Latest news with #VCAT
Herald Sun
2 days ago
- Herald Sun
Years of horror hoarding fills Batesford property, owner says VIDEO
Don't miss out on the headlines from Geelong. Followed categories will be added to My News. A hoarder's Batesford property, covered from end to end in a sea of junk, is at the centre of a bitter dispute between a brother and sister. Henry Hey, who co-owns the Ballarat Rd home with his sister Marion Battista, has reportedly been hoarding on the property since the 1980s. The site has amassed an astonishing collection of clutter, from vehicles and machinery to household goods. Narrow paths on the land are surrounded by the bizarre stockpile, with suitcases, toy trucks, bath mats, mugs, ovens and curtains lining the walkways. In some places the flotsam and jetsam is head high. There are washing machines, coffee machines, solar panels, chairs, wardrobes, a Richmond Tigers scarf and a chandelier. Multiple caravans and at least two broken-down cars can be seen on the property's perimeter, bamboo grows around one of the rusted hulks. Mr Hey has been ordered from the property by VCAT, was forcibly evicted by authorities in February and asked to remove his belongings. Ms Battista said Mr Hey refused to leave. She said the pair inherited the home after their father died in late 2023, but claims her brother had already been living there, collecting junk. She said his hoarding had fractured their relationship years ago. Ms Battista said VCAT had given her possession for the purpose to sell. Neighbours said Mr Hey and his partner set up tents across the road when they were evicted, and were living there for some time. Ms Battista said she believed the pair had since moved back onto the site. 'There will be some action on this property next week when a contractor begins to remove $160,600 worth of hoarding junk,' she said. 'I just hope my late mother's ashes are not in this mess.' Mr Hey reportedly hoards at his partner's property on Kookaburra Court in Norlane, where Geelong council issued an infringement this year for noncompliance with a Fire Prevention Notice. He also owns an empty block on Warrak Drive in Bannockburn that was subject to a clean-up notice from Golden Plains Shire eight years ago Ms Battista said she felt sad for her brother and unsure why he hoarded. Place of Calm professional organiser Marion Ivermee-Villarosa said there were numerous reasons someone could develop hoarding tendencies, or diagnosed hoarding disorder, whether it be how they grew up or a traumatic experience. 'It creates a divide between family members because it's not longer about the people it's about their stuff,' she said. 'And when there's been trauma people use their things to protect themselves. 'They don't like the way they're living but they're scared.' The Geelong Advertiser's attempts to contact Mr Hey were unsuccessful. Originally published as Years of horror hoarding fills Batesford property, owner says
ABC News
4 days ago
- General
- ABC News
Logging company using 'zombie' permit from 1977 to log endangered possum habitat
A Victorian timber company is using what has been dubbed a "zombie" license from 1977 to log critically endangered mountain ash forest, including the habitat of the Leadbeater's possum, which was once thought extinct. Conservationists said the activation of such an old licence was a loophole allowing the loggers to avoid the application of more recent laws designed to protect endangered plants and animals, and which require consultation with the public prior to logging. In 1977, the landholder received a permit to log a forest on their private land near Warburton, two hours outside of Melbourne. That pre-dates the international listing of mountain ash forest as critically endangered — an ecosystem scientists say is now collapsing — and the rediscovery of the Leadbeater's possum, thought to be extinct at that time. Timber company Fennings Investments Pty Ltd, purchased the property in 2022 and successfully applied for a permit from Yarra Ranges Council to activate the 1977 license, and selectively log 16 hectares of forest. The council approved the application, leaving environmentalists and some scientists furious. Environment group Wildlife of the Central Highlands (WOTCH) has sought to have the permit revoked at the Victorian Civil and Administration Tribunal (VCAT), arguing the council failed to consider the state's threatened species laws. "Since that time [1977], all sorts of things have changed. The conservation status of Leadbeater's possums has changed. The [federal environment] Act didn't even exist in 1977," said WOTCH volunteer Steve Meacher. Critically endangered Leadbeater's possums have been observed on the perimeter of the property and in the state forest that neighbours the property. While 16 hectares is a relatively small area, scientists told the ABC this was "death by a thousand cuts". "Elvis Presley was still alive back then," said Australia National University (ANU) forest ecologist Chris Taylor. "The world's a very different place now and ecological and environmental knowledge has come in leaps and bounds." The 1977 permit is one sentence long and has no expiration date or conditions, but was accepted by Yarra Ranges Council to allow the logging of native forest on private land owned by Fennings. WOTCH, represented by lawyers from Environmental Justice Australia (EJA), argue Yarra Ranges Council ignored the Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act, which requires councils to consider the impact of developments on threatened species. "It's really important to properly consider those documents when public authorities are performing these functions and making these decisions, because they essentially are the recovery roadmaps for threatened species in Victoria," said EJA lawyer Natalie Hogan. When a planning permit is submitted to Yarra Ranges Council, the application for that permit is advertised on the council's website. In this case, because the application was relying on a decades-old permit, it was not advertised, which EJA believes risks undermining public trust. EJA hoped the court case would close that loophole. In a statement to the ABC, Yarra Ranges Council said it had sought specialist advice from the Victorian government on the state's Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act and said it "applies the strictest biodiversity safeguards available to the property". After decades of controversy around Victoria's native logging industry, the commercial logging of public state forests was banned from January 1, 2024. Since then, local councils have received several applications to log on private land, prompting concerns councils are not equipped to adequately assess these applications. "They don't have the deep expertise in terms of forest ecology and management, or the ability to assess particular areas for their conservation value," said Professor David Lindenmayer from the ANU. Yarra Ranges Council said it employed qualified environmental officers and regularly consulted with state agencies, researchers and independent experts as needed. WOTCH has filmed a Leadbeater's possum on the perimeter of the property and the possums have been recorded in the state forest that neighbours it. Leadbeater's possums are the faunal emblem of Victoria and call the state's mountain ash forests home. Professor Lindenmayer said the logging of 16 hectares of mountain ash forest on this property could fragment Leadbeater's possum populations. "We can often see 'death by a thousand cuts' where you lose a little piece one year and then another piece for another year and another piece a year after that… you have severe cumulative or incremental impacts." According to Fennings website, its timber has been certified by the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC). PEFC has been heavily criticised by conservation groups and scientists for its proximity to industry. "Areas of high conservation value have been awarded certification [by PEFC], but we know that those areas of high conservation value are being logged," Professor Lindenmayer said. Landholders have a responsibility to the community to protect the species on their land, Dr Taylor said. "If you live in suburban Melbourne, your neighbour can't build a ten storey apartment block next door to you because that has an impact on broader public interest. And that's how we've got to see species protection." Upon learning of Leadbeater's possums sightings on the property, Yarra Ranges Council said it notified the landowner and has "recommended" further ecological surveys and "encouraged" additional habitat protections to be applied. Fennings has been approached for comment.
The Age
02-06-2025
- Business
- The Age
The suburban towers being green-lit without community approval
A 17-storey community housing tower is set to transform Greensborough's skyline after the state government controversially pushed through the development and overrode council objections about the building's height and absence of family-friendly apartments. The Allan government has frequently wielded its strengthened powers to bypass local councils and fast-track developments, directly approving 11 major residential projects this year alone as it seeks to speed up new approvals and meet ambitious housing targets. This and other planning reforms centralising power have drawn the ire of councils, who argue community needs are not being adequately addressed. The Greensborough apartment project was green-lit through the government's Development Facilitation Program (DFP), which allows Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny to bypass councils if a project makes a significant contribution to the economy or includes affordable housing, under changes made in September 2023. The minister can also waive mandatory planning requirements related to building height, setbacks and garden areas. Decisions made by the minister under the provisions cannot be appealed to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT). Loading Kilkenny last month approved the tower, in Melbourne's north-east, which permits construction of more than 200 one- and two-bedroom apartments. The homes, to be built above a Savers shop on Para Road, will be operated and managed by a community housing provider offering rental homes to people on low to moderate incomes. 'This project will ensure hundreds of Victorians will be able to live close to the things that matter to them – living in walking distance to the train station, buses, parks, schools, shops and services,' Kilkenny said.
Sydney Morning Herald
02-06-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
The suburban towers being green-lit without community approval
A 17-storey community housing tower is set to transform Greensborough's skyline after the state government controversially pushed through the development and overrode council objections about the building's height and absence of family-friendly apartments. The Allan government has frequently wielded its strengthened powers to bypass local councils and fast-track developments, directly approving 11 major residential projects this year alone as it seeks to speed up new approvals and meet ambitious housing targets. This and other planning reforms centralising power have drawn the ire of councils, who argue community needs are not being adequately addressed. The Greensborough apartment project was green-lit through the government's Development Facilitation Program (DFP), which allows Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny to bypass councils if a project makes a significant contribution to the economy or includes affordable housing, under changes made in September 2023. The minister can also waive mandatory planning requirements related to building height, setbacks and garden areas. Decisions made by the minister under the provisions cannot be appealed to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT). Loading Kilkenny last month approved the tower, in Melbourne's north-east, which permits construction of more than 200 one- and two-bedroom apartments. The homes, to be built above a Savers shop on Para Road, will be operated and managed by a community housing provider offering rental homes to people on low to moderate incomes. 'This project will ensure hundreds of Victorians will be able to live close to the things that matter to them – living in walking distance to the train station, buses, parks, schools, shops and services,' Kilkenny said.
News.com.au
09-05-2025
- Politics
- News.com.au
Whittlesea council election in Melbourne overturned over ‘fraud' votes: VCAT
Voters will be forced to return to the polls in Melbourne's outer suburbs after a local election was voided over concerns about fraudulently completed ballots. The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal sided with the state's election commission on Thursday in overturning the Whittlesea City Council's Lalor Ward result. The VEC said staff had identified a 'high number of returns' in the Lalor Ward, of which 81 were ultimately deemed to be suspicious. The final margin between Mr Kozmevski and the runner up candidate was just 39 votes. In a statement, the VEC said it did not suggest Mr Kozmevski, or any other candidate, were involved in fraudulent activity. Stevan Kozmevski, who was declared the winner of the October 2024 vote, will removed from the office of councillor effective immediately following the ruling by VCAT. In her judgment, VCAT Vice President Judge English said she was satisfied electors were 'prevented from recording their votes effectively according to their own preference'. Supporting Victorian Electoral Commission's position, she said 'there [had] not been the free and fair opportunity of electing the candidate which the majority might prefer'. A postal by-election will be organised by the commission at 'a suitable date'. Acting Electoral Commissioner Dana Fleming said Victorians could be confident 'their vote is safe and will not be undermined by those seeking to do wrong'. 'To those who seek to subvert our electoral processes, there will be consequences to your actions. We will detect your efforts, and we will act,' she said. The VEC had earlier referred allegations to police of suspected postal vote tampering in Whittlesea and Knox City Council Baird Ward, which is yet to be decided by VCAT. In a statement, the City of Whittlesea said that it noted the results of the Tribunal and that Mr Kozmevski would be removed from the office of councillor immediately. 'Council thanks Mr Kozmevski for his service to the City of Whittlesea community over many years, across a number of Council terms,' the council said. 'Council is not responsible for holding local government elections, they are conducted by the VEC.' Mr Kozmevski was first elected to the council as an ALP-endorsed candidate in 1997, according to the council's website. He served two terms as mayor and 22 years in total on council.
