Vote over boundary

By Michelle Herbison
AN INDEPENDENT plebiscite will determine residents’ opinions on proposed changes to council boundaries within Point Lonsdale, according to Borough of Queenscliffe’s mayor.
Bob Merriman said a letter-drop in August would survey residents from the western side of Fellows Rd on whether they supported their area changing from City of Greater Geelong to Borough of Queenscliffe.
“Over the years we’ve had so many people raise the question of Point Lonsdale being divided by two,” Cr Merriman said.
Seventy per cent of residents supported the change in a previous community-run poll, he said.
Pushing for the boundary change had been part of council’s plan since 2009.
“It’s taken this long because it took a while to get the previous Labor state government to listen to us, then (the government) changed. We thought we would’ve got much earlier support from (Liberal Minister for Local Government) Jeanette Powell.”
Cr Merriman said Ms Powell visited Queenscliff before last state election when she “indicated” a Baillieu Government would “seriously consider” a change if a plebiscite found support among a “significant majority” of residents.
“Then six to eight months ago she indicated she wouldn’t finance it, so we had to put it in our budget.”
Ms Powell told the Independent the Government had “no plans” to review the boundary.
“Any proposed change would require input from community members of each council affected by the proposal, not just those from the council requesting the change,” she said.
City of Greater Geelong Mayor John Mitchell opposed changing the boundary.
“We’re comfortable where the boundary sits and we see it as the same as every other boundary.”
Point Lonsdale Civic Association acting president Barney Orchard said a single administration applying rules throughout the town “made sense”.
Mr Orchard said “a lot of discrepancies” between the two councils created issues for residents.
Geelong was “city-centric”, while the borough focused on “tourism, small commerce and a village-like environment”, he said.
“We’d urge anyone who votes to be fully informed rather than make an emotional judgement.”