Late addition: Age publishes correction (11/5) on VLGA President
Following is a letter to the editor at The Age from me, correcting an article the day before about who the VLGA President is.
FORMER Victorian Local Governance Association President Rose Iser resigned from our board prior to her preselection for the state seat of Essendon (''Greens plan challenge to Madden'', The Age, 10/5). It is VLGA policy that presidents and vice presidents must stand aside from our board if they are preselected at either a federal or a state election. They must resign if they are subsequently elected. Few peak bodies have such a high governance expectation. We believe that to transparently represent local governments and communities, we must be non-partisan in all that we do. Heinz Kreutz, President, Victorian Local Governance Association, Melbourne
We work in the dark, we do what we can. We give what we have.
Our doubt is our passion and our passion is our task.
The rest is the madness of art.
(Henry James, The Middle Years; 1893)
It’s been a long time since I read Henry James and when I stumbled across this passage recently with my students I was struck by how relevant his words still are more than a hundred years after they were crafted. In my relatively new role as VLGA President I am gradually catching up with our members. Although we have a very diverse membership with at times diverging views, our passion, and how we make that passion our task and responsibility, is truly impressive.
While the first two items in this edition of my eNews contain important updates on sector reforms, some of the remaining items deal with people who have had associations with the sector and the VLGA, and whose passion has benefited us all.
It strikes me that we are often too busy to remember many of the good people and reflect on their good deeds done to benefit local governments and communities. I hope you will take the time to read these brief items of interest.
WorkCover for councillors … continued
Following amendments to the Accident Compensation Act 1985, the VLGA continues to advocate for the successful implementation of WorkCover with a current focus on outstanding implementation issues, such as the concern of some member CEOs and local governments that the implementation date of 1 July is very soon and concerns over who the claim manager should be. We’d like you feedback on these matters and ask that you please refer this email to your CEO for a reply. Please contact Darren Ray at Darren@vlga.org.au or 03 9349 7902 to provide your feedback. To participate in the VLGA’s Councillor Working Conditions Working Group that looks at these kinds of issues and improvements for councillors, please contact Cr Stefanie Perri at stefanie@vlga.org.au. More information.
Essential Services Commission (ESC) Final Submission on Monitoring Local Government Performance
The VLGA has forwarded its Final Submission to the ESC. This included the joint submission that we co-signed along with the Ararat Rural City, Bayside, Frankston, Glen Eira, Hume, Kingston, Knox, Maribyrnong, Melbourne, Melton Shire, Whittlesea, Wyndham and Yarra City Councils. Our brief and easy to read final submission reflects many of the original comments we made in our earlier submission in December last year. To discuss our approach to this issue further please contact me or CEO Maree McPherson at maree@vlga.org.au or 03 9349 7901.
New Timor-Leste Ambassador to Australia
The VLGA is delighted with the announcement of the appointment of Abel Guterres as Timor-Leste's new Ambassador to Australia. Abel is a long term friend and supporter of the VLGA, and we look forward to our continuing relationship. In swearing in Abel Guterres as Ambassador His Excellency the President of East Timor Dr Ramos Horta praised Abel's role in the development of friendship groups and friendship schools.
Former Nillumbik Shire Chief appointed CEO/Regional Director of ICLEI Oceania
The VLGA congratulates Bill Forrest, former CEO of Nillumbik Shire Council, on his appointment as CEO/Regional Director of ICLEI Oceania, the regional office of the international, not-for-profit organisation ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, and we look forward to working with Bill and ICLEI. More information.
Sally Isaac Women in Local Government Leadership Awards
Sally Isaac was a remarkable young woman and former member of staff at the VLGA and the City of Yarra. Sally had an incredible impact on the lives of many. LGPro have established the Sally Isaac Women in Local Government Leadership Award to recognise Sally’s contribution, foster young women leaders in local government and encourage young people to consider local government as a ‘career of choice’. Nominate someone you know who has exceptional leadership skills. More information.
Important meetings this week
We continue our highly successful Annual Tour visits to all local governments this week with a visit to East Gippsland, after visiting Ballarat and Glen Eira last week. These meetings are critical for the VLGA to hear first hand the individual and shared concerns of local governments on their home ground.
We also have regular meetings with other key stakeholders including peak bodies, departments and Ministers. This week we will meet with Minister Tony Robinson about responsible gambling measures, and with LGV and Minister Wynne’s staff about conflict of interest and other issues affecting local communities and local governments. If you have any views you would like to share with us, please email me at heinz@vlga.org.au. We value our close relationships with other key peak bodies and government departments. After meeting with Local Government Victoria and LGPro last week, this week we will meet with the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission to talk about how to progress human rights in local communities and local governments. Again, if you have any views you would like to share with us, please email me at heinz@vlga.org.au.
VLGA events for your diary
VLGA’s Timor-Leste Working Group invites you to a special forum for ‘Friendship Groups and Local Government’
Monday 24 May 2010, 5pm-8.30pm
VLGA rear meeting rooms, 60 Leicester St, Carlton
This forum will include an address from our special guest speaker from East Timor, Padre Adriano Ola, and a discussion to get your feedback to assist the VLGA determine its role regarding a proposed conference in Timor-Leste in August this year. More information.
June LEF – The Great Debate: community input in planning decisions - help or hindrance?
Thursday 3 June 2010, 6pm-9pm
VLGA rear meeting rooms, 60 Leicester St, Carlton
We have six top-notch debaters for this forum, so please join us for the ‘Great Debate’ at the VLGA from 6pm for finger-food and drinks, followed by a great debate starting at 7pm with debaters tackling this topical issue that affects communities and local governments. We expect a capacity audience so make sure you register quickly!
Register online
Download flyer and participant biographies
Watch this space
VLGA joins Responsible Service of Gaming Training Working Group
The VLGA’s request to participate in the Responsible Service of Gaming (RSG) Training Working Group of the Responsible Gambling Ministerial Advisory Council has been confirmed, with the initial meeting expected in early June. Stay tuned for updates.
Good Governance Grabs
If you have not had time to read our latest good governance grab on
Pre-apprehension (Winky Pop), follow the links to see this and earlier editions of our Good Governance Grabs. We will continue to produce these to help you perform your officer and councillor roles.
Other upcoming events
Can Governments Ever Act Collaboratively?
Tuesday 18 May 2010, 12noon-1pm
Brotherhood of St Laurence, 67 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy
The Brotherhood of St Laurence Research & Policy Centre invites you to attend a free lunchtime seminar at the Brotherhood, in Father Tucker's Room, with Professor Peter Shergold AC, Macquarie Group Foundation Professor at the Centre for Social Impact, University of New South Wales, on whether the contractual relationship of governments and community organisations is marked by asymmetric power. This seminar will ask how citizens and community organisations can become part of a networked governance that acts as a foundation for participatory democracy.
To find more information or to RSVP, go to the Brotherhood’s What’s on page.
Cr Heinz Kreutz
President
0438 006 656
heinz@vlga.org.au
Following is a letter to the editor at The Age from me, correcting an article the day before about who the VLGA President is.
FORMER Victorian Local Governance Association President Rose Iser resigned from our board prior to her preselection for the state seat of Essendon (''Greens plan challenge to Madden'', The Age, 10/5). It is VLGA policy that presidents and vice presidents must stand aside from our board if they are preselected at either a federal or a state election. They must resign if they are subsequently elected. Few peak bodies have such a high governance expectation. We believe that to transparently represent local governments and communities, we must be non-partisan in all that we do. Heinz Kreutz, President, Victorian Local Governance Association, Melbourne
We work in the dark, we do what we can. We give what we have.
Our doubt is our passion and our passion is our task.
The rest is the madness of art.
(Henry James, The Middle Years; 1893)
It’s been a long time since I read Henry James and when I stumbled across this passage recently with my students I was struck by how relevant his words still are more than a hundred years after they were crafted. In my relatively new role as VLGA President I am gradually catching up with our members. Although we have a very diverse membership with at times diverging views, our passion, and how we make that passion our task and responsibility, is truly impressive.
While the first two items in this edition of my eNews contain important updates on sector reforms, some of the remaining items deal with people who have had associations with the sector and the VLGA, and whose passion has benefited us all.
It strikes me that we are often too busy to remember many of the good people and reflect on their good deeds done to benefit local governments and communities. I hope you will take the time to read these brief items of interest.
WorkCover for councillors … continued
Following amendments to the Accident Compensation Act 1985, the VLGA continues to advocate for the successful implementation of WorkCover with a current focus on outstanding implementation issues, such as the concern of some member CEOs and local governments that the implementation date of 1 July is very soon and concerns over who the claim manager should be. We’d like you feedback on these matters and ask that you please refer this email to your CEO for a reply. Please contact Darren Ray at Darren@vlga.org.au or 03 9349 7902 to provide your feedback. To participate in the VLGA’s Councillor Working Conditions Working Group that looks at these kinds of issues and improvements for councillors, please contact Cr Stefanie Perri at stefanie@vlga.org.au. More information.
Essential Services Commission (ESC) Final Submission on Monitoring Local Government Performance
The VLGA has forwarded its Final Submission to the ESC. This included the joint submission that we co-signed along with the Ararat Rural City, Bayside, Frankston, Glen Eira, Hume, Kingston, Knox, Maribyrnong, Melbourne, Melton Shire, Whittlesea, Wyndham and Yarra City Councils. Our brief and easy to read final submission reflects many of the original comments we made in our earlier submission in December last year. To discuss our approach to this issue further please contact me or CEO Maree McPherson at maree@vlga.org.au or 03 9349 7901.
New Timor-Leste Ambassador to Australia
The VLGA is delighted with the announcement of the appointment of Abel Guterres as Timor-Leste's new Ambassador to Australia. Abel is a long term friend and supporter of the VLGA, and we look forward to our continuing relationship. In swearing in Abel Guterres as Ambassador His Excellency the President of East Timor Dr Ramos Horta praised Abel's role in the development of friendship groups and friendship schools.
Former Nillumbik Shire Chief appointed CEO/Regional Director of ICLEI Oceania
The VLGA congratulates Bill Forrest, former CEO of Nillumbik Shire Council, on his appointment as CEO/Regional Director of ICLEI Oceania, the regional office of the international, not-for-profit organisation ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, and we look forward to working with Bill and ICLEI. More information.
Sally Isaac Women in Local Government Leadership Awards
Sally Isaac was a remarkable young woman and former member of staff at the VLGA and the City of Yarra. Sally had an incredible impact on the lives of many. LGPro have established the Sally Isaac Women in Local Government Leadership Award to recognise Sally’s contribution, foster young women leaders in local government and encourage young people to consider local government as a ‘career of choice’. Nominate someone you know who has exceptional leadership skills. More information.
Important meetings this week
We continue our highly successful Annual Tour visits to all local governments this week with a visit to East Gippsland, after visiting Ballarat and Glen Eira last week. These meetings are critical for the VLGA to hear first hand the individual and shared concerns of local governments on their home ground.
We also have regular meetings with other key stakeholders including peak bodies, departments and Ministers. This week we will meet with Minister Tony Robinson about responsible gambling measures, and with LGV and Minister Wynne’s staff about conflict of interest and other issues affecting local communities and local governments. If you have any views you would like to share with us, please email me at heinz@vlga.org.au. We value our close relationships with other key peak bodies and government departments. After meeting with Local Government Victoria and LGPro last week, this week we will meet with the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission to talk about how to progress human rights in local communities and local governments. Again, if you have any views you would like to share with us, please email me at heinz@vlga.org.au.
VLGA events for your diary
VLGA’s Timor-Leste Working Group invites you to a special forum for ‘Friendship Groups and Local Government’
Monday 24 May 2010, 5pm-8.30pm
VLGA rear meeting rooms, 60 Leicester St, Carlton
This forum will include an address from our special guest speaker from East Timor, Padre Adriano Ola, and a discussion to get your feedback to assist the VLGA determine its role regarding a proposed conference in Timor-Leste in August this year. More information.
June LEF – The Great Debate: community input in planning decisions - help or hindrance?
Thursday 3 June 2010, 6pm-9pm
VLGA rear meeting rooms, 60 Leicester St, Carlton
We have six top-notch debaters for this forum, so please join us for the ‘Great Debate’ at the VLGA from 6pm for finger-food and drinks, followed by a great debate starting at 7pm with debaters tackling this topical issue that affects communities and local governments. We expect a capacity audience so make sure you register quickly!
Register online
Download flyer and participant biographies
Watch this space
VLGA joins Responsible Service of Gaming Training Working Group
The VLGA’s request to participate in the Responsible Service of Gaming (RSG) Training Working Group of the Responsible Gambling Ministerial Advisory Council has been confirmed, with the initial meeting expected in early June. Stay tuned for updates.
Good Governance Grabs
If you have not had time to read our latest good governance grab on
Pre-apprehension (Winky Pop), follow the links to see this and earlier editions of our Good Governance Grabs. We will continue to produce these to help you perform your officer and councillor roles.
Other upcoming events
Can Governments Ever Act Collaboratively?
Tuesday 18 May 2010, 12noon-1pm
Brotherhood of St Laurence, 67 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy
The Brotherhood of St Laurence Research & Policy Centre invites you to attend a free lunchtime seminar at the Brotherhood, in Father Tucker's Room, with Professor Peter Shergold AC, Macquarie Group Foundation Professor at the Centre for Social Impact, University of New South Wales, on whether the contractual relationship of governments and community organisations is marked by asymmetric power. This seminar will ask how citizens and community organisations can become part of a networked governance that acts as a foundation for participatory democracy.
To find more information or to RSVP, go to the Brotherhood’s What’s on page.
Cr Heinz Kreutz
President
0438 006 656
heinz@vlga.org.au
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