Politics

Active transport Transport

Safe streets for active transport

Persistence Pays Off Julie Mulhauser Camberwell resident Elizabeth has had a win for community safety and encouraging public transport use. Elizabeth was the driving force behind a decade long local resident campaign to have lighting installed on the pedestrian access to the south of East Camberwell Station. What appeared to…

Eastsider News20 July 2025

Housing Planning

Planning policies and regulations – activity centres and housing

More on this topic is covered in articles in the post titled Speakers Corner - Planning policies and regulations. Click here to read those articles. Concerns over the Blackburn Activity Centre planning changes Figure 3: Box Hill Structure Plan Area and Planning Area. Page 12 SRL East Draft Structure Plan…

Eastsider News19 July 2025

Metropolitan Activity Centres Planning

Planning – Victorian State Government policies

Victorian Planning Provisions: Amendments The Victoria Planning Provisions (VPP) is the source document containing standard provisions which may be selected and included in Planning Schemes in Victoria. The VPP includes the State Planning Policy Framework, standard zones, overlays, particular provisions, general provisions and definitions. Recent announced amendments to the Victorian…

Eastsider News25 May 2025

Climate change Elections

Will this election deliver for the climate? That’s up to us

During the recent federal election, one thing remained constant: the Australian spirit—the belief in fairness, opportunity, and a better future. As Prime Minister Anthony Albanese declared, the ‘Australian populace has chosen Australian principles.’ But part of that identity is quietly slipping away. ‘Our land abounds in nature’s gifts, of beauty…

Eastsider News22 May 2025

Boroondara History and Heritage Planning

Clash of priorities in Local Government

Clash of priorities in local government John Mosig I recently attended my first Boroondara Council meeting, an experience that has left me puzzled as to what are and should be the necessary priorities of local government. I was motivated to attend the 5 August meeting by a flyer in my…

Eastsider News12 December 2024

Democratic rights

Knowledge is power – voluntary assisted dying legislation

Knowledge is power - especially when it comes to dying. Bob Thomas We are all familiar with the unavoidable ‘Death and Taxes’ cliché, and we are all receptive to the idea of minimising our participation in either. However, dying remains a subject we are often more reluctant to talk about…

Eastsider News7 July 2024

Taxation

Victorian Land Tax Changes for Property Investors 2024

2024 Victorian Land Tax Changes for Property Investors Jeff Anderson Land tax is an annual tax based on the total taxable value of all the land you own in Victoria, excluding exempt land such as your home. Land tax is calculated on the ‘site value’ (i.e unimproved value) of all…

Eastsider News6 July 2024

Democratic rights

The right to protest

The right to protest - what are the limits? The case of Deakin University Leigh Naunton Recent student protests including one at the Burwood campus of Deakin have raised this question. The students are protesting universities’ alleged links to military equipment manufacturers who supply Israel. They set up an encampment…

Eastsider News6 July 2024

Planning Sustainability

Planning – environmental and neighbourhood protection

Box Hill Precinct Plan Vincent Mennilli JP and Greg Buchanan The state government’s planning vision for Box Hill is to consolidate the activity centre as a residential and employment hub with more people living close to public transport, jobs and other services. To achieve this Box Hill is earmarked for…

Eastsider News13 February 2024

Housing Planning

Speakers Corner – Planning policies and regulations

Planning policies Planning regulation in Victoria is the responsibility of both the State and local government. Planning covers many aspects of our neighbourhoods and strongly influence how these areas look and function. It is an issue of great concern to our readers. Our contributors have sent us many articles that…

Eastsider News19 September 2023