing friends and family;
- Contacting the media — local newspapers, TV stations via telephone or writing an article;
- All other means possible.
Keep in contact! – Alan Manson – frackfreegrovedale@gmail.com and
Visit this page from time to time to see if there is any news about how this campaign is progressing.
Act NOW!
Don’t wait to act on this as time is running out.