Expect action, says Lord Mayor

In putting himself forward for a second term as Lord Mayor, Cr Robert Doyle says Docklanders could expect action under his stewardship.

“We can all agree on a plan, but someone’s got to deliver it,” he said when asked how Docklands would fare if someone else was Lord Mayor after this October’s municipal elections.

“Some of the things that I have done are to bring Docklands into a wider conversation, being very aware of the problems of Docklands and offering rate relief for the Harbour Town people to try to help them while the wheel is being rebuilt and making it the heart of the world community around sustainable urban development by bringing the C40 cities here,” he said.

“These are the things that I have done – not talked about – done,” he said.

Cr Doyle said implementing the City of Melbourne and Places Victoria’s Docklands Community Plan (known as D2 – second decade of Docklands) was only part of what he planned to do for Docklands if elected for a second term.

“It’s partly D2. It’s partly about continuing with Docklands’ sustainable urban development and it’s partly making the infrastructure decisions now to ensure that Docklands is well linked into the city,” he said.

Cr Doyle said Melburnians of the future would consider Docklands as part of the central city area.

But he said it was possible for Docklands to maintain its own culture and character while being part of a larger CBD.

Cr Doyle said Docklands’ architecture, its focus on the water and its sustainability defined the suburb.

“But an area is given its culture, its feel and its character by people.  And the Docklands community is developing its own culture,” he said.

“There are more vertical communities in Docklands than anywhere else, which is a very modern way of living – where residential and commercial and retail sit very comfortably side-by-side or often on top of each other in the same building.”

“You don’t want it to be a replica of anything else.  You want it to develop in its own way.”

Cr Doyle said he could envision Docklands as Melbourne’s equivalent of Circular Quay in Sydney with Victoria Harbour becoming the focus of commercial and recreational boating activity.

He said he supported the search for commercially-viable water transport solutions to connect Docklands with Federation Square.

“Docklands’ striking architecture defines it and I think the water is a key thing.  For 150 years, Melbourne turns its back on the water,” he said.

“But the most important thing to me is its sustainability.  That is something that is the envy of the world.  We have shown in Docklands that sustainability and prosperity can go hand in hand.”