Full description Background
Under an Order-in-Council published in the Victoria Government Gazette on 23 April 1969 the Geelong Regional Planning Authority was established subject to section 12 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1961. The Authority was to prepare and submit for approval all planning schemes for any area which extended beyond the boundaries of any one municipal district in the Geelong area.
The region included the municipal districts of:
Geelong
Geelong West
Newtown
Queenscliff
Bannockburn
Barrabool
Bellarine
Corio
South Barwon.
The Authority was to consist of 18 members comprising two representatives of each of the municipalities. It commenced operations on 31 July 1969.
In 1975 the Geelong Regional Planning Authority Act was passed with the intention of furthering the growth and development of the Geelong area especially through the control of planning aspects. Section 28(1) of that Act states:
The Geelong Regional Authority constituted under this Act shall be deemed to be the same body as the Geelong Regional Planning Authority constituted immediately before this Act.
Abolition
In 1977 the Geelong Regional Commission Act was proclaimed and came into effect on 1 August 1977. The new Commission (VA 426) became the successor in law to the Authority.
Establishment and Role
The threefold role of the Commission is defined in section 3 of the Geelong Regional Commission Act 1977:
the participation of the people of the Geelong region in planning the future development of the region and the nature and limits of such development
the planning, co-ordination, integration and management of and for:
- development within the Geelong region
- the improvement and enhancement of the region and the protection of areas within the region of natural beauty or of special significance to the region
- the provision of services and facilities within the region
the attraction, promotion, development and improvement of industrial, commercial and other business undertakings and employment opportunities to and in the Geelong region.
The Commission was established in 1977 under the Geelong Regional Commission Act. It came into operation on 1 August 1977 (with the first meeting held 12 August 1977) as the successor to the Geelong Regional Planning Authority (VA 2830). Its creation gave effect to the State Government's decentralisation policies and, in particular, Statement of Planning Policy No.7 (Geelong), which received Governor-in-Council approval in August 1973.
Under the Act, the Commission was responsible to the Minister for State Development and Decentralisation (VRG 51) and successor Ministers - now the Minister for Industry, Technology and Resources (VRG 82), except in respect of the Commission's statutory planning functions under the Town and Country Planning Act for which it was responsible to the Minister for Planning, later known as the Minister for Planning and Environment (VRG 65).
Data time period: 1836 to 2013