By Violet Li
Locals say the recently launched Casey Local Law review is “ineffective”, citing their concerns on a “preempted” questionnaire.
Devon Meadows resident Tom Kapitany, who has long-standing beef with Casey Council’s planning team, was quick to jump onto the survey of the Local Law review, which was just launched earlier this week.
He was soon disappointed at the way the survey was worded.
“They basically limited the scope of the review. So, it’s basically ineffective,” he said.
“They’ve preempted the answers, reasonable, unreasonable.”
In sessions relevant to the controversial private land use permits, such as managing the number of temporary structures on private land, including shipping containers and temporary dwellings, the same question is posed to the respondents: Do you feel it is reasonable that Council manages the following issues?
Five options are presented: very unreasonable, unreasonable, neutral, reasonable, and very reasonable. Only one option can be selected.
A comment box is followed, where respondents can write down their personal opinions.
The consultation will also include 12 in-person pop-up events (one in each ward), and four 60-minute meetings.
But Mr Kapitany is not the only one unhappy with the design of the survey. Cranbourne Gardens Ward Councillor Michelle Crowther and Kowan Ward Cr Shane Taylor shared on their Facebook that a number of residents contacted them to ask who designed the survey.
They noted that the survey was developed by council officers, not councillors.
When inquired, the Council noted that the Casey Conversations website, where the survey is launched, is owned and operated by the City of Casey.
“The survey questions appear to be worded in a leading way and therefore may not capture your true sentiments about the local laws,” Cr Taylor wrote on his Facebook.
“When you complete the survey, ensure that you take the time to fill in the comments section (text boxes) to have your views, suggestions, and concerns heard.”
Mr Kapitany also said the rural people were missed out in the survey.
“Now the problem is, you’ve got somebody living in suburban Cranbourne and you’re asking him to comment on sea containers and recreational vehicles in rural areas,” he pointed out.
“How do all the questions relate to rural areas? They do put down where you are, but they cannot give a true sense of what’s really going on because they’ve limited the scope of the review.
“It’s not saying, look, let’s put everything on the table and review everything. Let’s review the cars in rural areas and the cars in non-rural areas.
“They just created a very confined number of answers on a very limited range of subjects, which are pointless.
“It’s a total waste of time, a waste of money. Council just wants to show they’re doing the right thing.”
Anthony Tassone, vice president of Casey Residents & Ratepayers Association (CRRA), said they had received feedback from residents that the online questionnaire for the Local Law review was worded in a “leading” way that might direct responders to answer in a certain way.
“Given the significant public interest in the Casey Local Law that has literally made national news and prompted the councillors to order a review, one would have assumed council staff would have consulted with elected councillors before releasing the survey,“ he said.
“From public comments by some councillors that don’t appear to have happened and should have.
“We strongly encourage residents responding to the survey to use the comments section to convey their views.”
The Local Law review online survey runs from Monday 21 April to Sunday 1 June, a total of 42 days. Visit: conversations.casey.vic.gov.au/llreview_25
