Liam McNallyMelton council has stood by its decision not to grant an Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church (EOTC) a permit to convert a Strathulloh property into a place of worship. The land sits in a Green Wedge Zone which allows for places of worship to be built on a discretionary basis, decided by the council. EOTC committee member Endalkachew Aragaw said church leaders were assured in 2021 that securing a permit would pose no significant challenges, which was crucial to their decision to purchase the land. Now-mayor Kathy Majdlik said allowing a church in a Green Wedge Zone would set a dangerous precedent, while councillor Goran Kesic said that many of the congregation’s members arrived in Australia as refugees fleeing conflict, and establishing a church in Melton would reflect the resilient and devout nature of the community. Councillor Steve Abboushi raised a motion to rescind the decision at the November 27 council meeting which was supported by councillors Sophie Ramsey and Goran Kesic.

Source: Ethiopian News December 05, 2023 03:50 UTC