“Stealing people’s problems means stealing their choices.”
(Charles Handy, 1999),
One of the most rewarding aspects of my years as a councillor and elected representative of my local community has been the realisation that the residents I represent are extremely capable. There are genuine experts when it comes to shaping and explaining their needs, their neighbourhood and their amenity. They are skeptical of distant experts making decisions on their behalf, because it offends their sense of civic pride and local identity. In recent weeks as President of our VLGA, my appreciation of our members has grown considerably, and I want to thank you for your feedback and input.
This week’s overriding theme seems to be engagement and consultation. We had meetings with the Minister for Local Government, Richard Wynne and the Minister for Gambling, Tony Robinson, and advocated strongly for our members on the VCEC draft report on Streamlining Local Government Regulations and WorkCover. We have also received further clarification on VCAT’s Major Case List. The more closely I become involved in advocacy and engagement for our members, the more I am convinced that we have a duty to get the other levels of government to understand the importance of the ‘principle of subsidiarity’, i.e. that those members of our community closest to the issues that affect them are best equipped to provide input and seek solutions. In other words, if the responsibility is ours (the community’s), then it should not be delegated away to another, more powerful level of government, at least not as long as we are capable and prepared to engage.
This, of course, goes to the heart of good governance and good democracy, ideals the VLGA is very committed to. Democracy is not something people – politicians and residents – simply ‘get’. It has to be fought for. And if we don’t actively engage, we can’t expect good democracy.
2010 is an important year in that the elections will shape the future prospects and opportunities for our communities for the next four years. It is a key responsibility of the VLGA to ensure that we convey the views of our members to other levels of government and make sure that the views are heard. This requires a measured approach and a degree of diplomacy. I am increasingly confident that we are finally finding the right balance between courageous representation and considered input based on quality feedback and research. This, I feel, is well reflected in the documents we drafted and released in the past week.
Feedback needed on draft report into local government regulation
By the time you see this eNews, you may have heard media reporting on the Victorian Competition and Efficiency Commission’s Draft Overview and Recommendations from their Inquiry into Streamlining Local Government Regulation. You can also read a copy of their full Draft Report. On Friday I issued a Media Release with some preliminary views. I encourage you to read this as well as the VCEC documents. We will gather member views and ask delegates in member local governments to ensure that comments are made in response to VCEC’s draft recommendations, which close on 22 June. Further information: contact Darren Ray darren@vlga.org.au or 03 9349 7902.
Practical and ‘real’ WorkCover guidelines
The VLGA recently had a productive meeting with Local Government Victoria (LGV), WorkSafe and LGPro to provide formal feedback on a draft list of Councillor Duties of Office that will form part of a Guideline that explains duties to be covered under WorkCover legislation. Our feedback will be passed further onto WorkSafe, LGV and Local Government Minister Richard Wynne. WorkSafe Minister Tim Holding, after considering advice from WorkSafe and feedback from these and other discussions, will issue a final Guideline. Thank you to Board members and members of the Councillor Working Conditions Advisory Group for providing quick and considered feedback to us on the draft Duties of Office.
VLGA Training ‘Introduction to the Victorian Land Use Planning System’
This flexible, self paced on-line course, designed for councillors, local government staff and community members, facilitates sequential building of your knowledge with opportunities to assess your understanding to assist you to perform a more meaningful role in planning-related matters. Further information here or at www.learningseat.com/public/vlga.
Pilot programs to help prevent violence against women
Aiming to prevent violence against women, the Victorian government has committed $14 million over four years through its A Right to Respect program. The VLGA understands funded pilot community projects in local government clusters will be one aspect of this support. For further information and updates sign up for DPCD’s special email list – Kirsten.campbell@dpcd.vic.gov.au. You can also sign up for the Local Government Networking and Capacity Building Project to Prevent Violence Against Women based at Darebin to discover what other local governments are doing in this area, or contact Linda Bennett at the VLGA at Linda@vlga.org.au.
Urban Improvement Grants and Expert Assistance Program
At the recent launch of the Urban Improvement Grants the VLGA learnt about this sixth round of funding and further assistance through the Expert Assistance Program – all available now. We’re pleased to share our notes with you here. Through the Urban Improvement Grants - Round 6, grants of between $20,000 and $300,000 are available in three grant categories. The Expert Assistance Program provides metropolitan local governments with specialist expert and technical advice to finalise and implement structure plans for activity centres.
VCAT provides more guidance on ‘Major Cases List’
The VLGA welcomed reforms proposed by former VCAT President Justice Bell earlier this year. VCAT’s new Major Cases List, for planning developments worth over $5 million to speed up decision making in the Planning and Environment List by deciding cases within 16 weeks of applications being lodged with the Tribunal, is one of these reforms. A recently released Practice Note provides new important guidance and information beyond the VCAT Media Release which we provided a link to in the 3 May edition of my eNews, when the Major Cases List was initially introduced.
VLGA website
We’ve recently updated our website. To ensure your computer is displaying our refreshed version, please remember to hit your refresh button or clear your cache when you next visit us on the World Wide Web.
Watch this space
Pokies auction … who got what?
We are being inundated with requests for information about which clubs and pubs have been successful in their auction bids. Following a meeting with Gaming Minister Tony Robinson last Thursday, we have learnt that more statistics on bidders in each Local Government Area will be released next week. Further data, particularly by venue, will be forthcoming over the next month or so. Our Local Government Working Group on Gambling (LGWGOG) is receiving all the intelligence we can gather and we will pass this on to members. For more information, or to be added to the LGWGOG mailing list, contact Darren Ray darren@vlga.org.au or 03 9349 7902.
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 and help the VLGA determine its role regarding a proposed conference in Timor-Leste in August this year. More information.
The Great Debate: community input in planning decisions – help or hindrance?
Thursday 3 June 2010, 6-9pm
VLGA rear meeting rooms, 60 Leicester St, Carlton
Join us at the June Leading Edge Forum at the VLGA from 6pm for finger-food and drinks, followed by a great debate from 7pm with high profile speakers tackling this topical debate for councillors, council staff and community members. I am really looking forward to this and am preparing my plea for the community and its right to have a say (I may even speak about the ‘subsidiarity principle’). I look forward to the arguments from those who believe that the community input can sometime be hindrances. I’m sure we’ll have lot of fun on the night.
Further information and registrations.
Other upcoming events
Victorian Transport Infrastructure Conference
1-2 June 2010
Crown Promenade Hotel
This conference will include presentations from leading government and industry specialists who’ll explore the design, planning, construction, implementation, maintenance and management of current key Victorian transport projects. I’ll also be speaking on how the community and local/State government are working together to implement the Victorian Transport Plan. My experience on the Metropolitan Transport Forum and involvement in community advocacy campaign should come in handy.
Cr Heinz Kreutz
VLGA President
0438 006 656
heinz@vlga.org.au
(Charles Handy, 1999),
One of the most rewarding aspects of my years as a councillor and elected representative of my local community has been the realisation that the residents I represent are extremely capable. There are genuine experts when it comes to shaping and explaining their needs, their neighbourhood and their amenity. They are skeptical of distant experts making decisions on their behalf, because it offends their sense of civic pride and local identity. In recent weeks as President of our VLGA, my appreciation of our members has grown considerably, and I want to thank you for your feedback and input.
This week’s overriding theme seems to be engagement and consultation. We had meetings with the Minister for Local Government, Richard Wynne and the Minister for Gambling, Tony Robinson, and advocated strongly for our members on the VCEC draft report on Streamlining Local Government Regulations and WorkCover. We have also received further clarification on VCAT’s Major Case List. The more closely I become involved in advocacy and engagement for our members, the more I am convinced that we have a duty to get the other levels of government to understand the importance of the ‘principle of subsidiarity’, i.e. that those members of our community closest to the issues that affect them are best equipped to provide input and seek solutions. In other words, if the responsibility is ours (the community’s), then it should not be delegated away to another, more powerful level of government, at least not as long as we are capable and prepared to engage.
This, of course, goes to the heart of good governance and good democracy, ideals the VLGA is very committed to. Democracy is not something people – politicians and residents – simply ‘get’. It has to be fought for. And if we don’t actively engage, we can’t expect good democracy.
2010 is an important year in that the elections will shape the future prospects and opportunities for our communities for the next four years. It is a key responsibility of the VLGA to ensure that we convey the views of our members to other levels of government and make sure that the views are heard. This requires a measured approach and a degree of diplomacy. I am increasingly confident that we are finally finding the right balance between courageous representation and considered input based on quality feedback and research. This, I feel, is well reflected in the documents we drafted and released in the past week.
Feedback needed on draft report into local government regulation
By the time you see this eNews, you may have heard media reporting on the Victorian Competition and Efficiency Commission’s Draft Overview and Recommendations from their Inquiry into Streamlining Local Government Regulation. You can also read a copy of their full Draft Report. On Friday I issued a Media Release with some preliminary views. I encourage you to read this as well as the VCEC documents. We will gather member views and ask delegates in member local governments to ensure that comments are made in response to VCEC’s draft recommendations, which close on 22 June. Further information: contact Darren Ray darren@vlga.org.au or 03 9349 7902.
Practical and ‘real’ WorkCover guidelines
The VLGA recently had a productive meeting with Local Government Victoria (LGV), WorkSafe and LGPro to provide formal feedback on a draft list of Councillor Duties of Office that will form part of a Guideline that explains duties to be covered under WorkCover legislation. Our feedback will be passed further onto WorkSafe, LGV and Local Government Minister Richard Wynne. WorkSafe Minister Tim Holding, after considering advice from WorkSafe and feedback from these and other discussions, will issue a final Guideline. Thank you to Board members and members of the Councillor Working Conditions Advisory Group for providing quick and considered feedback to us on the draft Duties of Office.
VLGA Training ‘Introduction to the Victorian Land Use Planning System’
This flexible, self paced on-line course, designed for councillors, local government staff and community members, facilitates sequential building of your knowledge with opportunities to assess your understanding to assist you to perform a more meaningful role in planning-related matters. Further information here or at www.learningseat.com/public/vlga.
Pilot programs to help prevent violence against women
Aiming to prevent violence against women, the Victorian government has committed $14 million over four years through its A Right to Respect program. The VLGA understands funded pilot community projects in local government clusters will be one aspect of this support. For further information and updates sign up for DPCD’s special email list – Kirsten.campbell@dpcd.vic.gov.au. You can also sign up for the Local Government Networking and Capacity Building Project to Prevent Violence Against Women based at Darebin to discover what other local governments are doing in this area, or contact Linda Bennett at the VLGA at Linda@vlga.org.au.
Urban Improvement Grants and Expert Assistance Program
At the recent launch of the Urban Improvement Grants the VLGA learnt about this sixth round of funding and further assistance through the Expert Assistance Program – all available now. We’re pleased to share our notes with you here. Through the Urban Improvement Grants - Round 6, grants of between $20,000 and $300,000 are available in three grant categories. The Expert Assistance Program provides metropolitan local governments with specialist expert and technical advice to finalise and implement structure plans for activity centres.
VCAT provides more guidance on ‘Major Cases List’
The VLGA welcomed reforms proposed by former VCAT President Justice Bell earlier this year. VCAT’s new Major Cases List, for planning developments worth over $5 million to speed up decision making in the Planning and Environment List by deciding cases within 16 weeks of applications being lodged with the Tribunal, is one of these reforms. A recently released Practice Note provides new important guidance and information beyond the VCAT Media Release which we provided a link to in the 3 May edition of my eNews, when the Major Cases List was initially introduced.
VLGA website
We’ve recently updated our website. To ensure your computer is displaying our refreshed version, please remember to hit your refresh button or clear your cache when you next visit us on the World Wide Web.
Watch this space
Pokies auction … who got what?
We are being inundated with requests for information about which clubs and pubs have been successful in their auction bids. Following a meeting with Gaming Minister Tony Robinson last Thursday, we have learnt that more statistics on bidders in each Local Government Area will be released next week. Further data, particularly by venue, will be forthcoming over the next month or so. Our Local Government Working Group on Gambling (LGWGOG) is receiving all the intelligence we can gather and we will pass this on to members. For more information, or to be added to the LGWGOG mailing list, contact Darren Ray darren@vlga.org.au or 03 9349 7902.
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 and help the VLGA determine its role regarding a proposed conference in Timor-Leste in August this year. More information.
The Great Debate: community input in planning decisions – help or hindrance?
Thursday 3 June 2010, 6-9pm
VLGA rear meeting rooms, 60 Leicester St, Carlton
Join us at the June Leading Edge Forum at the VLGA from 6pm for finger-food and drinks, followed by a great debate from 7pm with high profile speakers tackling this topical debate for councillors, council staff and community members. I am really looking forward to this and am preparing my plea for the community and its right to have a say (I may even speak about the ‘subsidiarity principle’). I look forward to the arguments from those who believe that the community input can sometime be hindrances. I’m sure we’ll have lot of fun on the night.
Further information and registrations.
Other upcoming events
Victorian Transport Infrastructure Conference
1-2 June 2010
Crown Promenade Hotel
This conference will include presentations from leading government and industry specialists who’ll explore the design, planning, construction, implementation, maintenance and management of current key Victorian transport projects. I’ll also be speaking on how the community and local/State government are working together to implement the Victorian Transport Plan. My experience on the Metropolitan Transport Forum and involvement in community advocacy campaign should come in handy.
Cr Heinz Kreutz
VLGA President
0438 006 656
heinz@vlga.org.au
No comments:
Post a Comment