Melbourne residents fight boundary changes
By Geoff Spencer
MELBOURNE — With its City of Melbourne Bill about to become law, the state government of Jeff Kennett is making drastic changes to local government.
The bill is about creating a CBD-oriented municipality. The legislation transfers 20,000 residents out of Melbourne into other councils and draws in "assets" — major sporting facilities, the Docklands, Southbank — from neighbouring councils.
Dumped from the Melbourne City Council, residents of Flemington, Kensington, North Carlton and North Melbourne stand to lose services including meals on wheels, home help, maternal and child-care, kindergartens, libraries and youth workers.
Opposition to the plan was immediate. Public meetings were called in North Carlton and North Melbourne, drawing crowds of 400 and 50 respectively. The residents of Kensington blockaded Macaulay Road on Melbourne Cup Day to draw public attention to the division of their community.
While the numerous campaigns to keep local swimming pools and schools open have left activists weary, locality associations are still hopeful of mounting successful opposition. There are rumours of a "council in exile" and a rates strike.