The Age Letters February 27, 2010
JUSTIN Madden must resign. The leaked document that reveals a plan by his office to run a sham public consultation process over the future of the Windsor Hotel (''Heat on Madden over Windsor Hotel sham'', The Age, 26/2) has merely confirmed what we have known all along, that community consultation is a sham.
We call it ticking the boxes and ignoring what anyone says because they already know what they want to do. However, we have continued, in hope, to spend hours and hours writing serious submissions. Now we know, straight from the horse's mouth, that we have been wasting our time. We feel insulted.
One interesting thing has been shown up by this scandal. Although Mr Madden frequently calls in and approves developments, thus overruling the community and even his own panel, in the case of this development, it seems the panel approves of it but the government wants to refuse it.
So instead of the minister calling it in and then refusing planning permission, he wants to run the usual fake community consultation and, surprise, surprise - the people don't want the development so Mr Madden can say to his developer mates that he is sorry but he has to refuse it because the people don't want it.
It is not only Mr Madden who should resign, John Brumby should go with him; he is responsible for his government.
Victorian opposition leader Ted Baillieu is calling for Justin Madden to be sacked. "They have a complete lack of respect for the community, everything they ...
Opposition leader Ted Baillieu said Mr Madden must go otherwise it is clear the government endorses this cynical and deceptive attempt to manipulate ...
Mary Drost, convener, Planning Backlash, Camberwell
I DIDN'T quite understand the decisions made on the bitumen plant at Crib Point and the inappropriate boat ramp development at Bastion Point, Mallacoota, which Mr Madden approved even though the minister's advisory panel advised against it.
But it has all became clear with the leaked document. It basically says just keep the stupid public satisfied with pretend consultations and go ahead with whatever deal any minister can get away with.
After spending many hours on submissions and correspondence to the planning panels, my advice to people is: only direct action will have a chance of embarrassing the people in power, as due process has obviously been abandoned by this government.
Rupert Steiner, Balnarring
JUSTIN Madden is reported as saying: ''My record stands as a planning minister who consults widely, makes tough decisions when warranted, but also gives every opportunity for community input.''
I would like to ask Mr Madden how his decision to increase the height of wind turbines by 20 per cent at Bald Hills, without consulting a single adjoining landowner or the South Gippsland Shire Council, fits in with his words.
Where was the consultation, apart from with the developer whose profits you have increased? Where was the opportunity for community input?
Tim Le Roy, Ashwood
YOU have to wonder how many other ministerial draft/memo/internal document/plans were given to Justin Madden before this unfortunate one came about? At least now we know what the shonks in his department are up to.
Justin Madden, it is not even the ''speculative'' nature of the document that is the worry. It is the intent of it, which says the department should fabricate concern about a planning issue to give grounds for rejecting it - in an election year.
There is also no confidence that Mr Madden can appoint a ''probity auditor'': is there anyone left in his department with any probity?
The Planning Minister's office is not there solely for the minister's re-election nor are planning issues to be used as an ALP plaything.
Dennis Matotek, Footscray