In a Melbourne suburb, the cancellation of a car park became an election issue — ABC News Australia
In Glen Waverley, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia, business owners warn that the cancellation of a planned 500-space multi-storey car park could steer customers towards large shopping centres instead of local family businesses. Parking has become one of the issues ahead of the Victorian state election in November, ABC News Australia reports.
The situation is complicated by construction work near the railway station as part of the Suburban Rail Loop East project. This section is intended to connect Melbourne’s south-eastern and eastern suburbs, while the budget for the project’s first stage is about A$35 billion.
Cancelled car park
Craig Lane, vice-president of the Glen Waverley Traders Association, who has run a business in the central part of the area for more than 30 years, said the Suburban Rail Loop Authority informed traders about five years ago that construction would result in the loss of around 400 parking spaces. At the same time, the organisation promised to build a new 500-space multi-storey car park near the Kingsway shopping and dining precinct.
Last month, Victorian Premier Ben Carroll cut about A$1 billion in spending on what he described as non-essential additions to the Suburban Rail Loop. The cancelled elements included the car park, interchange hubs and pedestrian routes. Lane said that without additional infrastructure, visitors may choose large shopping centres over local family businesses.
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The state government said it would seek alternative ways to provide sufficient parking spaces in Glen Waverley. A Suburban Rail Loop spokesperson added that authorities were working with Monash City Council on a long-term parking solution following the planned opening of the station in 2035. In June, the SRLA opened 221 at-grade parking spaces on Myrtle Street, south of Glen Waverley station.
Roads and housing costs
Residents of the area also point to the condition of the roads. On High Street Road, drivers have to change lanes to avoid a pothole about 15 metres long. Resident Bronwyn Bennett said she had repeatedly reported the problem over several years to the government authorities responsible for the road. According to an audit cited by ABC, almost half of Victorian roads managed by the state authorities are in very poor condition.
Housing affordability is another issue for voters. According to Cotality data for September, the median house price in Glen Waverley exceeds A$1.6 million, while the median home value in Melbourne’s more expensive segment was A$1.2 million. The Glen Waverley electorate is held by the Labor Party with a margin of 3.3%, and pollster Kos Samaras said surveys show a shift in support towards the Liberal Party in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs.
