Where do the Macedon candidates stand?
We asked all four candidates the following questions:
- What funding arrangement has or will your party put in place to ensure the ongoing long term financial viability of the Hanging Rock Reserve and the Eastern Paddock negating thepossibility that Macedon Ranges Shire Council will seek commercial income other than the current arrangements?
- What planning protection and/or rezoning will your party put in place to prevent any proposed or future commercial/other development in the Eastern Paddock?
- What terms and conditions will your party require the Macedon Ranges Shire Council to fulfil in order to receive any funding specific to or including the Hanging Rock Reserve and Eastern Paddock?
The answers to date:
BARKER, Neil
AUSTRALIAN GREENS
1. “The Greens would ensure that funds which were made available to councils for Reserves such as Hanging Rock would be drawn from State Government revenue and should be sufficient to negate any need for additional revenue from commercial developments.”
2. “Supply of funds would be conditional on preservation of the Reserve in its current state, and where any modifications are contemplated, that these be put to the community by Council for extensive consultation before any changes were implemented.”
3. “ The Greens want full incorporation of the Eastern Paddock into the Reserve with no commercial developments to be allowed in that area.”
THOMAS, Mary Anne
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY
“The proposal for inappropriate development at Hanging Rock was a near miss that must never happen again. Hanging Rock has been plagued by inadequate management for years. “
“A Labor Government will review the entire management and planning overlays of the site, including the Eastern Paddock, in consultation with the local community and stakeholders. “
“Our message is clear, Hanging Rock is a national icon and deserves to be protected well into the future for generations. The review will determine a new governance structure and the appropriate planning overlays to ensure that the Hanging Rock precinct is safe from the threat of inappropriate development for good. We won’t just throw money at a problem and hope it goes away , we’ll work with the locals who know Hanging Rock best ”
HARLAND, Peter
FAMILY FIRST
No reply
PETROVICH, Donna
LIBERAL
1. “We have provided $1 million over four years to cover maintenance of Hanging Rock and the Eastern Paddock, so that it can be preserved and improved without any commercial development spoiling this wonderful natural asset.”
2. “ Council agreed to halt their plans for development of the Eastern Paddock as a part of the government’s commitment of $1 million. This is a key requirement of the funding.”
3. ”The Napthine Coalition Government will place a site-specific planning control that bans any future commercial development. It should be noted that the current Public Park & Recreation Zone prohibits any commercial development. We will not allow any rezoning for the site that is for commercial development of any kind.”