‘Hands off’ green wedgeBy Shaun Inguanzo

THE GREENS will oppose any future expansions of the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) in a bid to protect Dandenong South’s “green wedge” land.
Journalists were shown a chart at a briefing meeting with council management in October that led to speculation the council was eyeing green wedge land for future expansion due to the rapid uptake of existing land.
Greens Upper House South Eastern Metropolitan Region candidate Jim Reiher this week said the party would oppose any move by the council to expand into green wedge territory beyond its current boundaries.
“We believe that must be protected and that the urban growth boundary must remain fixed,” he said. “To put an obsessive desire to have more and more industry in for industry sake, at the cost of green wedge land, is not asking the right long term questions for the area.
“What will our children and grandchildren say if such decisions are made in our generation?
“How can we look them in the eye and simply say all that mattered was business profits – not social, not environmental, not recreational interests – just profits?”
Mr Reiher said the Greens believed in the “triple bottom line” approach.
“Economic considerations, yes, but also social and environmental considerations,” he said.
City of Greater Dandenong planning manager Jody Bosman said speculation about expansion was unfounded.
“Contrary to media speculation, councillors and council officers have not formed any view on options of future UGB changes,” he said.
“It is premature to comment on any actions that the council may take in the future with regard to the UGB.
“At this stage the council is not undertaking any studies or doing any work on extensions to the UGB for any reasons, including industrial ‘extensions’.”
However, Mr Bosman did not close the door entirely on expansion.
“The future directions, strategies and options for ongoing industrial capacity within Greater Dandenong would be undertaken as part of detailed research and analysis at an appropriate stage in the future.”