By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
A COUNCIL investigation into whether it failed to inform residents about the building proposal for an Islamic school in Doveton found there was no wrongdoing by the City of Casey.
The investigation was undertaken after a petition was presented at the 19 January council meeting, with councillor Rosalie Crestani and more than 50 residents raising concern that plans to build an Islamic school in Doveton were seemingly approved without their knowledge.
It was claimed Casey Council had failed to meet a requirement to send letters to all residents in the vicinity of the proposed school, to be set up at the former Doveton North Primary School site in Rowan Drive.
Cr Crestani, the deputy president of Pastor Danny Nalliah’s far-right Rise Up Australia Party (RUAP), also questioned why the term “Islamic” was left out of despatches.
In May 2014, Star News reported how Ilim College of Australia bought the site for $4.2 million, with a spokesman for then Assistant Treasurer Gordon Rich Phillips confirming at the time that the 20,420 square metre site had been purchased.
While some people did receive a letter, the petition argued many who lived close by weren’t informed.
“That’s the biggest peeve, that it’s such a big development and no-one was aware of what was going on,” head petitioner Grant Ferguson said.
He said residents were worried about how the new school would affect traffic and parking in the area.
“It used to be a school there and traffic was bad and that was just a primary school,” Mr Ferguson said.
“This will be a primary and secondary school and there’ll be twice as much traffic.”
But at last Tuesday’s council meeting the City of Casey announced the findings of its investigation and concluded there had been “no failure in the sending of letters to residents”.
The report noted that those who did not receive letters did not own or reside in adjoining properties.
“As per the Casey Planning Scheme requirements relating to the site in question, letters were sent to the owners and occupiers of adjoining properties,” the report stated.
“The faith-based nature of the school was not included in the letters as this information is not relevant to the planning process.
“All Casey Planning Scheme requirements in relation to the site in question were met.”
The council findings also noted that specifying the faith-based nature of the school could “contravene anti-discrimination and human right laws”.
