DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015 ISSUE 37 PRICELESS WWW.SOUTHBANKLOCALNEWS.COM.AU : SOUTHBANK_News The voice of Southbank Council compromised by Melbourne CEO refl ects on developer donations seven years at the top Page 3 Page 8 Start building our school Are you having a laugh? Page 7 Page 10 Residents fi ght to protect the Shrine By Sean Car A new community group has been launched in direct protest to current, approved and proposed Southbank developments, which cast a shadow over the Shrine of Remembrance. Freshwater Place resident and Vietnam this won’t happen and I haven’t heard from veteran Graeme Plumridge formed “Save him. So I suppose I’m just supposed to Our Shrine” last month after noticing a go away.” huge shadow being cast over the Shrine by An independent study commissioned by the new Prima Pearl development from his the Freshwater Place Owners’ Corporation apartment earlier this year. found that Australia 108 and the proposed “I think this is wrong that were shading Queensbridge Tower would both the Shrine,” he said. “I would think that all overshadow the Shrine during winter. veteran communities in Victoria would be In deliberating on overshadowing of concerned about that simply because the the Yarra River at a Future Melbourne Shrine is a revered place.” Committee meeting in August, Lord Mayor Mr Plumridge, who was conscripted in Robert Doyle stated the Yarra, the Shrine and 1967, captured images of shadows cast over State Parliament were sacrosanct. the Shrine, which he emailed to former Mr Plumridge said he and his group would Liberal Planning Minister Matthew Guy campaign vigorously to prevent any further after hearing of plans for the then proposed overshadowing of the sacred memorial. Australia 108 tower. “Th e only thing that we’ve probably still Th e former Planning Minister had got our hand on is, as everybody says, the announced the adoption of permanent and Shrine, which is sacrosanct and shouldn’t mandatory planning controls back in April, have shadows,” he said. which he stated would protect the Shrine from encroaching development. “Th e fact is Prima Pearl is already there so the boundary has shifted. Let’s see if we can After giving Mr Plumridge the same stop anymore from happening.” assurances in his responding email, the Planning Minister then in June approved Southbank Residents Group president and what will now be the tallest tower in the returned serviceman Tony Penna said he southern hemisphere. has been appalled by the lack of competency shown by the former planning minister. “I wrote to him and said that I understood that it’s going to be taller than Prima Pearl “It shouldn’t happen,” he said. and Prima Pearl was only in construction at “Overshadowing the shrine is off -limits, that point,” Mr Plumridge said. “I asked him period,” he said. how could you say this won’t shade “We will be fi ghting overshadowing of the the Shrine?” Shrine just like if it were overshadowing “He came back very succinctly and said ‘no, the Yarra.” it will not shade the Shrine or its precinct’.” “A week later 108 was approved, so I wrote An image capturing Prima Pearl in Southbank overshadowing the Shrine of Remembrance. Th e image was taken by back to him again and said how can you say Continued on page 2. Southbank resident Graeme Plumridge from his apartment at Freshwater Place. WE ARE YOUR LOCAL GROCER! 182 City Road, SOUTHBANK 2 SOUTHBANK LOCAL NEWS ISSUE 37 Season’s greetings Southbank Welcome to the fi nal edition of the ‘Southbank Local News’ for 2014. Suite 108, 198 Harbour Esplanade PO Box 23008 Docklands 8012 Tel: 8689 7980 Fax: 9602 2929 Domain and Montague underground train the Southbank community. stations, overshadowing of the Yarra and the www.southbanklocalnews.com.au To our readers – thank you for picking up Sean Car 2014 International AIDS Conference. a copy of the Southbank Local News each Editor: Sean Car And in a bid to keep our ever-growing month and for sharing your stories with us community up to speed with local events, this year. Publisher: Shane Scanlan I can also proudly say that 2014 marks the I’d like to wish all readers, contributors and achievement of a new record in size and Tel: 8689 7980 Fax: 9602 2929 advertisers a happy and safe festive season circulation of the Southbank Local News. [email protected] While I have only witnessed six months of with friends and family. news fi rst-hand since coming in as new It’s only due to the continued support of Reader contributions are welcome. Southbank Local News will be back with its editor for my predecessor Sean Rogasch in our valued advertisers that we are able to Please send articles and images to fi rst edition for 2015 in February and we look July, I can confi dently say there has been broaden our reach within the local area [email protected] forward to bringing you more news from anything but a shortage of content to fi ll our and I’d like to say a special thanks to the postcode 3006 next year. pages. local stakeholders who have invested in this Deadline for edition 38 is February 5. Some of the major stories the newspaper community asset. Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a happy new year. has covered this year have included the I’d also like to thank our regular columnists, approval of Australia 108, City Rd’s future who each month provide the newspaper Sean Car development, the announcement of the with interesting perspectives to share with Editor CONNECT Residents fi ght to protect Shrine Keep up to date with local news & events. Follow us on Twitter Continued from page 1. @SOUTHBANK_News “It’s sacrosanct and I am appalled at seeing “We want to make sure that everybody has the applications that have been approved clarity on the rules rather than the current and I believe the minister claimed that he mess of a developer-driven frenzy that Like us on Facebook was not aware, which to me says that the Matthew Guy has left behind,” he said. Southbank Local News minister is incompetent.” Mr Plumridge said “Save Our Shrine” would Mr Penna said he was disappointed by seek a meeting with Mr Wynne to demand the lack of public consultation and said he the following conditions were met to protect hoped the newly-elected Labor Government the Shrine from overshadowing: would adopt a renewed focus on the issue. Suspend any new project, which will cast “Th e minister should be aware, the minister a shadow; should be asking those questions, because Reject any new or pending applications; this is absolutely fundamental and critical. and It’s part of our heritage. It’s part of our community and it’s just wrong.” Commit the Government to enforcing planning controls, which prevent Albert Park MLA Martin Foley said his overshadowing. government, featuring newly-appointed Planning Minister Richard Wynne, was To register support on the issue visit committed to cleaning up the mess left by www.savourshrine.com.au Mr Guy. Prima Pearl tower in Southbank. Add a break back into your weekday lunch Make the most of your lunch break and admire the city from the Southgate side of the river. Dine in over an express restaurant lunch menu, or enjoy a quick bite at Melbourne’s bustling riverside food court. Fresh air and spectacular city views are on the house. ISSUE 37 SOUTHBANK LOCAL NEWS 3 Council compromised by developer donations City of Melbourne councillors were unable to consider a planning application last month because too many of them had received election campaign contributions from the developer. On November 11, the Future Melbourne Committee was left without a quorum and was, therefore, unable to consider a Southbank planning matter relating to developer Central Equity. Central Equity already has a planning permit Former Melton man Rehmat Sandhu. Image: Facebook for the site at 199 City Rd but has asked the Minister for Planning for permission to increase the height of the building from 105m to 148m and the number of City Rd apartments from 382 to 557. Th e site falls within a 100m discretionary height zone. Th e Minister has asked the council for its view on the application but councillors were death fall unable to consider the matter because four of the eight councillors present declared a A 21-year-old Melton confl ict of interest and left the room. Councillors declaring a confl ict were Cr Ken man has died after falling Ong, Cr Susan Riley, Cr Kevin Louey and Cr 20-storeys from the balcony Beverley Pinder-Mortimer. of a City Rd apartment in In the absence of a direction from Southbank. councillors, council offi cers will respond the Minister on Central Equity’s application. Th e Central Equity site on the corner of City Rd and Balston St in Southbank. Rehmat Sandhu fell from his friend’s 26th Of the four aff ected councillors, only Cr Riley fl oor City Towers apartment shortly before responded to a question from Southbank 4am on December 6. Local News on whether or not, in hindsight, last election, Th e Greens were fully aware Cr Stephen Mayne said that, despite it was appropriate to accept developer that donations accepted by a team would supporting a ban on developer A police spokesperson said Mr Sandhu contributions. apply to all members. contributions, he defended the aff ect was socialising with friends before he councillors saying a “conservative opinion” “It has always been clear,” Cr Oke said.