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Response to Preliminary Report to Monash Electoral Review by Monash Ratepayers Association Inc. A00270067M.
Introduction:
In responding to the report the MRA believes that the preferred option from the VEC Preliminary Report is the ideal outcome for the City of Monash as it takes into account the projected increase of population in the area around the former Waverley Park Staduim. The only part of the Report that this Association has a different point of view is the naming of two of the Wards.
Waverley Park:
and
University:
Firstly, Mt. Waverley and Glen Waverley Wards:
Mt. Waverley and Glen Waverley are suburbs within the City of Monash and are geographical. On that point these two Ward Names are not an issue as most of the postcode area of Mt. Waverley 3149 falls within the proposed Mt. Waverley Ward.
In relation to the Preferred Option of Glen Waverley Ward (two Councillors), all of the Glen Waverley Ward falls within part of the Glen Waverley postcode 3150, again that is supported by the MRA, and should be noted that it is an established area with little potential for residential growth.
Secondly, University Ward:
It is the view of the MRA that this is not an appropriate name for a proposed ward that now covers a large part of the South/West part of the City of Monash and largely covers what was formerly part of the City of Oakleigh. The former City of Oakleigh has a history that goes back 150 years. Oakleigh has strong transport and commerce history that linked Gippsland with Melbourne. Oakleigh was:
 | Gazetted as a place in 1853; |
| as a Burrough in 1891 and |
| was constituted as a City in 1927. |
There is a strong sense of Community of Interest in this area and there is a need for a connectedness to the City of Monash which has been sadly lacking by the names of the current Wards under the pre-Review Boundaries.
Therefore, it is the MRA’s strongly held view that this Ward should be re-named Oakleigh Ward to recognize that historical link and should not be dismissed as a location without due consideration. It should also be noted that a large part of the City in this Ward would not identify with the University.
Thirdly, Waverley Park Ward:
It is the MRA’s view that it is an entirely inappropriate name proposal especially as the former stadium at AFL Park has largely ceased to exist and a more appropriate name would be Mulgrave Ward recognizing that the Mulgrave postcode 3170 covers the Southern part of the proposed Ward.
| Historically speaking the Shire of Mulgrave was Gazetted in 1897 (covering most of the modern day City of Monash) |
| and remained a Name and Place until 1961 when the City of Waverley was constituted, |
| only to be renamed the City of Monash in 1994 when amalgamations of Local Government Areas took place and |
| further Mulgrave remains as a suburb to this day. |
The suburb, Waverley Park is a small part of a larger area and on either side of Waverley Park is the suburb of Mulgrave
Waverley Park is a recent subdivision as a result of the selling of Waverley Park Football Ground. There was a lot of community distress about how this occurred and as it is geographically placed in Mulgrave which has historic origins as a first settlement of the area, it would be more in keeping by re-naming Waverley Park with Mulgrave Ward.
If that view is not accepted by the Monash Electoral Review then an alternative would be naming it Wheelers Hill Ward as about 2/3 of the northern part of the proposed Ward is the suburb of Wheelers Hill and falls within the postcode 3150.
Conclusion:
The MRA supports the Preliminary Report to the Monash Electoral Review for the division of Wards and boundaries as indicated in the VEC Preferred Option and the increased number of Councillors that the Review provides for.
The MRA has a view that the Ward Names should recognize the geographic, historical and Communities of Interest of the area and to that end the above mentioned arguments for Name Changes are set out.
I respectfully request that the MRA be given the opportunity to make a further verbal submission on the 27th January 2005.
Yours sincerely,
Philip Daw
President, Monash Ratepayers Association Inc.
Felicity Smith
Secretary, Monash Ratepayers Association Inc.
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