Kew Cottages: Challenge for Change

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2015

2016
Lang Walker, Kew Development Corporation & Daniel Andrews , Premier of Victoria

Has Daniel Andrews learnt from Steve Bracks' big mistake at Kew Cottages ?

Former Premier, Steve Bracks, personally announced his plans for the Kew Cottages 27 hectare Development on 4 May 2001.

However, after that Bracks appears to have forgotten his Kew Cottages rhetoric and the promises he made to intellectually disabled Victorians.

Instead of ensuring his promises were delivered to the disabled, Bracks left that to others - principally to Major Projects Victoria, and to his Private Partner, the 'colourful Sydney billionaire' Lang Walker..

That was a big mistake. The result was a total mess.

As Stephen Mayne was later to report:

"The site has a sordid history of broken promises, excessive secrecy and utterly inappropriate political donations by Walker, who even sent Graham Richardson down from Sydney to try and bang a few Labor heads together"

The controversial development reflected badly on Bracks ability to manage Major Projects as a whole.

The question now is what has Daniel Andrews learnt from Bracks lack of attention to detail, and Bracks over-reliance on Major Projects Victoria ?

The Andrews Government Contract with Walker is due to expire in a few months time on 27 Oct 2016, all the houses planned for Main Drive Kew Housing Estate have now been completed, and it is time for Daniel Andrews to tell Walker to go away.

The Premier's personal intervention is necessary because unfortunately, Walker is not showing any signs of wanting to go quietly.

Indeed as reported in the Progress Leader (23/2) Walker has now launched an extraordinary '11th hour' attack on the competency of the Victorian Heritage Council.

Last year Walker was refused heritage approval to build blocks of high-rise apartments on the parkland next to Main Drive and Willsmere.

As a consequence Walker appealed to the Heritage Council. The Council appointed a Panel to hear Walker's Appeal. Public Hearings commenced, and were due to resume in February. However, Walker now claims that it isn't getting a fair hearing. Walker have applied for the Heritage Council to be reconstituted, and for the whole Appeal process to be re-started.

The day after the Leader broke this story, a Public Meeting at the Kew Civic Centre called on the Andrews Government "to direct Walker Corporation to withdraw its application for the Heritage Council to be reconstituted."

President of the Kew Cottages Coalition, Brian. Walsh said, " Its time for Daniel Andrews to learn from Steve Bracks big mistake at Kew Cottages. It's time for the Premier to pull Major Projects Victoria into line, and tell Walker that their contract will not be extended, and that their application for the Heritage Council to be reconstituted is totally out of order, and does not have his Government's support."

Melbourne the Place to
Be

... Major Projects in Victoria are in a mess, and the mess looks like it is getting bigger, much bigger...