THE State Planning Minister denies teen pop idol Miley Cyrus had any influence on the scuppering of a housing development on Phillip Island.
A day after the teen superstar joined a community campaign to fight the State Government's plan to allow up to 200 new homes on sensitive coastal farmland near the Ventnor township, Planning Minister Matthew Guy backflipped on his stance.
"Phillip Island is such a magical place, it would be a shame to see it change," Cyrus tweeted to 2.4 million followers yesterday.
But Mr Guy denied today that the former Hannah Montana star's involvement had affected his decision.
"I can swear on a stack of Bibles and say I actually wasn't sure who she was, I'm of a demographic who knows her father, Billy Ray Cyrus as opposed to Miley Cyrus,'' he told AAP.
"I could not give a stuff what Miley Cyrus thinks.''
Cyrus has visited Phillip Island with her boyfriend, Australian actor Liam Hemsworth, who grew up at the popular holiday destination.
Bass Coast Mayor Veronica Dowman met with Mr Guy last Thursday to express the council's opposition to the rezoning of 23 hectares of farm land on the outskirts of the island town of Ventnor for residential development.
Today, Mr Guy rang Ms Dowman to tell her he had changed his mind.
The mayor said although Cyrus helped push the issue into the mainstream press, it was the community's efforts, not star power, that changed Mr Guy's mind.
"We're ecstatic,'' she told AAP after sharing champagne with Phillip Island locals.
"It was the sound campaign and case that we presented that won the game.
"I would like to congratulate the minister for having the courage to review a decision and decide no, that's not the way to go.''
Opposition planning spokesman Brian Tee welcomed the "common sense'' change of heart, but said it was concerning the backflip only came after some superstar intervention.
"It is a sad state of affairs when it takes Miley Cyrus to intervene before Mr Baillieu will listen to the concerns of the local community,'' he said.
But Mr Guy said Labor's claims were as comical as Cyrus' intervention.
"I couldn't even tell you what she looks like,'' he said of the starlet.
"Someone said to me 'Oh, it's Hannah Montana' and I thought that was actually a person.''
Mr Guy confirmed he spoke to Ms Dowman this morning and agreed to bring forward land supply across the other areas of the shire to meet demand, while excluding the controversial land at Ventnor.
"The Bass Coast Shire is the fastest-growing municipality in regional Victoria and the Victorian Coalition Government is committed to bringing forward adequate land supply to cope with population growth," he said.
"The Coalition Government was elected promising to listen to the views of Victorians.
"Our commitment to listen is genuine, and the government has heard the community and the council’s concerns on the proposed rezoning in Ventnor and will not pursue land supply in this area.’’
The Ventnor community had planned a protest today to coincide with the gazetting of the new town boundaries ordered by Mr Guy to open land for homes.
Mr Guy's spokeswoman, Bronwyn Perry, said the land had been earmarked for potential expansion since 1971 and planning controls had been placed to ensure any development protects the coast and vegetation.
"It's fantastic that Ms Cyrus recognises the beauty of Phillip Island, and the Government can assure her that it has no intention of spoiling the natural landscape of this unique area," she said.
Bass Coast Council had declared the land off-limits until Mr Guy wrote last week to inform it he was overruling the decision and would rezone the land as residential.
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