PLANNING Minister Justin Madden has accused the Opposition of playing “cheap politics” with the provision of vital services and infrastructure.

The statement was made as Mr Madden simultaneously called for comment on the draft plan of the revised Melbourne Urban Growth Boundary, announcing that the UGB changes would only proceed if the government’s latest land tax was passed by Parliament.

“The Brumby Labor Government is taking action to ensure families in new communities have the infrastructure and services they need,” Mr Madden said.

“I urge (the Opposition) to leave Baillieuland where money grows on trees, and understand the reality of providing infrastructure and services for families in new communities.”

The proposed Growth Areas Infrastructure Contribution was announced by the State Government in December and would see landholders with properties within the UGB charged $95,000 per hectare if they sold or developed their property.

The tax action would be backdated to 2 December 2008 meaning some landholders would already be in debt, if the tax passed through parliament.

The GAIC has received staunch opposition from landholders across the areas under revision for the new UGB and residents have already attended a protest meeting in Beveridge as well as a rally on the steps of Parliament House in the city.

Following the protest meeting, Labor MP Danielle Green called on her colleague the Planning Minister to fill the information gaps.

Ms Green said she was “disturbed” that the Growth Areas Authority – the group engaged by the government to investigate and develop both the new UGB and GAIC – had failed to attend the meeting. Ms Green also said that she did not think the information to the community thus far was “not adequate, particularly on capital gains tax and other matters, as well as the type of land-holdings that would be affected”.

“I ask the minister to direct the Growth Areas Authority to undertake meaningful and individual discussions with the affected land-holders so they can be fully informed of what this proposal might mean for them; this would be an important step as part of the framing of the legislation,” Ms Green said.

Jeanette Laffan, a member of local GAIC protest group “Taxed Out”, said that despite Ms Green’s assurances and statements from a government spokesman that the “Brumby Labor Government wants to have a full and informed discussion with the community about these important proposed changes”, landholders were still being treated as “stupid”.

She said “on the run” changes to the legislation this week, which increased the size of landpackages which would be taxed under the GAIC, did not change fundamental flaws in the policy.

“Landowners in this UGB are not as stupid as (Minister Justin Madden) thinks – this proposal is disastrous and they’re just playing politics,” Ms Laffan said.

“We are being realistic about this – we realise that you have to pay for infrastructure and all of that and we’re not saying that they should get rid of the GAIC, it just needs to be paid at the time of development.”

Jane and Robert Ray own 2.6 hectares in Beveridge - a plot of land they purchased with the intention of “getting away” from highly developed areas and close neighbours.

The draft plan of the new UGB is available at the website www.vic.gov.au/planningmelbourne or by calling 1800 090 789.