More coverage: VCAT finds no negative impacts of mosque

OBJECTORS to the Bendigo mosque proposal will launch an appeal in the Supreme Court with further claims of bias and allegations of a failure to adhere to due processes from the state’s planning tribunal.

The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal upheld the City of Greater Bendigo’s initial decision to approve the Bendigo mosque, but the issue is unlikely to be resolved with an appeal to be launched.

In a statement, lawyer Robert Balzola – who acted on behalf of the 15 individuals who took the matter to VCAT – confirmed the decision to make an appeal in the Supreme Court was made early in the VCAT proceedings.

Mr Balzola said VCAT’s ruling was a “death knell for public interest and citizens rights in Victoria”.

The statement also outlined the possibility of a Victorian parliamentary inquiry into the conduct of both VCAT and the City of Greater Bendigo in relation to planning approvals.

The group has 20 days to launch the appeal in the Supreme Court.

Bendigo resident Julie Hoskin, who was one of the individuals to launch the proceedings, said there had never been an analysis of the mosque’s long-term impact.

“Nothing has been done to protect residents, they haven’t looked at 50 years in the future and who these people are behind the mosque,” she said.

“They are ignoring it all.”