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KEW COTTAGES COALITION

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Kew Cottages Coalition Reg # A0044698H
 

Coming Events

Planning Backlash

Sunday 6th July 2008
Public Meeting

THE Brumby Government is facing a growing backlash from the suburbs as an army of resident groups battles traffic congestion and the loss of neighbourhood character caused by over-development.Geoffrey Rush   Rod Quantock, MC  Mary Drost (left) and Cr. Janis Rossiter

   David DavisGrag Barber, Greens

Speakers inc: Geoffrey RushRod Quantock (MC),  Mary Drost (Convenor)
David Davis (Lib MP Chair. Public Land Inquiry) , Greg Barber (Greens, MP)

120 Resident Groups to rally - Moonee Valley Clocktower (Town Hall) Sun July 6 - 2:30

ANGRY ABOUT A PLANNING APPLICATION IN YOUR  AREA??
FEELING HELPLESS??

JOIN OVER 120 RESIDENT GROUPS FROM CITY, COAST & COUNTRY  TO TELL PREMIER BRUMBY & MINISTER MADDEN:


“We're mad as hell and we're not going to take this anymore.”

NO! to stripping away our right to object/appeal.

NO! to stripping away council's planning powers.

Public Meeting at the Clocktower (Town Hall)
750 Mt Alexander Rd.  Moonee Valley
Melway Ref.28 J6 Tram 59 ..Airport West from Elizabeth St.  
Broadmeadows Train to Moonee Ponds (Sundays  for seniors)
SUNDAY 6TH JULY 2.30-4.00pm
Minister Madden has been invited.  
WILL HE COME?


For info. Google www.marvellousmelbourne.org or ring  Mary Drost  0401 834 899




Monday 30th June 2008

Kew Cottages Coalition proposal for KRS Site

KCC Proposal Plan p.2


KCC President, Brian Walsh,  and Dr. Lindsay Grayson appear before the Select Committee on Public Land Development to present the Coalition's proposal for the future of the site.

(More..)


Friday 20th June 2008

River Red Gums Damaged

Heritage tree damage costs developer $150,000

Steve Butcher writes in The Melbourne Age

INCOMPETENCE by the company re-developing the former Kew Cottages site has cost it more than $150,000 after five heritage-listed trees were endangered during works....(more..)
theage.com.au


Friday 13th June 2008

Madden can't recall

Madden can't recall signing

From: Herald Sun

PLANNING Minister Justin Madden was forced on to the back foot in Parliament yesterday when he couldn't remember if he'd signed off on stage two of the controversial Kew Cottages redevelopment.

Democratic Labor Party MP Peter Kavanagh refreshed Mr Madden's memory during Upper House Question Time, saying the minister had told Parliament on May 27 he was almost certain he had not given approval.

Mr Madden yesterday responded "I don't pretend to remember all those (documents) that come before me" and said he would take the question on notice.

Click here to read the full article on the Herald Sun website
heraldsun.com.au


Wednesday 11th June  2008
State Parliament of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia
Parliament of VictoriaSelect Committee on Public Land Development

The Committee tabled its Second Interim Report (109Kb)

CHAIR’S FOREWORD
 ....The new evidence received on key sites are highlighted in this second interim report,

including the Kew Residential Development, a proposed development on the Port
Campbell headlands, the continued alienation of public land within the Caulfield
Racecourse Reserve, and the St Kilda Triangle development.
With respect to Kew Residential Services, serious concerns have arisen about the
process and the outcome of this development. The Committee’s second interim
report again highlights the determination of the Deputy Premier to prevent scrutiny
and deny the Committee full access to critical Government documents in relation to
this development...."

David Davis MLC
Chairman

The Legislative Council agreed to extend the Committee's reporting date until 11 September 2008

***


Wednesday 28th May 2008

Brumby Must Establish "Anti-Corruption Commission" - Before it is Too Late !


Brian Walsh, President, Kew Cottages Coalition today called on Premier John Brumby to personally intervene in the Kew Cottages development debacle, and to fast-track the establishment of an Anti-Corruption Commission in Victoria.

Mr Walsh said, "The writing is now on the wall for everyone to read. Bracks really dragged the chain
compared to the other States when it came to trying to solve the problem of political corruption. And the question now has to be asked - why ? "

As reported in The Age, today the Select Committee now has learnt of a further large donation to the Victorian ALP from another client of Graham Richardson,who was found to be secretly linked to the Kew deal.

According to the Australian Electoral Commission the publicly listed Sydney based developer Mirvac donated $50,000 to the Victorian ALP just 4 days after Walker Corporation was awarded the contract.


Friday 23rd May 2008
Madden in Kew row
Mary Bolling writes in the Herald Sun....
PLANNING Minister Justin Madden has denied knowledge of a developer's $100,000 political donation to his party, only a month before the developer won the contract for the $400 million Kew Cottages project...

Mr Madden, facing questions from the Select Committee on Public Land Development, said yesterday he was Commonwealth Games minister when the controversial Kew decision was made -- and he ignored who made political donations to his party, anyway.

Committee chairman and Liberal MP David Davis said Kew Cottages site developer Walker Corporation made the $100,000 donation to the Victorian Labor Party on September 4, 2006.

(More..)
heraldsun.com.au

Thursday 22nd May 2008
Kew site contract linked to donation
Kew site contract linked to donations
Click here for Cameron Houston's full story from
Fairfaxdigital
Justin MaddenTheo Theophanous

Ministers Madden & Theophanous appear before the
Select Committee into Public Land Development.



Monday  28th April 2008
Kew Cottages Coalition makes its preliminary submission
P12879
Unclear and Unsafe.

to Heritage Victoria on Walker Corporation's Application P12879 for a Stage 2 Heritage Permit.


Monday  14th April 2008

Heritage Victoria undertakes to investigate the delay in
Walker Corporation's advertising of its Stage 2 Heritage Permit Application. 
Heritage Victoria then announces it is extending its

Deadline for public submissions to 28th April 2008. 

Friday  11th April 2008

Walker Corporation finally places its overdue Public Notices on Main Drive advertising its Stage 2 Heritage Permit Application

but then on the same day......


Friday  11th April 2008

The Stage 2 Incident
Victorian Planning Minister, Justin Madden
Planning Minister Justin Madden
suddenly and secretly issues Walker Corporation with a
Stage 2 Planning Permit
for
Subdivision
and
Native Vegetation Removal
(More..).
Publication of other Permits continues normally on a daily basis on
the Ministerial Public Register.

However, publication of  the Kew Cottages Permit is delayed for over a month


Note: Planning Permit No. 20070638 is finally added to the Ministerial Register after the Minister is called to give evidence before the Select Committee on Public Land Development. (Madden appears before the Committee on 22nd May 2008 and answers questions about Walker Corporation's political donations to the Victorian ALP. )

The Kew Cottages Coalition subsequently finds that
Planning Permit No. 20070638 was issued 'informally', and was therefore probably an illegitimate permit.
The Minister for Planning apparently:
  • Failed to comply with the Heritage and Planning regulations;
  • Failed to refer Walker Corporation's Application for Subdivision to Heritage Victoria;
  • Issued a permit that breached existing Kew Cottages Heritage Permit controls on the historic avenue of oak trees along Main Drive.


Wednesday 2nd April 2008
Heritage Victoria Public Notice
A small Public Notice, as required by the Heritage Act, is published in The Age advertising Walker Corporation's Application for a Stage 2 Heritage Permit.

However, Walker Corporation's local advertising of its own Stage 2 Heritage Permit Application, advertising which is also required by the Heritage Act 1995
is mysteriously delayed.

Deadline for submissions 16th April 2008


Thursday  13th March 2008
The Age, p.2,  13th March 2008
Carol Nader, The Melbourne Age, p2, 13th March 2008
It's official.....
"Damning report into disability accommodation"
 Herald Sun 13th March 2008

The State of Victoria in Australia
is failing to house the intellectually disabled.
BUT WHY ?



Saturday  1st March 2008
NSW Premier Morris Iemaa in shadow of Graham Richardson
The Australian's 'State of Disgrace' story highlights Walker Corporation and Mirvac  lobbyist Graham Richardson's continuing role in NSW politics...



Monday  25th February 2008
Kew Cottages Womens' Hospital  1899

Beautiful Melbourne
v.
The NSW Bulldozers
(Again...! )

An Open Letter
to
 the Planning Minister of Victoria
Mr. Justin Madden


Re: Objection to
Walker Corporation Application for
Kew Cottages Stage 2 Planning Permit and Subdivision (Nov-07)



Dear Minister,

As you will be aware the ABC today reported on the Prime Minister's expressed concern at the now well established problem with developers and political donations in NSW.

The Premier of NSW, Morris Iemma, is now reported to have pledged to reform political donation legislation in NSW before the end of the year.

As both  Victoria's Planning Minister, and the Responsible Planning Authority for Kew Cottages, you may choose to look the other way, but never again can you say you did not know that:
  1. Political corruption is a major problem in the NSW planning and development industry;
  2. Many NSW developers are now operating in Victoria;
  3. There are two developers specifically named in the Select Committee of the Legislative Council on Public Land Development's, First Interim Report (Dec-07). They are Walker Corporation and Mirvac. The are both NSW based developers. They are both named in relation to the Victorian State Government's dealings with the Kew Cottages Development;
  4. The Select Committee expressed its concern regarding:
  • a "lack of transparency in State Government dealings with Walker Corporation"; and
  • "possible influence of Walker Corporation political donations during the development approval process"...

Given the seriousness of these issues I respectfully request that you recognise that the public interest in Victoria will now best be served by you:

  • giving your closest possible personal attention to the Walker Stage 2 Permit and subdivision application;
  • ensuring a fair, open, and  transparent assessment process;
  • investigating the three matters, detailed below, regarding what appears at face value to be:
Please acknowledge and respond in due course.

Yours sincerely,


Brian Walsh
President

Kew Cottages Coalition

Encs:
1. Beautiful Melbourne v. NSW Bulldozers)
2. Submission Attachments : Extracts Heritage Act & Walker Corporation KRS Contract


The Age
Friday 22nd February 2008
"Paying the price"


Paying The Price , Letters, The Age 22.2.08



FINANCIAL REVIEW
Saturday 16th February 2008
".. Mirvac forgets its Ps and Kews"



AFR The Prince
Dotting Is and crossing Ts, Mirvac forgets its Ps and Kews AFR p.10
Mirvac forgets its Ps and Kews
Dotting Is and crossing Ts, Mirvac forgets its Ps and Kews



Tuesday 5th February 2008

Kew Public Meeting

Calls on the Government to stop obstructing the current Parliamentary Public Land Inquiry, and to fully cooperate with the Inquiry, particularly in their investigation into Kew Cottages Development Project... (More..)




Summary of
KCC
Presentation
(More..)

Motions carried

KEW COTTAGES COALITION INC. PRESENTS

TIME TO GO !
at
Kew Cottages
and
Kew Residential Services
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT's

PUBLIC MEETING
MC Rod Quantock

8 pm Tuesday 5th February 2008
Phyllis Hore Room
Kew Civic Centre
Cnr Cotham Road and Civic Drive
KEW

(Melways  Map 45 D6 )


The next instalment in one of Melbourne's most contentious major projects.

Topics for discussion:

  • Report on the Parliamentary Inquiry into Public Land Development.

  • Why Walker wants to sell out of Kew Cottages ?


  • Why Walker must go ?

  • How Brumby can help Walker to go now ?
ALL WELCOME !




Stop Press
For an update on current developments at Kew Cottages please join a Pre-Meeting Tour.

The Tour will start at:
Time: 7pm Tuesday 5 February 2008
Location: Wills Street Picnic Area, Cnr Wills & Redmond Street Entrance to Kew Cottages and Yarra Bend Park.

Map: Melways 45 A4 (Click Here)

This will be especially helpful for Wills Street  and other residents effected by Walker Corporations latest Subdivision Application.


Links:
Map of proposed Stage2 SubdivisionMap of Kew Cottages Proposed Stage 2 Subdivision
Map of Proposal to remove 70 treesProposal to Moonscape Stage 2 bulldozing  70 trees

An electronic copy of the complete Planning Permit Application
No. 20070638 lodged with the Minister for Planning on 29th November 2007 is now available online
Please contact the Department of Planning and Community Development, 8 Nicholson Street, Melbourne  for access to updated information and the original hardcopy documentation lodged by the applicant.
The Story So Far (more...)

For a printer friendly copy of the Coalition's January 2008 Newsletter (Click here)

 Feedback: If you see any errors or have any questions or suggestions on what is shown on this website, please let us know  so that we can correct or extend the information provided.





Monday 4th February 2008
Obituary
DAX Dr Eric Cunningham AO
Former Chairman of the Victorian Mental Health Authority
18-5-1908 - 29-1-2008

Dr Dax December 2007



The funeral of one the greatest defenders of Kew Cottages, Dr. Cunningham Dax
will be held at 2pm today (February 4) in Doncaster

When Dr. Dax was born in England in 1908,
Kew Cottages had just come of age. However, by the time Dr. Dax  came to be appointed as the Victorian Mental Health Authority Chairman after the second World War, the Cottages was in a very sorry state of neglect.

In 'Payment by Results' Kew Cottages the first 100 years 1887-1987 Arthur Lloyd said that Dax's appointment in 1952 was a 'sheer stroke of genius':

Dr. Dax was a man of great stature, a big heart, wide vision, unlimited energy and enthusiasm, and deep compassion. he was an organizer and a leader....

Prime Minister Menzies, the only occupant of that office ever to visit the Cottages, praised the work of Dr. Dax and said:

"Most of my generation thought of these hospitals in the wrong sense. We failed to realise that mental illness and retardation need materials and scientific treatment."

Dax struck up a very positive relationship with the media particularly with
Bill Tipping, one the Melbourne Herald's best journalists. Together they helped focus public attention on  the longstanding problems posed by apathetic politicians and chronic underfunding.

Dr. Dax went on to champion a wide range of reforms and innovations at the Cottages. As well as helping change the hearts and minds of the politicians of his day, he also proved particularly adept at gaining the strong support of the public and community groups.

Melbourne Rotarians, the Lions Clubs and other Service Groups, the Kew Cottages Parents Association, the Retarded Children’s Organizations, the C.W.A., the Tipping Foundation, the Master Painters, the Parks and Gardens  all came to the aid of the Cottages in response to Dax's call to arms in the 1950's

Over fifty years later Dr. Dax returned to the fray, and appealed to these organisations for help once again.

On 30th August 2005 he wrote to the Progress Leader newspaper to express his outrage at how the mental health system had been dismantled in Victoria, and to call for a Judicial Enquiry into the sale of the public lands surrounding the hospitals and centres for the intellectually handicapped, in particular Kew Cottages.

"Such an Enquiry would identify the persons connected directly or indirectly with the building organizations who are erecting the houses or have a financial interest in the destruction of the hospitals and the sale of their lands. It would also discover what has happened to the large amount of money obtained in this way..."

The Bracks Government's response was swift.  The very next day on 1st September 2005 the Government announced their Kew Cottages KRS redevelopment project would henceforth be protected by the confidentiality provisions of the Project Development  and Construction
Management  Act.

Dr Dax, however, had the last laugh.

In May 2007 the Upper House of the Victorian Parliament voted to establish a Select Committee to inquire into the sale and development of public lands, in particular Kew Cottages.

The Public Land Inquiry continues....



The Chapel Funeral of Dr Eric Cunningham Dax AO will be held at Tobin Brothers Reflections of Life Chapel, 816 Doncaster Road, Doncaster on Monday 4th February at 2.00pm.

A Private Cremation will follow.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Cunningham Dax Collection. Envelopes will be available at the Chapel.











 
Background
Environment
Issues


Monday 10th July 2006

Melbourne Channel 10 TV News Reports

"Yarra Bend Park May Now Be Under Threat"
from
Deadly Tree Disease
at
Kew Cottages


View  Windows Media 
wmv video file (1min39s):
mp3 file


(Archive ..)
Bracks Government Cover up on
Biosecurity
Threat to Yarra ?



Tuesday 14th March 2006

Brian Walsh tells the ABC's 774, Jon Faine, he is astounded that the Government now claims it was unaware of the discovery of the fungus at Kew Cottages. Walsh says the Government claim is nonsense, "our information is that they have known for weeks.. " (see below)

Listen to the full Interview mp3 audio (2min 34s): mp3 file


Herald Sun 14.3.2006 p.31








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Note:
  1. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the electronic information presented on this site. However, Kew Cottages Coalition accepts no responsibility for any loss occasioned to any person acting or refraining from action as a result of the material presented in this service.

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Reg # A0044698H