Heritage | Lauren Sherson for Albert Park Ward

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LAUREN

SHERSON

FOR ALBERT PARK WARD

I stand to vigorously defend and honour our heritage overlay and celebrate our unique diversity.

The City of Port Phillip is arguably the most diverse city council across Victoria.

With diversity as the basis for inclusivity,

that means we recognise and respect

each suburb's unique character,

culture and heritage.

For Albert Park and Middle Park, this is our heritage overlay.

Honour heritage, celebrate diversity.

What has happened, is that our heritage overlay - our village identity - has been attacked with calls to:

Rezone land around tram and major bus routes
Amend planning rules to encourage densification
Reconsider interpretation of Burra Charter to increase housing supply in areas with heritage overlay

[Source: 4th September 2024 Council Ordinary Meeting Agenda Notice of Motion 14.2 (3) p.333 https://portphillip.infocouncil.biz/Open/2024/09/ORD_04092024_AGN_AT.PDF]

Albert Park and Middle Park are being targeted for densification

This call was led by a Labor Councillor who said during a previous Council Meeting that:

“It sort of shocks me that places like Middle Park and Albert Park have a static population over the last 20 years despite the change in our municipality.”

This Councillor further went on to say:

“We have so many tram lines around Port Phillip that we don't talk about in this document that are primarily surrounded by one and two story houses, and basically under the planning scheme as it is, are locked in to that position forever. And I think that’s simply inequitable.”

The call continued saying we need to be:

“challenging some of our notions around density in other suburbs.”

[Source: 7th August 2024 Council Ordinary Meeting at 1:50:45

https://webcast.portphillip.vic.gov.au/archive/video24-0807.php]

Albert Park and Middle Park’s village identity has been targeted

Respecting diversity is fundamental to residents of Port Phillip. Attacking our village identity is akin to stripping St Kilda of its live music or Port Melbourne of its immigration heritage.

When we have Councillors who seek to destroy the essence of ourselves, our community will stand up, will stand together and will fight against the arrogance of dismissing, minimising and devaluing its people.

We are left in a position where we must defend ourselves against and from Councillors who say:

“I always hate it when people use the term village because it's not really how, that's not really how Melbourne grew and it's not really what any of these places has or ever were.”

[Source: 7th August 2024 Council Ordinary Meeting at 2:56:44

https://webcast.portphillip.vic.gov.au/archive/video24-0807.php]

Albert Park and Middle Park is at risk of losing its heritage and diversity

The Notice of Motion to take away our heritage and diversity narrowly escaped passing with four votes in favour and five against.

[Source: Minutes of Port Phillip City Council Meeting 4th September 2024, item 14.2 https://portphillip.infocouncil.biz/Open/2024/09/ORD_04092024_MIN_WEB.htm]

Alarmingly during Public Question Time, Rhonda Small an Albert Park Ward candidate - who lives in St Kilda - spoke to Chambers encouraging Councillors to vote for the motion:

“14.2, I simply want to say that this motion goes to the heart of what I and others have long been advocating for in relation to the extreme lack of affordable and secure rental housing in Port Phillip. So I encourage you to recognise the important role council can and should play and to vote tonight in favour of a stronger action.”

[Source: 4th September 2024 Council Ordinary Meeting at 0:24:32

https://webcast.portphillip.vic.gov.au/archive/video24-0904.php]

This has been particularly difficult for residents of Albert Park Ward to accept as Ms Small’s written election material delivered prior this meeting is contrary to her spoken words and actions.

“Protect heritage in planning decisions: I will be vigilant in protecting the heritage character of our neighbourhood and support appropriate planning decisions.”

[Source: Folded DL flyer delivered winter 2024]

Defending our heritage and diversity

Labor, Greens and Rhonda Small seek to unravel the protections that preserve our unique character and history.

We can’t let that happen.

By defending the heritage overlay, we protect not just buildings, but the stories, culture and identity that make our community special.

The Notice of Motion that sought to take away our village identity failed by only one vote.

Worse, the motion and its intention was concealed from the communities it affects, and sprung on other Councillors. The Mayor, Heather Consulo, said:

“I felt very blindsided by this notice of motion though, I only heard about it after someone brought it up to me. The way council works is that you need majority of the nine councillors so I'm not sure what conversations have gone on behind doors but perhaps together we could have come out with a solution that would have gotten the outcome that has been sought here. I really think you’ve blindsided us and it’s really unfair.”

[Source: 4th September 2024 Council Ordinary Meeting at 3:30:39

https://webcast.portphillip.vic.gov.au/archive/video24-0904.php]

The new Council elected will again face this vote.

This Council election has come down to those who honour our heritage and celebrate our diversity versus those whose personal agendas - on State government matters no less - place arrogance above community.

Supporting local communities means defending our identity and having the courage to call out those who fail to inform community such matters are being voted on, fail to respect our culture and heritage and fail in consistency of words and action.

Trust comes from history, and history shows Labor, Greens and Rhonda Small will blindside our community again.

History also shows I will defend our communities - whatever comes our way.

lauren@laurensherson.com.au

Authorised by L Sherson 60 Richardson St Albert Park 3206