The popular seaside location known as the St Kilda Triangle, marked above by a yellow line, is Crown (public) Land. City of Port Phillip Councillors have gifted this unique public site to developers (Babcock & Brown, with Citta) for short-term private profit rather than a long-term public legacy, effectively privatizing Crown Land. We invite you to look and read beyond the pretty pictures and spin put out by Council, to understand the grim reality of what is to come. We also invite you to take a closer look at the process of secret deals and broken promises.
VCAT Case Analysis...
The Environmental law Online web site provides an analysis on our VCAT case and why it failed.
18th May 2009 - VCAT Judgement handed down...
Our legal challenge to the Triangle proposal has been lost. Our case was brought against the Port Phillip Council, which had approved the Plan in August 2008. The developer, Babcock Brown Citta, was permitted to join the action.
Our VCAT application is only one step in the process - so even though the action has been lost, the judgement points a way forward.
The VCAT decision made it clear that the concerns raised by the community should be considered by the Council at the next stage: of issuing planning permits. The Developer, in its submissions to VCAT, agreed with this proposition.
Therefore there is still a significant opportunity for the Council, in response to its community, to improve the Triangle development through the planning permit process and the Liquor licensing requirements.
Thus we will not be challenging the decision, and as far as unChain St Kilda is concerned the legal challenge ends with the VCAT decision.
The next steps are:
- The Planning and Liquor permits
- The FOI application for full disclosure of the Development Agreement
- The Ombudsman’s inquiry into the tendering process for the St Kilda Triangle.
Read the judgement and unChain's response.
The legal battle for St Kilda has begun with a VCAT challenge in February 2009.
However, it all costs money. Here's how you can help:
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Exclusive signed, numbered reproductions by Mirka Mora - one of her best ever! Help us to raise money for our February 2009 court case. Find out more. |
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Specially commissioned St Kilda print by Greg Irvine available. Limited edition. Find out more. |
Parks Victoria and Marine Safety Victoria have proposed to turn the strip of beach between the Marina and Brookes jetty, which is also the off leash dog beach, into a jetski only area, closing it to bathers. Read our response.
- The Age, 28 May 2009 - Triangle planning caught up in myth and misinformation
- Port Phillip Leader, 27 May 2009 - Triangle still in pipeline
- ABC 774, 19 May 2009 - Peter Holland interview
- ABC 774, 19 May 2009 - Dick Gross - further interview
- ABC 774, 19 May 2009 - Dick Gross interview
- Port Phillip Leader, 19 May 2009 - St Kilda Triangle lobby group loses appeal
- Herald Sun, 19 May 2009 - St Kilda Triangle complex approved
- The Age, 19 May 2009 - St Kilda triangle plan gets green light
- ABC News, 19 May 2009 - Former mayor 'vindicated' on St Kilda development ruling
- The Age, 28 April 2009 - Triangle feud sucks in chandelier
- The Age, 17 April 2009 - Letter: Beware rampant destruction
- UK Financial Times, 14 February 2009 - Bohemia Remodelled
- Port Phillip Leader, 23 January 2009 - Who'd have predicted? Port Phillip Council's CEO resigns
- The Age, 21 January 2009 - St Kilda council chief resigns
- The Age, 1 December 2008 - Council on collision course in St Kilda
- The Age, 30 November 2008 - Cribbes out, Touzeau in: New faces at Port Phillip Council
- The Age, 18 Nov 2008 - Outrage at secrecy over St Kilda plan
- The Age, 9 Nov 2008 - Knives out in Port Phillip election roller-coaster
- Port Phillip Leader, 6 Nov 2008 - Counting down to the vote in Port Phillip
- ABC TV Stateline, 25 Oct - Transcript: New laws threaten the politics of local government
- The Age, 23 Oct - 'Indirect interest' rule slap in face of democracy: Burnside
- ABC TV News, 22 Oct - Brumby defends proposed new local Council laws (Video)
- ABC Radio, 22 Oct - Local Council Minister defends new local Council regulations (audio)
- The Age, 22 Oct - Personal issues vote ban
- Emerald Hill Weekly, 22 Oct - New blood could spell regime change
- Emerald Hill Weekly, 22 Oct - Candidates stake claims
- The Age, 15 Oct - Meltdown has 'all but scuppered' St Kilda triangle
- ABC Radio 774, 15 Oct - Red Symons talks to Janet Bolitho (MP3 audio file)
"I have felt so inspired by your campaign - when I learnt that the two members of Unchain St Kilda won their seats in council, I myself felt a sense of empowerment, and that justice in fact could prevail. It had proven to me that the community had a right to participate, and that through creative and collective means they could demand to do so. No doubt there are many others who have felt for a long time a sense of disempowerment with today's neo-liberal, commercially driven environment, where economic values take precedent over everything else."
Molica, Aspendale
Click this button to donate via our secure Paypal site. Funds raised will go towards, firstly, our legal campaign, and, secondly, to our campaign to elect new local councillors, with any unused funds going to St Kilda's Sacred Heart Mission and other charities.
- Raul Moreno selects exclusive fundraising wines for us...
- George Smilovic investigates our own Bermuda Triangle...
- Rachel Griffiths launches the Palais Theatre campaign...
- Mirka Mora discusses the importance of St Kilda's Palais Theatre...
- Ned Kelly (aka Rod Quantock) is mad - watch out Justin Madden...
- Brian Nankervis has written a special poem for St Kilda...
- Dave Hughes is angry and urges people to object...
- Renee Geyer is heading in the right direction for St Kilda...
- Frank Thring (aka actor Michael Carman) comes back from the past to haunt St Kilda and save the iconic Palais Theatre...
- Spencer McLaren revisits the 'Secret Life of Us' rooftop on the Esplanade overlooking the Triangle site...
- Local kids Luisa and Allegra have lived in Acland Street all their lives. Here's what they have to say...
- Rally - The Queen arrives
- Rally - The Queen speaks
- Rally - Anna Griffith's speech
- Rally - Paul Coghlan's speech
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