Hello everyone and thank you so much for your support.

There has been a major update to the State Government’s planning reforms. A new version of the Better Decisions Made Faster Bill was introduced in November, and the Government is supposedly aiming to push it through before Christmas.

The new update is far broader than the October draft, and it gives the Minister and planning panels much more power to approve changes with limited public input.

What this means

• Allows many planning amendments to be approved without public hearings
• Lets panels make decisions based on documents only, even for high-impact changes
• Removes objection rights when permit applications shift to a “lower-risk” category
• Gives the Minister new powers to override notice and exhibition if earlier consultation occurred
• Requires all planning schemes to follow the new Plan for Victoria, which centralises control
• Strengthens pathways for developer-initiated amendments, giving proponents more influence
• Significantly reduces the ability of councils and communities to challenge unsafe or unsuitable proposals

These changes mean large and dense developments can be approved faster, with fewer opportunities for the community to speak, question, or appeal decisions.

Many builds in areas like Merri-bek could move forward without the public hearing that has traditionally been a key protection.

Why this matters for our cause! 
Activity Centre plans in our suburbs are already being fast tracked. We still have:

• No confirmed upgrades to schools
• No plan for traffic, parking, footpaths or safe crossings
• No infrastructure commitments
• No clarity on how new housing targets will be handled
• Ongoing concerns raised by councils across Victoria

Weakening hearings and removing appeal pathways will affect every suburb, not just ours.

Call to action
We need to act now. Contact your local MP and tell them you do not support this Bill in its current form.

Share this message and help us reach our goal of 2,000 signatures. That is more than one percent of Merri-bek, and it sends a clear message that the community is paying attention.

Thank you again to everyone who has already shared and spoken up.