REJECT the State Government's proposed extension of the urban growth boundaries. This was the call made to MPs at a rally that drew about 300 people outside Parliament House on Tuesday.
Land owners group Taxed Out organised the rally against the UGB and growth areas infrastructure contribution proposals announced earlier this month by Planning Minister Justin Madden.
Members of Green Wedges Coalition, Protectors of Public Lands and the Planning Backlash attended the rally.
The GWC has made it clear it does not support an extension to Melbourne's UGB. The UGB extension will result in significant changes to the existing boundaries in Hume.
GWC accused Mr Madden of going back on his assurances.
"We had been promised Calder Highway would not be turned into a growth corridor and the Sunbury UGB would stay where it was," GWC joint co-ordinator Rosemary West said.
Ms West labelled the UGB a "land grab" and reminded demonstrators of the 2002 Green Wedge Protection legislation. "We can stop this land grab if enough MPs will vote against it in the upper house," she said.
Taxed Out has demanded amendments to the GAIC, saying the tax should be levied at the point of development approval, not at the point of sale.
The Planning Scheme Amendment VC55 and the Planning and Environment Amendment Bill were presented to Parliament on November 24 and November 25 respectively. Under the PSA VC55 amendment, 24,500 hectares of developable land across Melbourne will be brought into the UGB for development over 20-30 years.
Hume Mayor Jack Ogilvie said: "Landholders whose land is brought into the UGB can expect the value of their land to increase substantially and the planning for infrastructure will only make this land more attractive to those wishing to develop."
Not everyone is convinced.
"That's what they [the Government] say, but we haven't had that [infrastructural development] in the last five years," GWC joint co-ordinator Arnie Azaris said.
Questions have also been raised about the benefits of GAIC amendments.
According to the amendments, the GAIC tax liability - $95,000 a hectare for rezoned land - is now on the land developer instead of the vendor.
Taxed Out chairman Michael Hockings said: "After studying land values in the UGB and their long-term developmental potential, we [Taxed Out] have found that land prices do not increase."
The GAIC Bill was passed in the lower house on November 26. It is expected to come up for debate in the upper house in about two weeks.
Government spokesman Chris Owner said: "GAIC is the fairest way to help pay for the infrastructure needed by families who will move to some of Melbourne's newest suburbs.
"The Brumby Government has listened to community views and these are reflected in the draft legislation for the GAIC."
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