A decade ago Sunbury appeared destined to become Victoria’s newest municipality.
After years of debate about local representation and the town’s future, plans were well advanced in 2014 for Sunbury to separate from Hume City Council and establish its own stand-alone council.
The proposal had the backing of the then Coalition Government and had progressed far beyond the discussion stage before it was ultimately abandoned in late 2015. Supporters of the campaign even set up a website here.
The push to take Sunbury out of Hume was driven by a long-held view among many residents that the township had a distinct identity – semi-rural as opposed to metropolitan – and was not receiving adequate representation within one of Victoria’s largest municipalities.
Supporters argued that decisions affecting Sunbury were increasingly being made from Broadmeadows and that the town’s needs differed from those of Hume’s rapidly growing northern suburbs.
The campaign gathered significant momentum in 2013 when a poll conducted across Hume found majority support for the creation of a separate Sunbury municipality. In response, the Coalition Government established a review panel to investigate the proposal and determine whether a new council was viable. The panel subsequently concluded that a stand-alone municipality could be established and recommended that the separation proceed.
In 2014, the Napthine Government accepted the recommendation and announced plans for a new municipality. The proposal would have seen Sunbury become the centre of an independent council, with transition arrangements put in place ahead of a planned commencement date in 2015.
However, the state election in November 2014 changed the political landscape. Although Labor said it would honour the process already underway, the newly elected Andrews Government delayed the separation and appointed a panel of auditors to review the proposal. The government argued there were unresolved issues relating to assets, services, staffing and governance arrangements.
Below: Sunbury Radio’s Ron Burke interviews then local government minister Natalie Hutchins MP.
The auditors later recommended that the split not proceed, concluding that significant concerns remained about the financial viability of a new council. Their report warned that separation could result in substantial rate increases for Sunbury residents and place pressure on council services.
The transition auditors warned that a new Sunbury council faced significant financial challenges if it was taken out of Hume City Council. Their key concerns were:
- Rates could increase by around 14%
- Services might need to be reduced
- Major community facilities could be delayed
In October 2015, local government minister Natalie Hutchins formally accepted the auditors’ advice and announced that Sunbury would remain part of Hume City Council.
The decision triggered strong criticism from campaign supporters and Opposition figures, who accused the government of breaking a commitment to establish the new municipality. The government maintained it was acting in the best interests of residents after receiving independent advice.
While the campaign ultimately failed to achieve its objective, it remains one of the most significant local government reform movements in Victoria’s recent history and a reminder of the strong community sentiment that once existed for local independence.
Below: Public meeting about Sunbury out of Hume.
The financial viability concerns that helped derail the Sunbury Out of Hume proposal in 2015 were based on a much smaller township. Since then, Sunbury’s population, housing stock and ratepayer base have grown dramatically, raising questions about whether a modern-day review would reach the same conclusion.