Making Locals Matter

19/10/2026

Did you know that number plates are the most commonly stolen items from cars? 🚗
Keep yours safe! Drop by Patterson Lakes Community Centre and get anti-theft screws fitted to your plates for free.
📆 Sunday 25 October, 11am – 1pm
📍 54-70 Thompson Rd, Patterson Lakes
Free event, all welcome!
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1GPDtUCCmL/

18/10/2026

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DepdwAhBT6m/?exln=MXFic3ZtZGtqeDhqZA==

18/10/2026

This is what Labor Greens, Libertarian etc voted for, planned for Melbourne suburbs!

18/10/2026

18/10/2026

Don’t miss the pop-up pedal park at our Children's Week event next Saturday 24 October! 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦🚲
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1FFAJDPkdS/

18/10/2026

Councils did not make this ministerial amendment. Their responsibility is explaining local implications and coordinating delivery with the State.
More homes need supporting services. A funding framework can help provide them.

𝗦𝗥𝗟 𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗖𝗜𝗟𝗦: 𝗔 𝗙𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗣𝗜𝗣𝗘 𝗜𝗦 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗔 𝗙𝗢𝗢𝗧𝗣𝗔𝗧𝗛

Melbourne's growing station neighbourhoods have a new funding mechanism. Residents will still need footpaths.

Friday's gazetted Amendment GC299 implements infrastructure contribution plans across Bayside, Kingston, Monash and Whitehorse planning schemes for Suburban Rail Loop East precincts.

That is a substantive step, distinct from the structure plans approved earlier this year.

Developers will contribute to infrastructure supporting growth. The State Government says the system will help fund parks, community services, transport and public spaces.

The standard levy begins for relevant new developments from January 2027. A further SRL infrastructure component starts in 2032.

So put away the imaginary cheque arriving at Council tomorrow.

The challenge for councils and Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny is making the funding route understandable before the paperwork develops its own postcode.

Publish what each agency collects, receives and delivers. Show project priorities, expected timing, funding gaps and regular expenditure reports.

Residents should be able to trace contributions into improvements without hiring a planning interpreter.

Councils did not make this ministerial amendment. Their responsibility is explaining local implications and coordinating delivery with the State.

More homes need supporting services. A funding framework can help provide them.

But a diagram of the plumbing is not a functioning public toilet.

17/10/2026

The Kingston Residents Association will host a public meeting on Saturday 24th October about the impact of the State Government's Planning Scheme Amendments on neighbourhoods across the City of Kingston.
Crowded Houses will compare the appearance of present-day streetscapes in four neighbourhoods with their likely futures under the new, higher-density planning rules.
Kingston's 'Activity Centres' at Moorabbin and Mentone and the Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) Station precinct at Cheltenham will be featured. A fourth case-study neighbourhood in the beachside suburbs between Mordialloc and Carrum will illustrate the likely impact of the new planning rules outside the Activity Centre and SRL Precincts.
Guest speaker, Prof Michael Buxton will tell the story behind the Planning Scheme changes and how streetscapes and neighbourhood planning affect the life of a city and its citizens.
Candidates for the Victorian State election have been invited to respond to the presentation and questions about the new planning rules.
Crowded Houses will be held from 4-6pm on SATURDAY 24TH OCTOBER 2026 at the MENTONE ACTIVITY HUB, 29 Venice St Mentone

The Kingston Residents Association will host a public meeting on Saturday 24th October about the impact of the State Government's Planning Scheme Amendments on neighbourhoods across the City of Kingston.



Crowded Houses will compare the appearance of present-day streetscapes in four neighbourhoods with their likely futures under the new, higher-density planning rules.



Kingston's 'Activity Centres' at Moorabbin and Mentone and the Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) Station precinct at Cheltenham will be featured. A fourth case-study neighbourhood in the beachside suburbs between Mordialloc and Carrum will illustrate the likely impact of the new planning rules outside the Activity Centre and SRL Precincts.



Guest speaker, Prof Michael Buxton will tell the story behind the Planning Scheme changes and how streetscapes and neighbourhood planning affect the life of a city and its citizens.

Candidates for the Victorian State election have been invited to respond to the presentation and questions about the new planning rules.



Crowded Houses will be held from 4-6pm on SATURDAY 24TH OCTOBER 2026 at the MENTONE ACTIVITY HUB, 29 Venice St Mentone (150m from Mentone station).

17/10/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1B4dCsjqdQ/

🟠🌊 𝗟𝗔𝗕𝗢𝗥 𝗪𝗜𝗣𝗘𝗗 𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗔𝗦 𝗢𝗡𝗘 𝗡𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗢𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗘 𝗧𝗦𝗨𝗡𝗔𝗠𝗜 𝗦𝗪𝗔𝗠𝗣𝗦 𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗖𝗜𝗟 𝗪𝗔𝗧𝗖𝗛 𝗣𝗢𝗟𝗟 🌊🟠

Council Watch readers have delivered a savage verdict on Victoria's major parties, and Labor has taken the worst of it.

🗳️ ONE NATION ROMPS HOME
Roughly half of all respondents backed One Nation in the Lower House. The party won council after council:
▪️ Latrobe 78.6%
▪️ Ararat, Buloke and Horsham 75%
▪️ Whittlesea and Yarra Ranges above 71%
▪️ Cardinia 70.1%
▪️ Melton 65.3%

🔴 LABOR ALL BUT ERASED
Labor polled around 4% statewide and scored zero in most councils. Its only win came in Queenscliffe, the state's smallest council, with 60%. Its next-best results, 16.7% in Moonee Valley and 14.3% in Hepburn, would be humiliating anywhere else. In its traditional strongholds of Whittlesea, Hume and Brimbank, it barely registered.

🔵 LIBERALS PUSHED BACK TO THE HEARTLAND
The Liberals managed about a quarter of the vote. Their wins were confined to blue-ribbon territory: Boroondara (55.3%), Glen Eira (55.2%), Stonnington (52.3%) and Port Phillip (46.8%). Even in Bayside they barely held on, 46.2% to One Nation's 43.6%.

🟢 GREENS AND TEALS COLLAPSE
The Greens peaked at just 17.2% in Darebin. The Teals' best result was 5.5% in Stonnington.

🌊 UPSET IN THE WEST
In Wyndham, the West Party beat One Nation, 40.6% to 32.8%, and it cleared 27% in Hobsons Bay and Brimbank. The Nationals tied One Nation in Gannawarra at 42.9% but trailed it almost everywhere else.

🏛️ UPPER HOUSE EVEN HARSHER
One Nation hit 90.9% in Central Goldfields, 80% in Hindmarsh and 73.8% in Greater Bendigo. The Liberals could only tie One Nation in Surf Coast at 40.9%. The West Party held Wyndham again, 40% to 35%, and the Greens' sole win came in Queenscliffe.

For the major parties, there was nowhere to hide.

⚠️ DISCLAIMER: These are not random results. They come from people who follow or comment on Council Watch, are self-selected, and should not be read as a prediction of the state election. They are, however, a spectacularly interesting reflection of Council Watch followers.

👉 Have your say and see the results at councilwatch.com.au - the poll continues and we encourage you to share it far and wide.