We have officially withdrawn our application and have regrouped to determine our best path forward.

 We are convinced that the development will never happen with Baw Baw Shire unless the planning department, council, and councilors acknowledge the incompetence and lack of policies to prevent internal corruption. The bullying, victim blaming, deflection, and sheer complexity of the planning process needs to be overturned and taken out of the current executives hands as without massive change, our community will suffer and there will be more stories like ours.

A recent letter from council's lawyers implying costs wouldn’t be sought if we withdrew our application is just another reminder that they have zero empathy or interest in helping develop our corner of the shire but would instead intimidate and bully their constituents.
Our next step is to speak with Sonya Kilkenny, the Minister for Planning, .  Unfortunately whilst the case was before VCAT the Minister could not step in.  So although it seems like a step backwards, it is more like a step sideways so we don't need to deal with the Baw Baw Shire.  We also have an active IBAC report that we will be adding to due to the recent correspondence and recent declaration of the local representatives claim of conflict of interest. 

If anyone has had similar issues with the Baw Baw Shire, we ask you to submit an IBAC report and write to your local member.  This is the only way we can hold the people that are supposed to be supporting and advocating for our community, accountable.  

We thank all our supporters from Erica, Rawson, Walhalla, and across Australia and the world for your kind thoughts, words, and actions throughout this horrific journey. Your support made enduring councils actions and the complainants' behaviour much more bearable.

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