Residents of Victoria, Australia 16 years and over only invited to sign please.

 

Victoria will grow. The question is who gets to shape its future.

Victoria needs more homes, genuinely affordable housing, renewable energy, investment and economic growth. But achieving those things does not require us to give up democratic planning, good design or liveable communities.

Victoria’s planning system has been fundamentally changed - without Victorians having a say.

The State Government has taken significant planning powers from local councils. Your rights to object and appeal against many developments have been removed. More planning decisions are being made by the Minister for Planning.

And this is much bigger than towers and apartments near public transport.

The new rules affect all Victorians - our cities, suburbs, regional towns, rural communities and Green Wedges. Ministerial planning decisions now extend to housing, data centres, renewable energy and other significant commercial and industrial projects.

For housing developments of eight or more homes, developers can bypass councils and apply directly to the Minister for a planning permit anywhere housing is permitted. The Minister can and is varying planning requirements, including mandatory height and setbacks. You cannot object and you cannot appeal to VCAT.

For townhouses and apartments up to six storeys assessed by councils, new rules have removed council discretion and turned much of the assessment into a tick-a-box process. Again, community objection and VCAT appeal rights have been removed.

What happens in your street, suburb, town or region can now be decided with little or no opportunity for you to have a say.

At the same time, protections affecting tree canopy, neighbourhood character, heritage, privacy, sunlight, environmental sustainability and rooftop solar generation have been diminished.

And while Victoria grows, the infrastructure our communities need - transport, roads, schools, health services, open space, water and other essential services - is not keeping pace.

This is the State Government’s policy choice. It does not have to be this way. 

Victoria can accommodate this growth without accepting a false choice between poorly planned density and endless urban sprawl. We can build more homes while protecting what makes Victoria liveable today. We can plan infrastructure alongside growth. And communities and councils can once again have a meaningful voice in shaping the places where they live.

Sign the petition and call on every political party and candidate to:

REPEAL the undemocratic planning changes.
RESTORE transparency, community rights and meaningful consultation.
RESTART planning for Victoria’s growth with councils, communities and all stakeholders at the table.

 

Petition to Restore Democratic Planning for a Liveable Victoria
We, the undersigned Victorian citizens, call for the restoration of integrity, transparency and community confidence in the planning system and decision making.

WE CALL ON all political parties and candidates for the Victorian election in November 2026 to commit to:

1.   Repealing the undemocratic changes to the planning system including:

·     the Activity Centre Program (VC257)

·     the Townhouse and Low Rise Code (VC267) and the Mid Rise Code (VC300)

·     the Development Facilitation Fast Track program

·     the Great Design Fast Track and Future Homes programs

·     provisions of the Planning and Environment (Better Decision Made Faster) Act 2026 that affect community rights to notice, objection and review and enable councils to issue planning permits in breach of a covenant without notice to beneficiaries, and recent changes to the planning appeals process which reduce resident rights.

2.      Restoring principles of democratic, transparent and accountable decision-making , community rights, independent scrutiny, meaningful community consultation and on-going continuous improvement in the planning system;

3.      Restoring proper planning by recommencing planning in genuine collaboration with local councils, community, peak industry, environmental and heritage bodies;

4.      Build public and affordable housing; and

5.      Align fully funded infrastructure provision with housing and development programs.

Decision makers
Australian Greens Victoria

Legalise Cannabis Party

Liberal Party of Australia (Victorian Division)

Libertarian Party

The Nationals Victoria

One Nation Victoria

Shooters Fishers and Farmers Party Victoria

Victorian Labor Party

Victorian Socialists

Other parties and independent candidates for the Victorian State Election 2026

Funding
Funding notice: Any request for funding shown by Change.org relates to promotion of the petition by Change.org. If you would like to make a donation find out more or contact Liveable Victoria, please visit our website www.liveablevictoria.org.au

Please ensure that you have your correct name and a suburb or town in Victoria, Australia registered with Change.org to ensure your signature is counted.

 

Authorised by I Morgans, Suite 329/98-100 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne, Vic 3000