At the Association’s AGM on November 30, a new committee for 2009 was elected. Community planning consultant and former vice-president Ian Wood is the new president of SOS, replacing Ian Quick who has stepped down to have more time for private interests but who is still on the committee. Other office bearers are Cheryl Forge (secretary) and Gary van Prooyen (treasurer). Ian Quick stood for Yarra Council as an independent last November but was unsuccessful, due mainly to the string of dummy candidates supported by the ALP in his ward. Ironically, they were too successful – one of them drew ahead of Ian and was thus elected with his preferences, knocking out the ALP’s preferred second candidate, an "independent" former mayor. Our thanks go to retiring committee members Marilyn Canet (a tireless Brimbank planning activist) and ex-treasurer Amanda Stone, who also stood for Yarra Council in the November elections and is now mayor. New SOS president Ian Wood is looking forward to networking more this year with progressive local councillors. Early last year, Planning Minister Madden unilaterally abolished the M2030 Implementation Reference Group, the only official communication link on planning issues between the Government and community representatives. In the same vein, the Government has signalled its intention to take undemocratic short-cuts this year to speed up the planning permit process (like the new "go-go" residential zones, unelected development assessment committees and ministerial call-ins). In this fraught atmosphere, and with a state election less than two years away, local councillors will need to be the backbone of the community’s democratic defence against further inappropriate development, draconian changes to planning rules and fast-tracking of major development projects being "held up" at VCAT.
