We also held a very successful Leading Edge Forum on Thursday night attended by more than 60 people who heard from officers from Sustainability Victoria about their work. I refer all members to the new Climate Communities website which places all climate change related information for Victorians in one easy-access site.
Members may also like to know that at their meeting last week the VLGA Board endorsed the Boobook Declaration. The VLGA is proud to have taken this action. For more information about the Boobook Declaration go here.
VCGR refuses gaming licence application at Surf Coast Shire
The Victorian Commission for Gambling Regulation has rejected the application by the Beach Hotel located at Jan Juc, Surf Coast Shire, for 20 electronic gaming machines. The hotel was refused a planning permit for a $4 million redevelopment by the Surf Coast Shire Council, which also opposed the machines. The decision quotes the Court of Appeal in Macedon Ranges Shire Council’s successful case against the Romsey Hotel in 2008. This is another landmark decision as it concludes that the introduction of the machines would be of considerable concern to a small community. Read the full report here.
Another reminder: calls for new approaches to ensure the sustainability of country towns
A number of councillors and community members have commented on the speech I delivered recently at the Sustainability of Australia’s Country Towns Conference in Bendigo. In my speech I called for a new approach from Federal and State governments to ensure the sustainability of country towns. Go here to read my full speech if you are interested and missed it last week.Applications for vacancies at the VLGA close this Friday
As publicised last week, the VLGA is looking for two part-time Local Government Policy & Project Officers. These positions are ideally suited to flexible candidates who thrive in a diverse policy environment and have a sound understanding of the roles and responsibilities of elected councillors, council staff and communities. Applications close this coming Friday, so go here for more information.
Food for All – what is already happening in your community to enhance food security?
This week’s movie, from the series of ten mini movies in the Food for All series, gives you a good starting point for engaging with others. A critical activity for getting off to a good start is mapping what is already happening within both the community and local government environments. We recommend Environments for Health as a useful framework to make sense of the information gathered through mapping to help build the local picture. This framework helps categorise causes and strategies (programs or policies) into the four environments: natural, built, social, and economic. The framework is also used in developing the Municipal Public Health Plans or Health and Wellbeing plans in local governments, so using it to map food security as well makes it easier to get from talk to action! For further information about the VLGA/VicHealth Food for All project contact Leah Galvin at leah@vlga.org.au.Watch this space
Ground-breaking parliamentary report on public and social housing
I was pleased to see the release late last week of a brave and wide-ranging report from the Victorian Parliament’s Family and Community Development Committee on the Adequacy and Future Directions of Public Housing in Victoria. The VLGA made a verbal submission to the inquiry, and you can see a copy of the transcript here. The VLGA will have a lot more to say about this inquiry after we have digested the 500 or so pages of the report. At first glance we are supportive of most of the 81 recommendations which cover an impressive range of policy areas. We believe that, if followed, the recommendations have the potential to address unfinished business in terms of land use planning, building the capacity of workers to deal with complex needs clients, continued funding for Neighbourhood Renewal projects, and a long-term increase in the supply of social and public housing. For a full copy of this ground-breaking report go here. The Report will be discussed at the next meeting of the VLGA’s Diverse and Affordable Housing Advisory Group this coming Wednesday at 4.30pm. If you would like to attend, or require more information, contact Darren Ray at darren@vlga.org.au or (03) 9349 7902.
VLGA events for your diary
Timor-Leste Friendship Forum
Tuesday 26 October, 5.30-8pm including light dinner and drinks
VLGA, 60 Leicester St, Carlton
The VLGA Timor-Leste Advisory Group invites members of Friendship Groups, representatives of NGOs with programs in Timor-Leste, local government councillors and officers, and community representatives who are interested in Timor-Leste, to our ‘Friendship Forum’. For more information go here. Please RSVP by 18 October to Gary Jungwirth on (03) 9349 7999 or email gary@vlga.org.au.
VLGA Special General Meeting & Annual General Meeting
Thursday 4 November, from 7pm
VLGA, 60 Leicester St, Carlton
The VLGA Board has endorsed the revised draft Constitution so that it can now be put to members for ratification. This will occur at a Special General Meeting which will take place at 7pm on 4 November 2010, to be followed by the AGM. The revised draft Constitution can be accessed here. If you would like a hard copy sent to you, please call the VLGA on (03) 9349 7999. Members are encouraged to contact Ron Exiner, Director Governance on 0417 392 078 if you have any queries.
We invite you to join us for finger-food and refreshments before the Special General Meeting from 6pm. Please register your attendance here or RSVP to vlga@vlga.org.au.
Special Forum: Local Government Smoke-Free Policies in Outdoor Areas
Thursday 18 November, 5.30-7pm, followed by nibbles and refreshments from 7pmVLGA, 60 Leicester St, Carlton
This forum, for councillors and council officers alike, is presented by the VLGA in partnership with Heart Foundation Victoria and Quit Victoria. It’s designed to inform you about the experiences of other local governments and give you the opportunity to ask questions and discuss ideas about the merits and challenges of smoke-free policies in outdoor settings in your community, and the various ways that you might consider approaching this. A panel of speakers will share their experiences and knowledge including Heart Foundation CEO Kathy Bell, Quit Victoria Executive Director Fiona Sharkie, Monash City Council Mayor Cr Charlotte Baines, Surf Coast Shire Council Mayor Cr Libby Coker and Frankston City Council Mayor Cr Christine Richards. For more information or to register your attendance by no later than 8 November, go here.
Other events
2010 Victorian Planning Week
The Planning Institute of Australia, Victorian Division, invites you to attend the following 2010 Planning Week events: What's happening in Sri Lanka (11 Oct, 6pm), Urban Design Photo Competition and Exhibition (12 Oct, 5.30pm), Women Planners Network Breakfast (13 Oct, 7am), Planning for Community Hubs All Day Forum (14 Oct, 9.30am), AILA Breakfast – The Bridge between Planning and Landscape Architecture (14 Oct, 7.30am), Victorian Young planners Event - Planning, Community & The Media (14 Oct, 5.30pm), Activity Centre Bus Tour (15 Oct, 8.30am), 2010 Awards for Planning Excellence Ceremony (15 Oct, 6pm), Nexus 2010 (16 Oct, 8pm), Regional Growth Seminar (21 Oct, Bendigo), Victorian Young Planners Lawn Bowls Event (21 Oct, Bendigo).
Australia-Timor-Leste Education and Training Network workshop
Saturday 23 October, 1-4pm
Northcote Library Meeting Room, 32-38 Separation St, Northcote
At this Supporting Youth and Adult Learning through Community Centres and Libraries forum you’ll hear from speakers Patti Manolis from Library Books for Timor-Leste, Richard Brown from Friends of Aileu, Chris Perkins from Friends of Baucau, and Pat Jessen from Friends of Suai. Please RSVP to janhayes@bigpond.net.au or call 0419 114 950 before 16 October.
Delivering the Victorian Transport Plan – the partnership imperative
Friday 12 November 2010, 10am-3pm
Manningham Function Centre, Doncaster
Councillors, CEOs and Directors of Engineering are encouraged to register for this complementary Roads Australia-VicRoads Local Government Forum that will provide an opportunity for local governments and VicRoads to exchange perspectives on the delivery of the Victorian Transport Plan and road related programs, and identity opportunities for enhancing stakeholder relationships. Go here for more information.
Cr Heinz Kreutz
President
0438 006 656 or heinz@vlga.org.au
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