Hi everyone, we are well on our way to 1,000 signatures, holy smokes! Cannot thank you enough for the support, sharing and messages we've received. Means the world to us.
The local paper just published a story about the petition, please find linked below:
It is a good summary of the issue, and I know it is complicated. However, the procedure and onus on us to prove we are not a building and take the council to VCAT if we're put at risk with how their building surveyor is behaving, is in our opinion, an inappropriate way to resolve the situation.
Asking low income families to peruse legal representation as the only procedure forward when we have been the ones following the local law regarding camping, is ridiculous. Is this how the council want all vulnerable caravan owners to resolve their problems with an inappropriate classification? Take them to VCAT? Why is it on us to resolve this issue for them?
The residents of the Yarra Ranges can't wait 15 years for the state government to make a decision.
We cannot wait for state government to give us more information, other councils have taken it into their own hands at the needs of their residents to move forward on housing solutions. Benny and I would be more then happy to move to a more appropriate location with our THOW, if green wedge zoning is part of the issue, however there is no guarantee at this stage or clarity from the council on what conditions we must meet to live secure and peacefully in our caravan. Everyone to check our Mt Alexander Shire and Surf Coast Shire's website for great examples of potential wording on this matter.
Also I remind you, we already asked the head of building at the Yarra Ranges council to stay the decision until we heard back from the state Planning Minister (who they are apparently advocating to), and the council did not agree to this condition.
That is the dialogue we are asking for, and petitioning the councilors for. They are the ones that should be working with us to develop an appropriate policy for the local area. This is what we're fighting for and want to do. We know it can be done! It needs to be done to protect at-risk families from more hardship.
Keep sharing and chatting about this with your local representatives.