Welcome to the VLGA President’s weekly eNews for 2010.
Mayors enjoy VLGA training weekend
Returning from the VLGA Essential Mayors’ Weekend, I am impressed by the commitment of our mayors across Victoria to developing skills and knowledge to best represent councils and communities during 2010. The two day training course was enjoyed by over 30 mayors – and of course a quota of fun was had by all attendees as well.
"The weekend was an excellent event, great speakers, terrific discussions and a rare opportunity to share views, ideas and tips on what makes a successful Mayoralty!”
Cr Jane Garrett
Mayor, City of Yarra
Both Minister Wynne and Jeanette Powell (Shadow Minister for Local Government) addressed the group and fielded spirited questions on issues such as consultation, planning, social housing and Neighbourhood Safer Places. Mayors immediately put into practice skills on leadership and advocacy by making their views known.
A double election year
In the lead up to this double election year, we have been working relentlessly over summer on:
* Essential Services Commission – performance monitoring of local government
* Conflict of Interest Review
* Electoral Representation Review
* Financial sustainability of small rural councils
* Climate change and sustainability
* WorkCover for councillors
* Planning issues…
…all of which will inform our advocacy with state and federal leaders throughout 2010. A key focus for us this year will be campaigns on your behalf for commitments to policy reforms on key issues for local government.
Consultation and social housing emerged as key issues this weekend. Keep us informed of your key concerns and priorities.
Your opinions
This year I will be incorporating your opinions and perspectives into eNews via ‘opinion pieces’ on issues of importance to your communities. I invite you to submit your views to enhance inter-council discussion and debate. This week, I have included views on the following issues:
Essential Services Commission
The Essential Services Commission is part way through developing a framework for performance monitoring of local government. The VLGA has been engaged with the commission to find ways to include all stakeholders in the debate and develop a framework that is valuable for communities rather than resource intensive data collection resulting in unfair league tables of councils.
Over January, Cr Colin Hampton of Frankston City Council resigned from the ESC Consultative Committee due to concerns about process, inclusivity of the group and the number of councillors invited to be involved. The VLGA has now been invited onto the Committee.
Cr Michael Tudball, former Mayor, Moorabool Shire Council, is on the ESC Consultative Committee and writes:
“There are a couple of key points that I have been impressing upon the ESC and those involved in the review. Firstly, that council priorities are usually responsive to community demands, expectations and priorities... Secondly, the ‘cost shifting’ argument ... The final area I have been advocating ... is we need to ensure that the LGA has had the opportunity to provide comments against the ‘scores’ to put them into context.
I believe this provides a great opportunity for LGA to have streamlined and consistent reporting to our communities that makes sense to them, enables them to understand the results and also to look at how we do compare to others within the sector as long as those comparisons are fair, objective and explained.
I encourage Councillors and Community members to get involved in this review, provide feedback directly to the ESC at http://www.esc.vic.gov.au/NR/exeres/EC74C2B0-6D25-491E-A046-A41D19E38680.htm or to members of the Consultative Committee that are also listed on the ESC website.”
Read Cr Tudball’s full opinion piece on the VLGA website.
Planning – call in of 38 storey tower in Whitehorse
Mayor Bill Pemberton, Whitehorse City Council, has been dealing with the most recent call-in by Minister Madden. He writes:
“State Government Minister Justin Madden recently called in from VCAT an application that had been considered by Whitehorse City Council. The development proposal that was scheduled to be heard at VCAT in 2010 has generated a great deal of community debate prior to and since the Minister’s direct involvement.
The State Government has recognised that the transport interchange is the busiest metropolitan interchange outside central Melbourne and is in dire need of an upgrade.
Its redevelopment is intrinsically linked to increased residential development on this site and despite this the government has not yet committed funds or outlined a timeline for the redevelopment of this significant public transport hub in the eastern suburbs.”
Read Mayor Pemberton’s full opinion piece on the VLGA website.
If you have views on these issues or others, please submit your opinion pieces to me at rose@vlga.org.au
VLGA Training news
VLGA Training is pleased to announce two online training opportunities, available free to VLGA members during February and March:
How to Manage Priorities – available free to members from 1-28 February 2010
Fair Work Act 2009 – available free to members from now until 31 March 2010
See the VLGA Training website for access to these courses.
Feedback on the VLGA Conflict of Interest Review submission – due February 12
You can access the VLGA Draft Submission on our website.
The submission includes a comparison of Conflict of Interest laws across all Australian states and an analysis of how other states deal with common problems.
Victorian Competition and Efficiency Commission’s final report – A Sustainable Future for Victoria: Getting Environmental Regulation Right
The Victorian Government released the Victorian Competition and Efficiency Commission’s final report A Sustainable Future for Victoria: Getting Environmental Regulation Right together with its response.
Copies of the final report and overview, as well as the Government’s response and the Treasurer’s press release, are available on the Commission’s website.
For more information, including how to obtain a printed copy of the final report or overview, please contact the Commission, ph: (03) 9092 5800, fax: (03) 9092 5845, email: environment@vcec.vic.gov.au or see their website
Join us in 2010 – Year of Women in Local Government
The VLGA encourages you to join us in becoming an official partner of the Year of Women in Local Government 2010. Check out www.lgwomen2010.org.au. There are three levels of contribution – follow this link.
If you would like more information about how the VLGA’s Women’s Policy Working Group is planning to support the YoWiLG, please contact Linda Bennett on 03 9349 7904 or linda@vlga.org.au.
Events
February Delegates Meeting and Leading Edge Forum
Thursday 4 February
VLGA, 60 Leicester St, Carlton
The February Leading Edge Forum on the topic of the Essential Services Commission’s Inquiry into Performance Monitoring Frameworks for Local Governments is being held on Thursday 4 February.
VLGA Delegates are also invited to attend a Delegates’ meeting prior to the LEF from 6pm-6.30pm in the VLGA office. This informal meeting will be a delegates-only discussion, giving you the opportunity to feed in the issues and concerns of your council and discuss these with other delegates.
Details:
Thursday 4 February, 2010
VLGA, 60 Leicester St, Carlton
6pm Delegates’ meeting
6.30pm Finger-food and drinks
7pm LEF commences
Registrations for all LEFs can now be made via our website.
YIPAA Seminar
Statement of Government Intentions: The Big Ideas
Thursday 4 February, 7.30-9am
VMIA, Level 30, 35 Collins Street, Melbourne
As part of their Sectors at Sunrise seminar series, the Institute of Public Administration Australia is presenting an analysis and discussion of the 2010 Statement of Government Intentions, which sets out the Victorian Government’s agenda for the future of our state over the year ahead, including the transport sector and The Victorian Transport Plan released in 2008.
The seminar features Michael Kane, Executive Director, Policy and Strategy at the Victorian Department of Premier and Cabinet, and Patricia Faulkner, National Partner in Charge – State Government, KPMG.
Check out the IPAA website for more details or to register:
Liveable and Just Toolkit Launch
In response to the outcomes and recommendations of climate change workshops conducted across Victoria, the Liveable & Just Toolkit has been developed to assist councils to integrate social and equity issues into efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change.
Melbourne launch
Tuesday 2 March, 9.30am-12noon
VLGA rear meeting rooms, 60 Leicester Street, Carlton 3053
Regional launch
Tuesday 9 March, 10.30am-1pm
Mansfield Shire Council, 33 Highett Street, Mansfield 3722
See our website for further details.
Sally Isaac International Women’s Day breakfast
Wednesday 10 March
Reading Room, Fitzroy Library
The City of Yarra will host an International Women’s Day breakfast in Fitzroy Library’s Reading Room on Wednesday 10 March. The event celebrates Sally’s memory and her legacy. It marks the enormous contribution that many women make to public life and their community. The event will also raise funds for the Sally Isaac Memorial Scholarship Fund, established by family and friends of Sally, to create educational opportunities for young women who make a significant contribution to a range of disciplines. See our website for more details.
Introducing the EMILY’s List Empowering the Community Sector – Political Skills Training
As part of the VLGA’s distribution of useful information to our members and networks, please see the VLGA web-site by following the link below to see skills training information from EMILY’s List.
For program and registration information, follow this link.
I will continue our weekly eNews connecting you with issues and events.
I look forward to another productive year leading the VLGA and our membership to improvements for communities. Please contact me any time if there are issues you wish to discuss.
Regards
Cr Rose Iser
VLGA President
0414 959 427
rose@vlga.org.au
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