Residents of Aireys Inlet and Fairhaven may have had the unpleasant experience of paying a special charge to fund capital works such as roads and drainage schemes proposed by the Surf Coast Shire. While some community capital works will be required from time to time, there have been examples where residents feel so strongly about the type of works proposed that, not only do they not wish to contribute, but they would happily pay for the works not to go ahead. Although community opposition to the Special Charge Scheme for roads and drainage works in Fairhaven was unsuccessful, even after an appeal to VCAT, the introduction of Citizens Juries and better organised community opposition have yielded what AIDA believes are more successful outcomes for Precincts 1 and 2 in Aireys Inlet, including the recent improvements to the Shire’s Special Charge Scheme rules.
Please click on the links for detailed histories of the sagas of special charge schemes imposed or rejected for works in Fairhaven, Aireys Precinct 1, Aireys Precinct 2 and Pearse Road, and for reports concerning Citizens Juries and Special Charge Schemes.