It was great to attend the Monash Business Awards last month and see a number of outstanding businesses in Monash recognised for their innovation and hard work.
You might not be aware, but Monash is home to more jobs than any other area in Victoria outside of the Melbourne CBD. This is significant because being such an employment and technology hub brings great opportunity to everyone who lives, works or plays in Monash.
Not only can our residents live close to tens of thousands of high quality jobs, but the benefit to the local economy from all of these workers, suppliers and business activity means that we have some of the best cafes, restaurants, service businesses and infrastructure around.
This partly explains why we have within our boundaries Australia’s biggest university (Monash University), one of its biggest hospitals (Monash Medical Centre), one of the busiest roads (Monash Freeway), two of the busiest rail corridors (Pakenham/Cranbourne and the Glen Waverley lines), Australia’s only synchrotron, one of the country’s highest occupancy rate hotels (Novotel Glen Waverley) and a $10 million small business incubator (the Eastern Innovation Business Centre).
Your Council works hard to balance the benefits of change, development and increasing economic activity with making sure that we safeguard what we value about living in Monash – our garden character and our mix of housing options. This is why Council’s recent work on the new residential zones is so important. We don’t want unrestrained development but we also don’t want to lock everything down either.
This Council has always had a measured and responsible approach to managing change. However, in recent times we have recognised that some of our residential character has changed too much.
That’s why we are now attempting to provide more protection for garden character and ending ‘boxy’ and ‘McMansion’ type development in our suburbs while unashamedly encouraging and promoting dynamic change in our activity centres (such as central Glen Waverley), around transport hubs and in the Monash technology precinct in Clayton around Monash University.
While other councils miss the opportunities, we strive to remain ahead of the game by seeking greater protection where it is warranted while encouraging development opportunities where it benefits the community.
This all adds to the vibrant Monash community which we all enjoy today.
It contributes to why Monash residents top the state on healthy and happy indexes. I think it also explains why the state government’s recent community satisfaction survey found that Monash residents are more satisfied with their council than residents of other councils – 10 points higher than the average. And it is why property values across Monash continue to rise at a much faster rate than other areas of Melbourne – generating wealth for all Monash ratepayers.
We will continue to work hard to responsibly manage the Council’s finances as one of the few councils which is completely debt free while maintaining Victoria’s lowest rates. And in doing so, we will keep our focus firmly on the core business of running an effective local council rather than the distracting mission creep which too many other councils waste their time and their ratepayers’ money on.
As always, please call or email me directly to discuss anything you like on 0411 645 281 or at geoff.lake@monash.vic.gov.au.
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