Former Victorian premier Jeff Kennett weighs in after Queenscliff council bans coffee van from footy oval

A decision by Victoria’s smallest council to ban a coffee van at football games has sparked questions about its suitability to stand alone, with Jeff Kennett even weighing in on the debate.

Jeff Kennett has weighed in after Queenscliff council would not let its local footy club have a coffee van.

A decision by Victoria’s smallest council to ban a coffee van at football games has sparked renewed questions about its suitability to stand alone, with Jeff Kennett even weighing in on the debate.

The Borough of Queenscliffe, on the Bellarine Peninsula, has come under fire for refusing a permit to allow Noelle’s Coffee food-truck at Queenscliff Football Netball Club home games – making it the only club in the league without one.

A poll by this masthead, asking if the tiny coastal council should have granted the club’s request to offer barista-made brews at the local footy, has received more than 3300 votes, with 99 per cent saying “yes”.

The article attracted hundreds of comments, with many calling for the municipality to be amalgamated into the City of Greater Geelong, while others said a Bellarine Peninsula local government should be formed, taking in Queenscliff, Point Lonsdale, Portarlington, St Leonards, Swan Bay and Ocean Grove.

“It is ridiculous having a little, isolated Queenscliff council,” one reader said.

“Either merge it with the City of Greater Geelong council (which has responsibility for the rest of the Bellarine Peninsula), or create a new Bellarine Peninsula council.”

Mr Kennett, who slashed 210 councils to 78 as Victorian premier in 1994, said he noticed the outrage from the small community following the van ban, but broader context was needed around its suitability to run its own affairs.

Queenscliffe was the only one to remain untouched during his upheaval 20 years ago.

“They survived because of what I would call a fairly unique local interest,” he said.

“The Bellarine was a very special place and we did consider putting them into the City of Greater Geelong.

“We gave it a great deal of thought.”

Queenscliff Football and Netball Club's Laura Clarke and Ned Coffey with Noelle Roob of Noelle's Coffee. Queenscliff FNC are not able to have a coffee van at its oval as the council won't allow it.

He said the council, along with Geelong and the City of Melbourne, were under extreme burdens due to cost increases and rate capping.

“I don’t know enough about the operations of the Queenscliff council now to make a judgment as to whether they are able to survive or continue, or should be part of Geelong,” he said.

“The viability of many are now being questioned.

“Their independence should not just be judged on whether the council gave them permission to have a coffee van at a sports oval.”

Other readers believed the decision was “pathetic” and called for residents to “vote wisely” at council elections later this year.

“Another example of local council adding no value at all to anyone,” a reader said.

“Want any more evidence that we’re over governed and councils are redundant? This is what happens when you vote for people who think they know how to live your life better than you do. News flash, no they don’t,” another said.

Originally published as Former Victorian premier Jeff Kennett weighs in after Queenscliff council bans coffee van from footy oval