Planning for Mansfield Shire - not just Victoria

Published on 07 March 2025

The Victorian Government has released widespread planning reforms with a new plan for Victoria on 28 February 2025.

Mayor Cr Steve Rabie said the Plan would diminish the planning powers of local governments and make it harder for councils to work toward the vision of communities.

“Communities lose their voice in decisions about how their community is shaped when powers are taken away from local governments,” said Cr Rabie.

“Our community have told us very clearly, over many years, that we need steady, strategic progress to accommodate for housing needs while being sure to not ruin the beauty and amenity of our shire. Basically, we need to manage planning carefully to make sure we can provide the required housing supply while not destroying the Shire.

“Council is disappointed that the state government’s blanket rules take away our power to shape the community the way we know the community needs it to be. Only local government can get close to understanding its community’s unique needs.

“We have to protect what is great about our Shire. That’s why we’ve been so strong on protecting the alpine approaches and spending a great deal of time and resources on strategic planning.

“We’re already work closely with the state government to make sure we meet the needs of our growing population. This is why it’s disappointing to see our ability to control how we plan for those needs reduced, sacrificed as part of a state-wide concern that doesn’t fit our local issues here.

“We’re pleased to see that there is movement on the housing issue. We’ve taken the lead on this in our community and it is the role of the state government to address shortages in the housing supply. But this isn’t the way to do it.

“We don’t need land unlocked in Mansfield Shire. Our community needs certainty that the land that has already been unlocked will actually be developed,” said Cr Rabie.

“The state is taking away the power of local government without first using the great power it actually does have – the tax system – to reduce the burden on developers and get housing supply moving.

“The state government have ordered that councils unlock more land for housing, but this is not an effective way of addressing housing supply in our community. What we need is for the state to consider addressing the real issues at the core of the housing supply shortage – the taxes that keep the developers from being able to develop their land.

“Only local government can plan effectively for its communities. The problem is not local government and the shortage in housing won’t be fixed by unlocking more land.

“Even if we do unlock more land, the houses won’t come. Then, on top of that, houses are just one element of building a community. Where will get the infrastructure to support those houses? What about roads? Landfills? What about water, schools, medical services?

“We want the state government to use their power and resources to influence the housing supply in ways that respect communities and allow local governments to plan for the needs of their communities into the future,” said Cr Rabie.

“We are the ones who listen to our communities. We listen and we act. We know the unique needs of our community and will continue to work toward a future where we get to maintain everything that makes Mansfield Shire such an attractive place to be.”