Growth: the missing link

By Melissa Grant
GROWTH Areas Authority chief executive Peter Seamer has defended his organisation’s consultation about a new land tax and proposed changes to the Urban Growth Boundary.
Mr Seamer has conceded that some landowners may have missed out on letters advising them of the changes but says those concerned about the charge or the boundary can contact his office at any time.
His comments come as the GAA prepares to hold a meeting in Cranbourne tomorrow night (Thursday) to inform the community about recent changes to the UGB investigation area in Casey.
Mr Seamer said the GAA had used council address records when mailing letters in February to those who would be affected by the GAIC.
“If someone had a title change we might have missed them,” he said.
In February, the GAA notified landholders brought into the UGB in 2005, including those in Officer, that they would be subject to a tax of $80,000 a hectare when they subdivided or developed their land.
Land brought into the boundary in the future would be taxed at a rate of $95,000 a hectare, the letter read.
But Mr Seamer said landholders who missed out on those letters weren’t disadvantaged.
“We were letting people know they had the opportunity to make comments about the UGB but it was always a two-round process,” he said.
But Michael Hocking, chairman of Taxed Out, a community-based lobby group against the charge, said there were still affected landowners who had not been contacted by the GAA.
“There are still some landowners that have had no correspondence at all,” he said.
In Casey, Devon Meadows resident Coral Saggers said she received no official notification her 10-acre property was in the investigation area until she called the GAA to get more information.
“I had just heard about it through word of mouth and when I asked why I had not received anything they said the information had been sent to Narre Warren – I lived there 17 years ago.”
Ms Saggers said it was poor that their records weren’t updated and wondered if there were many more people who weren’t aware of the scheme.
The State Government is seeking submissions about the proposed changes to the UGB flagged last December in its Melbourne @ 5 million strategy until 17 July.
The proposed changes will bring about 41,000 hectares of land into the metropolitan area. Mr Brumby said the State Government would proceed with changes to the UGB only if the GAIC was passed by Victorian Parliament.
Mr Seamer said tomorrow night’s meeting in Cranbourne was primarily about issues associated with the UGB investigation zone in Casey, but Cardinia residents affected by the GAIC were welcome.
The meeting will run from 4pm to 8pm at the Balla Balla Community Centre, 65 Berwick-Cranbourne Road, Cranbourne.