By Bonny Burrows
Officer residents weren’t having a bar of a proposal for a hotel and 80-gaming machine venue in the town’s “education hub”.
Upon learning of the application, concerned residents launched a heated six-month campaign which linked poker machines to increased family violence and armed robberies, and saw graphic flyers depicting the violence handed out at local school gates.
The use of the confronting pamphlets in August drew criticism from the State Education Minister and Parents Victoria, with Education Minister James Merlino slamming the flyers as unsuitable for the school gates.
But protesters weren’t deterred about the negative publicity and followed the controversial flyers with two “in your face” billboards; one which depicted an armed robbery and urged residents to call the council in protest of the application, and another which planned to “call out” the councillors who voted in favour of the proposal at the 18 September council meeting.
The hard-hitting campaign proved successful at the council meeting, with all councillors voting to shut the proposal down.
Despite the council’s rejection, residents weren’t surprised to learn in late November that the controversial proposal was headed to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal following an appeal by applicant Tim Rice.
The VCAT hearing is scheduled to begin on 14 May and residents say they are ready for another tough fight.
