![Junction Place community reference group chairwoman Susan Benedyka said community engagement was vital for the hub's future. Junction Place community reference group chairwoman Susan Benedyka said community engagement was vital for the hub's future.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/170490233/3806ab41-8e5e-4956-9a37-d9027b888031.jpg/r0_254_4975_3062_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Stopping development disasters before they happen was a key point at the first meeting of Wodonga's Junction Place community reference group on Thursday night.
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Group chairwoman Susan Benedyka said the eight members of the CRG met with representatives of Development Victoria, a key player in future development for what she describes as "the heartbeat of Wodonga".
Transparency between Development Victoria, the Wodonga Council and the community to ensure everyone knew what was being proposed for the area was another priority for the group, she said.
![CRG chair Susan Benedyka. CRG chair Susan Benedyka.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/170490233/09fd50aa-8ca6-4c9c-a9de-94530e982e8e.jpg/r1485_136_4108_1806_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"Last night Development Victoria acknowledged they had not got community engagement right in the past, they were very clear about that," Ms Benedyka said.
"Developent Victoria said that the community reference group will be a keystone to everything that happens from now on.
"There were six people there from Development Victoria, both the precincts team, those who are the developers, those who get involved in the development of the precinct, and we had the acting director there as well. We also had two people from the community engagement team."
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Ms Benedyka said discussions at the meeting were firmly focused on not repeating history, for example the liquor store fiasco last year.
"They know very clearly that then when the developer proposed a Dan Murphy site, that was the tipping point for a lot of people," she said.
"So that's the classic one that was talked about. Everyone needs to be just doing their work and being focused on their work. It has to be asked, well how does this affect the community?"
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