2016-02-24
Ms DUNN (Eastern Metropolitan) — My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Roads and Road Safety. The action I seek is: will the minister intervene to maintain the soon-to-be-sold VicRoads-owned parcels of land currently used as public open space in the City of Boroondara? Like many Victorians I am concerned about the scarcity of public open space in our communities, but I am even more concerned when existing public open space is sold off by a government agency and invariably ends up as a development.
Our parks and reserves contribute greatly to the livability of Melbourne. The Greens understand that our open space is crucial to our health and wellbeing. With 70 percent of Victorians living in urban environments in greater Melbourne, open space is critically important to the livability of our suburbs and is highly valued by the community. Parks can improve physical and mental health and provide ecosystem services and urban biodiversity. I am concerned to learn that public open space in the municipality of Boroondara is now under threat.
Boroondara City Council has some of the lowest levels of public open space as a proportion of the entire municipality, at only 9.6 percent, and this is set to get smaller. In the suburb of Kew, VicRoads owns two public open spaces: Dorothy Rogers Reserve at 4 Studley Park Road, Kew, and parkland adjacent to the Eastern Freeway at 85 Kilby Road, Kew East. I am informed that the Boroondara council has not taken up the right of first refusal offered by VicRoads to acquire the parcels of land — and who can blame it? It is land already in public ownership, and the reality of rate capping constrains any opportunity council may have had. I am informed that VicRoads will now proceed with the sale of these parcels of land on the open market. Will the minister intervene to maintain these parcels of land as public open spaces?