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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25, 2025
H-G17
‘LOCALS PROP UP SUBURBAN LOOP’
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■ The people of Kalkallo, Donnybrook and Mickleham are propping up the Suburban Rail Loop in the eastern suburbs, rather than getting their duplication of Donnybrook Rd, according to northern metropolitan MLC Evan Mulholland. “The Government have said they have got $125 million to duplicate Donnybrook Road. All they are doing is blowing up a roundabout that they only recently upgraded in 2023. “What a waste it is to do that. We still do not know, and I seek the action of the Minister to explain, how much of the $125 million is a State Government contribution, because the State Government contribution to the road blitz was only $200 million. “The minister needs to explain herself and finally get on with properly duplicating Donnybrook Rd. “Now, I have made a promise to my community – the communities of Mickleham, Kalkallo and beyond – to raise Donnybrook Rd every single sitting week in the Parliament. “We know that Donnybrook Rd is an old farm track. The bridge over the Hume is one lane each way. “The Government even reduced the speed limit on the Hume going north, from 100 kilometres an hour to 80 kilometres an hour, such was the congestion – so they are slowing the entire state down. “Now they are also putting in some traffic lights,” Mr Mulholland said.
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■ The Victorian Liberal Party says it secured an amendment to the State Taxation Acts Amendment Bill 2025, that provides an exemption from land tax for homes that became uninhabitable after the 2022 floods. Wendy Lovell, Northern Victoria MLC, raised the matter of flood victims being sent land tax bills with Shadow Treasurer James Newbury after hearing concerning stories from her constituents. Ms Lovell thanked Mr Newbury for his strong advocacy in Parliament, and in negotiations with the Government, to successfully secure this tax relief measure. Previously, a landowner had an exemption from Land Tax if the land became unfit for occupation “because of damage or destruction caused by an event such as fire, earthquake, storm, accident or malicious damage” – but only until the second anniversary of the destructive event. Now that more than two years have passed since the 2022 floods, victims of the natural disaster who are still rebuilding their homes are being sent Land Tax bills by the State Government because it is technically no longer their principal place of residence. “We have seen shocking examples of Victorians being sent land tax bills while they are still rebuilding their homes and their lives. When you are forced to leave your home because of a natural disaster, the last thing you need is this Labor Government sending you a tax bill,” Ms Lovell said.