(Photo of Mary Drost)
The Brumby Government tried to undermine this crucial Melbourne Rally and to avoid criticism by announcing they were modifying their offensive Bill, so the mainstream journalists stayed away. But the alternative press is growing and we will not fall for such simple ploys.

Today Victorian activist groups working together stopped legislation which could have defined any local councillor who may have previously actively opposed a particular development proposal as an 'interested party' and hence ineligible to vote. Demonstrators wore tape over their mouths on the steps of Victoria's Parliament.

See also: "Backdown on activist councillors", in The Age of 27 Oct 08, "Govt backflip on council conflict of interest legislation" on ABC on 29 Oct 08.

"VCAT unelected, unaccountable and system has lost all respect from community." VCAT is Victoria's Civil and Administrative Tribunal. (Australia)

In 1845 the Mornington Peninsula was thick with wildlife: herds of kangaroos, wombats, wallabies, many echidnas and koalas and glorious birds, all unused to man and quite tame and inquisitive. ...wonderful trees, abundance of silver wattles, when in blossom, gilded the country and filled the air deliciously with their sweetness. Now population growth is turning the Peninsula into a desert. Research and graphs by Malcolm Legg and Hans Brunner.

James Sinnamon's open letter to the Premier of Victoria received no direct response from the Premier. Wildlife biologist and international hair expert, Hans Brunner, sent a copy via his Victorian Member of Parliament, to the Premier, and received this disturbingly inadequate and obdurate response. Here is confirmation that narrow ideology and the corporate sector now dominate science and democracy in Victoria.

What does the Murdoch and Fairfax media response to Premier Brumby's views on Victoria's population growth mean for democracy?

See also: Open letter to John Brumby on his admission that Victoria has an overpopulation problem of 31 Jul 08.

Victorian Premier John Brumby said prior to the recent COAG meeting, "There's just no water around; whether it's water for farmers or water for cities or water for irrigators or water for the environment, we're all short of water." Yet, Brumby is resolved to press ahead with his plans to steal the water that he acknowledges is scarce from the Goulburn Valley in order to meet the needs of the added population he intends to impose upon the residents of Melbourne and outlying rural communities in blatant disregard of the wishes of all of those communities.

See also: I will govern for all Victorians (caveat: but only if you are powerful and connected) of 26 Jun 08, Melbourne protests mass population growth and its profiteers of 7 Jul 08, Grave concerns: new state residential zones and loss of council planning powers in Melbourne of 7 Jul 08, Brumby ready for stoush over water by Peter Ker and Paul Austin of 3 Jul 08 in the Age, original media release at www.plugthepipe.com/MR070708.htm.

Christine Pruneau, of MRRA: “This is as much about civil rights as it is about planning. It cuts to the question of whether the principles of consultation, transparency and accountability will survive in Victoria’s democracy."

See also: Melbourne protests mass pop growth, www.mrra.asn.au.

For his political courage in speaking out against undemocratic, but mainstream media and government endorsed, growth, actor, Geoffrey Rush deserves particular historic recognition from Australians. He launched a new website: Marvellous Melbourne.

Word is that Melbourne is getting its 1 million more ten years early and that the Vic Government is in a panic because it has no idea how many permanent new guests have taken up its foolhardy invitations to come and stay. Who the hell is responsible?

Kennett's legacy to Victorians has been no Victorian on the public payroll has a secure job, their employment can disappear a the stroke of a pen.

The was cross-posted to Online Opinion in response to an article Fix the states, fix inflation of 27 May 08

In his submission in response to the Victorian Government‘s Land and Biodiversity at a Time of Climate Change Green Paper, renowned forensic biologist Hans Brunner is critical of the Green Paper's band-aid approach and its failure to confont the Victorian Government's encouragement of population growth, the main driver of Victoria's rapidly disappearing biodiversity.