Cabinet put on the spot

By Tania Martin
HILLS residents raised key concerns over climate change, the environment and public transport during a State Government community cabinet visit on Monday.
Premier John Brumby and his cabinet ministers visited a number of groups and organisations and ended the day with a community discussion at Emerald College.
Mr Brumby said it was great to see so many people take part in public debate.
More than 200 people from across the hills, including the shires of Yarra Ranges and Cardinia and the City of Knox attended the meeting.
“The benefit of today is that anyone in the community has the opportunity to raise their concerns,” Mr Brumby said.
“It doesn’t mean the government is going to agree with every proposition or discussion but we will listen to the views and debate those issues.”
Emerald Secondary College principal Wayne Burgess said the meeting was a great opportunity for cabinet ministers to come into the local community.
“It was also great for local residents to talk to politicians about the decisions they make and the issues that influence our lives,” he said.
The meeting started with a round-table discussion between residents and the cabinet ministers and finished with a question-and-answer session.
Mr Brumby said the round-table discussions had centred on issues with public transport and the environment.
He said since the community cabinet first began in the 1990s there had been more than 100 visits around the state.
“It’s one of the most important parts of what we do,” Mr Brumby said.
Emerald’s Lee Fuller questioned how small community groups could to more to engage with the government so their voices and concerns were heard.
At the moment, she said, there were significant frustrations over the focus being on big business, and the logging and coal industries rather than smaller groups.
“Our current lobbying doesn’t seem to be working as it should,” she said.
Mr Brumby said climate change was one of the biggest issues of the time.
“It’s also fair to say, in terms of all the steps we have taken as a government, that Victoria has been the leader in policies to address climate change,” he said.
Mr Brumby said Victoria was leading the way on energy targets and had put money into both wind and solar energy.
He said the government would also released a green jobs package later this year.
“We are generally national leaders in this area and the community as a whole can feel and be part of reducing our carbon footprint at the same time as generating new opportunities,” Mr Brumby said.
Gembrook Township Committee president David Nickell raised concerns over issues with the Melbourne 20/30 green wedge planning regulations.
He said the town had been working to get a green wedge management plan but had continued to run into “hurdles”.
Mr Nickell called for the government’s assistance in making it happen.
Planning Minister Justin Madden said a number of the green wedge plans were already being developed with the help of local councils.
“Some are happening sooner rather than later … I will have to go back and chase it up,” he said.