Budget – a done deal

By Marisa Doyle and Peter Sanders

At the invitation of the City of Melbourne the Carlton Residents’ Association (CRA) made several submissions for the 2026 Council Budget. Around 500 submissions, including those from the CRA, were made. 

The council responded to our submissions generally noting where action would be undertaken. Although these were sometimes generic responses, it was noted that CRA would be involved in any planning for each issue.

The CRA submissions included the need for action to upgrade Lygon St, protect the heritage-listed Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens, and alleviate growing noise and pressure on Carlton streets following the opening of the West Gate Tunnel.

The latter has resulted in a significant increase in heavy vehicle traffic, thundering along the main arterial roads and the problem has been shifted, with no pre-planning thought given to the impact on Carlton (or indeed Kensington).

One submission also asked for serious consideration and feasibility studies for new and expanded green space in the suburb, to ensure it remains a liveable and walkable place for the community and its many visitors.

While we appreciate that we will be involved in the various planning and action processes arising from the budget allocations we have some concerns. Submissions to the draft budget were invited in March/April, leaving only a short time frame for the council to cost and assess all proposals before committee hearings in May and the adoption of the budget in late May.

Consequently, was there time to adequately assess and include worthy submissions? For example, despite the CRA asking for increased green spaces funding there is no allocation for Carlton other than for University Square and areas around the new Parkville Station. How many other submissions were actually incorporated into the final budget we wonder?

Budget items, detailed in the huge and largely non-suburb-specific council budget plan, are also mainly city wide without specific allocations to areas such as Carlton. How are these allocations made? Are they fair and equitable? Are we missing direct advocacy in council for suburbs outside the CBD as a result of the heavily skewed vote allocation to businesses? What is the decision-making process and how is it influenced? How can we gain more transparency? Is consideration given to per resident per hectare investment in new greening activity? Can a specific clear amount of our rates be cordoned and visible for use on new space, upgrades, canopy and proposals for pocket parks?

Despite the City of Melbourne being a wealthy council, there are relative budget cuts that seem harsh for Carlton. Reachable and per resident green space in Carlton is below accepted global benchmarks, yet this now final budget delivers no new open green space for Carlton.

This could lock in a longer-term under- provision of canopy and outdoor areas for this growing community. There is also a precinct activation fund for another suburb, surely Lygon St would benefit from a similar allocation?

We urge the council, from next year, to invite submissions some months before decisions are made and the budget is locked in. The community, including CRA, must be involved with the budget process and clearly informed as to how our submissions will or will not be included. •