Our plan for Docklands

As we emerge from COVID-19, we can’t continue with the broken politics that rewards pollution and favours donors at the expense of the genuine public good. We need a Council that puts the people of Melbourne first, and we need Councillors who will work with and fight for the people who live here.

Our plan for Docklands in 2020-24

Since the City of Melbourne Act was introduced in 2001, The Greens have been the only councillors who publish policies and keep them published throughout the term of Council. We are serious about transparency and accountability.

Our policies are for a more sustainable, affordable, healthy and prosperous Docklands:

  • We will halve rates on Docklands’ cafes, restaurants, bars and cultural venues (those places people gather that have been hit hardest by COVID-19) and provide rate relief to residents. We will pay for this by changing our rating system from NAV to CIV which allows for flexible differential rates to be applied, and doubling the rates on gambling premises for 5 years to help the city as a whole get through the recession. (See our Fair Rates For Everyone policy initiative for details.)
  • We will introduce a Docklands-wide policy in the Melbourne Planning Scheme to commence the transition away from planning controls hiding in secret development agreements towards an accountable and transparent suite of policies and controls guiding development as is found in every other part of the City of Melbourne. 
  • We will crack down on illegal late night construction by seeking major reforms to the way construction noise is regulated. (See our Good Night’s Sleep For Everyone policy initiative for details.) We will seek controls on Port of Melbourne siren noise where the levels are unnecessary.
  • We will fight for major reform to planning, building and owners corporation law to distinguish between short and long stay accommodation. The root cause of Government’s inability to regulate commercial short stay accommodation is its inability to distinguish in law between types of accommodation, either in planning, building, or owners corporation law. We will fight to legislate for different definitions, so that Government can once again regulate different types of accommodation, and owner-occupiers aren’t subsidising owners of short-stay accommodation units, given the far greater wear and tear, maintenance cost and nuisances caused by the latter. (See our Homes For Everyone policy initiative for details.)
  • We will work with Development Victoria to ensure that the new Harbour Esplanade masterplan is designed for the people of Docklands, not only for visitors to the stadium and tourist attractions. That means generous, open, green spaces, and it means a consultation process that is meaningful and accountable. We will do whatever is possible from Council’s end – including financial incentives and concessions – to help Development Victoria get Central Pier up and running again.
  • We will fast-track organics, recycling and waste options without a new waste charge. The City of Melbourne’s waste rates are far too high; we have a plan to support communities to greatly reduce waste and to recycle what we can. We will partner with local networks that are already working hard on composting and resource recovery. (See our Recycling For Everyone policy initiative.)
  • Our municipality-wide inclusionary zoning policy will deliver hundreds of new affordable homes in urban renewal areas, in new medium and large developments. (See our Homes For Everyone policy initiative for details.)
  • We will strongly advocate for a new government high school to take pressure off existing schools and cater for a growing population in Docklands, West Melbourne and Arden.
  • We will work hard to keep Council honest and ethical on all planning and development issues. We never take donations from developers or gambling interests and we will fight for transparency and accountability in the policies and decisions of Council.

Our achievements in Docklands

In Docklands, The Greens have:

  • Led the charge against the gifting of development rights above and beyond endorsed development plans without returned community benefits, such as on North Wharf.
  • Prevented the Harbour Esplanade Masterplan from going through an implementation process that would have avoided public oversight.
  • Greatly improved the transparency of planning application processes.
  • Brought new exhibitions to Library At The Dock, helping to make the Docklands a stronger creative and cultural destination.
  • Advocated for the Moonee Ponds Creek Strategic Opportunities Plan to bring in flood mitigation and open space opportunities to the creek corridor.
  • Worked with parents’ groups and the Member for Melbourne to advocate for schools in Docklands.
  • Ensured that Buluk Park next to Library At The Dock underwent a Traditional Owners engagement process to deliver more Aboriginal place naming in Docklands.
  • Kept the Docklands Community and Place Plan on the Council’s agenda when it was incorrectly deemed complete.

Vote for a local

All eight Greens candidates live in the City of Melbourne. We are the only major team that can say that. The City of Melbourne routinely produces a majority of councillors who do not live in the municipality – the only Council in Australia that does this. Council is too far removed from the communities it seeks to represent. To overcome this, vote for local residents with a plan.

You can read more about our local candidates here.

Read more

You can see all of our policies in detail here.