Council Calls on Community to Stand Up for Local Planning Rights

Published on 10 October 2025

Mansfield Shire Council is calling on the community to demand genuine consultation from the Victorian Government over its secretive and fast-tracked planning reforms. 

Council has launched a public advocacy campaign to protect the community’s right to have a say in local development and to preserve the Shire's unique character. Residents are being encouraged to download a letter addressed to the Minister for Planning, Sonya Kilkenny, and send it directly to her office to ensure the voice of rural Victoria is heard. 

The campaign is in response to a series of state-led reforms to the Planning and Environment Act that have been undertaken with little to no genuine engagement with local government or the communities they represent. Council is concerned the reforms will remove the public’s right to be notified of developments and to appeal decisions, while allowing state-wide policies to override local protections. 

Mayor Cr Steve Rabie said the top-down reforms threaten what makes our community special. 

“The State Government is changing the planning rules behind closed doors and we are deeply concerned that the voice of our rural community is being silenced. 

“To protect what's special about Mansfield, we are calling for a planning system that lets Local Governments like ours: Keep it Country, Keep it Local, Keep it Transparent, Keep it Fair, and Keep it Simple. We need a planning system that respects local knowledge and local decision-making, not a one-size-fits-all approach from Melbourne.  

“We have sent a formal letter to the Minister outlining these non-negotiable principles, and now we are asking our community to join us. Your voice is powerful. We need to send a clear message that top-down planning doesn’t work for Mansfield,” said Cr Rabie. 

How to Have Your Say 

Council has made a copy of its letter to the Minister for Planning available for the community to download and send. 

1. Download the letter at www.mansfield.vic.gov.au/Advocacy
2. Add your name and details.
3. Send it to the Minister to make your voice heard.

Optional Step: Make it Personal 

To make your letter even more powerful, we encourage you to add a short paragraph in your own words. Explaining your personal reasons for concern, how these changes might affect you or your property and what you value about our community. 

Taking a few minutes to send this letter will help protect our community’s right to shape its own future.