On Luck Chinese Nursing Home saga

TV commentary

On Luck Nursing Home
Friday March 19, 2010

Mayne Reports

Political relationships, pokies, Seven, Macquarie, female directors, Rich List, nursing home, Suncorp, water and more
March 28, 2010

Political donations, Stokes, Westfield tower, state debt, Colless, Manningham nursing home, Grand Prix, Rich List and much more
February 23, 2010

Council Meetings

March 30 meeting
Here are the edited audio highlights from the particularly fractious council meeting held on March 30, 2010. Check out the agenda and minutes and listen to the audio of the debate. Below are links to edited audio the debate:

Ivan Reid sets the tone for debate with spray about "bigots"

David Ellis opposes Reid motion

Stephen Mayne opposes Reid motion

Graeme Macmillan supports Reid motion

Meg Downie supports Reid motion

Mayor speaks to the motion

Geoff Gough speaks to the motion

Grace La vella speaks to the motion

Ivan Reid closing statements

Full debate

Debate about council processes

David Ellis
Stephen Mayne
Graeme MacMillan
Geoff Gough
Grace La Vella
David Ellis closing statement
Full Debate

Q&A

Fred Chuah answers David Ellis questions
Fred Chuah answers Stephen Mayne questions
Ivan Reid's provocative questions to Crs Mayne and Ellis


Read the transcript of the exchanges as deputy mayor Fred Chuah answers questions from councillors David Ellis and Stephen Mayne.

Special February 10 meeting on nursing home
Manningham City Council held a special council meeting on February 10 to consider a report on the On Luck Chinese Nursing Home's application direct to the Planning Minister to permission to triple its facility in the Green Wedge. Here are the minutes and edited audio from the meeting.

Report by planning department opposing process which was unanimously endorsed by council at Feb 10 Special Meeting

February 2 meeting

Transcript from 30 minute debate on February 2

Press Releases

Letter from Justin Madden confirming change to Manningham's planning scheme

Press release from Labor MP Brian Tee trumpeting Madden's intervention

Manningham CEO Lydia Wilson calls Madden intervention "very disappointing"

Radio

Cr David Ellis talks to Neil Mitchell on March 19

Crikey stories

February 26 Crikey story

March 19 Crikey story

February 11 Crikey story

First mention in Crikey after mayoral ballot - December 9, 2009

Manningham Leader
March 24, 2010



Text of motion passed unanimously by councillors at February 23 council meeting:

That Manningham City Council:

1. Notes that in the period since the commissioners until the election of the current council in late 2008, the state government rarely intervened in council planning matters.

2. Requests the state government and all applicants for major developments on privately owned land in Manningham respect the primacy of council's role in the planning process and the need for maximum community consultation.

3. In the matter of Westfield's Grosvenor Street application, council notes the state government's support for the 10 storey proposal in a written submission to VCAT and calls on Planning Minister Justin Madden to respect the unanimous view of officers and councillors that the proposal is an over-development which should be refused.

4. Council calls on both the Liberal and Labor Parties to publically commit in their election manifestos to maximum community consultation and council involvement in the planning process for the redevelopment of the Eastern Golf Club, in contrast to what happened at Kew Cottages where the matter was “called in” by the Minister.

Text of letter published in Manningham Leader on February 17

Kim Au, CEO of the Chinese Community Social Services Centre which manages the On Luck Chinese Nursing Home in Donvale's Green Wedge, was last week quoted in The Leader describing the planning Minister as the “appropriate authority to deal with the request” to triple the facility to 180 beds in a $10 million-plus expansion.

This is a highly contestable claim. Councillors last week unanimously passed a report from our professional planning officers which said: “An issue of particular concern to officers is the planning process being used. For greater transparency it is considered that a consistent approach by DPCD is preferable to assess and approve any proposals for the expansion of non-conforming uses in the green wedge.”

“The planning process being used for the nursing home sets an undesirable precedent and is considered an inappropriate use of the planning tools.”

In the interests of transparency, it should also be disclosed that Kim Au is married to Manningham's deputy mayor Fred Chuah, who was the visionary behind the original development of On Luck and still chairs the board to this day.

Whilst I'm a strong supporter of expanding residential care bed numbers across Manningham, this situation is most unfortunate and On Luck should withdraw its request to the Minister and re-engage with regular council planning processes.

Cr Stephen Mayne
Heidi Ward