The VLGA is delighted to be able to announce that both the Horsham Rural City Council and Melton Shire Council have joined the VLGA. The strengthening of our member local government numbers – especially in growth areas as well as regional centres – enables us to continue our strong lobbying to governments at all levels and to the wider community. This is also an endorsement of the relevance of the VLGA’s work in standing up for, and delivering practical assistance to our local government and community members. Our voice as a distinct level of government is also strengthened when we lobby on things we can agree on, putting our best foot forward to other levels of government, rather than concentrating on what we may not agree on. I believe our maturity as a sector is evidenced by the fact that more local governments are joining with their neighbours to lobby on behalf of our communities and their needs. We look forward to working with Horsham and Melton, and I encourage you to find out a bit more about both by reading some brief information below. I look forward to seeing you out and about. If you’d like to contact me, call me on 0407 364 509 or drop me an email. Cheers.
Cr Samantha Dunn, President
Keeping you up to date
Melton and Horsham join VLGA
As it is traditional for us to give all members a snapshot of our new members, we will start alphabetically with Horsham Rural City Council.
Horsham is a lively city, centrally located in the Wimmera and nestled next to the Grampians National Park and the famous Mount Arapiles. It offers excellent opportunities for shopping, dining, entertainment and accommodation. Visitors often comment on Horsham’s welcoming, friendly attitude and relaxed lifestyle. Horsham rests 300 kilometres north-west of Melbourne and 450 kilometres south-east of Adelaide. With a population of over 13,000 people, the municipality is the retail, business and service centre of the Wimmera. Horsham is continuingly producing public art such as the Tim Jones delightful scar tree sculpture located near City Gardens Estate, Angi Polglaze's totem pole, Wimmera Burnt Creek Meeting Place in Roberts Place, Gallery Alley, and a very dazzling artistic mural in Bradbury Lane, just to name a few. For more information, visit the Horsham Rural City Council website, or the Visit Horsham website for great ideas on touring the region.
Of course, many will know that Melton Shire Council is one of the fastest growing municipalities in Australia, offering the best in urban and rural lifestyles within a comfortable commuting distance from Melbourne. The Shire of Melton embraces a series of townships and communities, the larger towns being Caroline Springs and Melton. Caroline Springs is 19 kilometres west of Melbourne's CBD, and Melton is 35 kilometres west of Melbourne's CBD. The Shire of Melton offers diverse lifestyles and affordable living, which is why it continues to grow very fast; each week about 41 babies are born and the community increases by just over 52 new households. Over 70% of Melton’s population is under 45 years old. Lakeside Live in January and the Djerriwarrh Festival in November are Melton’s biggest annual events, attracting thousands of residents and visitors. For more information, visit the Melton Shire Council website, or the Melton Shire Visitor Information Centre page for tourism offers.
VLGA Online Survey on Food Security
Are you interested in food security issues and how they impact on your local community? If so, please participate in our online survey about how a ‘Community of Practice for Food Security’ might work. Go here to take part.
City of Melbourne Transport Strategy
The City of Melbourne is inviting comment on its draft Melbourne Strategy, including transport. Given that the implications of transport affect many outside the municipal boundaries of Melbourne, submissions are welcome and close on June 24. Go here for more information.
Coalition commits financial support for bushfire planning
Minister for Planning The Hon Matthew Guy announced late last week that 10 bushfire affected local governments would receive $120,000 each to undertake essential planning activities identified within the recommendations of the Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission (VBRC). The funding forms part of a Victorian Coalition Government key election commitment to implement all the recommendations of the Royal Commission. Minister Guy said “This financial assistance will ensure councils are able to implement important bushfire planning provisions for their municipality. Councils will be able to prepare necessary planning scheme amendments without imposing a burden upon ratepayers". For more information go here.
World No Tobacco Day
Tuesday May 31 is World No Tobacco Day which comes at a time when harm minimisation measures are a hot topic of community debate. It is meant to encourage a 24-hour period of abstinence from all forms of tobacco consumption across the globe. The day is further intended to draw global attention to the widespread prevalence of tobacco use and to negative health effects, which currently lead to 5.4 million deaths worldwide annually. A number of local governments in Victoria are consulting with their communities about ways in which smoking in public places can be addressed, and others have introduced changes. The VLGA will be holding discussions with these local governments as well as the Heart Foundation and Quit Victoria about actions the State Government may wish to take in this area. Don’t forget that the live webcast of the VLGA’s Leading Edge Forum we held late last year is available to view in your own time here. A resource kit developed by the Heart Foundation, Quit Victoria, VicHealth, the Victorian Local Governance Association and the Municipal Association of Victoria, as well as Monash and Frankston City Councils is also available. The kit includes four fact sheets and a CD-Rom which can be seen here.
5StarSustainability for Local Government
Sustainability Victoria is pleased to launch 5StarSustainability for Local Government - a new online tool to help improve your sustainability performance. This interactive benchmarking tool can help improve your organisation’s sustainability performance, meet environmental targets and policy requirements. 5StarSustainability includes:
1. Questionnaire - simple, self-assessment Q&A format provides you with helpful, practical information and advice
2. Report - gives you a good understanding of your current sustainability performance (on a scale of 1-5 stars) and sets out the next steps for action
3. Recognition - opt to become 5StarSustainability certified and promote your organisation’s environmental achievementsTo find out how you can set your organisation on the way to sustainability leadership, please contact Nick Bailey via email or phone (03) 8626 8824. Sign up today and start using the tool on the 5starsustainability website.
Agreement on Morwell drain works
The Morwell community is celebrating the successful outcome of mediation between the Victorian Coalition Government, Hazelwood Power Corporation (Hazelwood) and Latrobe City Council over works on the Morwell Main Drain announced last week. In a surprising result, all parties have agreed to a framework for undertaking works on the Morwell Main Drain and associated activities. The works are a necessary step in moving to stabilise the ground and are an essential requirement before the Princes Highway can be reopened.
Options for Consolidation in Local Government: A Fresh Look
The Australian Centre for Excellence in Local Government (ACELG) has released the results of a major collaborative research venture between the Centre, Local Government Association of South Australia and Local Government New Zealand. The research project takes a fresh look at the issue of consolidation in local government. The research examines a wide range of options that may deliver economies of scale or scope, or other benefits directed towards more effective local government. Options investigated included a range of approaches to shared services delivery, various models of regional collaboration, boundary adjustment, and voluntary, forced and failed amalgamations of local governments. In producing the report, the Centre used a number of research methods, including:
* Reviewing the available local and international literature
* Conducting a series of ‘on ground’ case studies in areas which have recent experience with consolidation, in both Australia and New Zealand
* Interviewing key opinion-makers who have recent experience in consolidation.
The report is available for download here from the Centre’s website. For further information, please contact Melissa Gibbs. To see the latest online copy of ACELG’s Excellence in Brief.
Human Rights Charter consultations
As mentioned in last week’s eNews, the State Government is currently consulting the community about the Victorian Human Rights Charter. This issue has been the subject of a great deal of media attention, with some commentators supporting the Charter, and others calling for it to be wound back. The VLGA strongly encourages members to consider making a submission by the closing date of June 10, as we will do. We are also keen for members to provide us with your feedback, including local case studies which are always valued in any submissions. If you are planning to make a submission, and/or if you would like to let us know your views, please let our Director Policy & Public Affairs, Darren Ray know via email or telephone (03) 9349 7902. The Victorian Equal Opportunity & Human Rights Commission (VEOHRC) has developed a very helpful position paper in response to requests for information about their position on key elements of the review. The VEOHRC paper can be found here, and real life examples of the Charter being used for the benefit of everyday people also feature in another VEOHRC report. The VLGA's toolkit for local governments, 'From Compliance to Culture' is also a useful resource for members.
National Urban Policy Released
At the same time as its Sustainable Population Strategy has been strongly criticised for failing to assign expected population growth across Australia, a lesser known but equally important policy document has now been released by the Federal Government. The National Urban Policy released by the Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, The Hon Anthony Albanese, includes a number of specific goals and objectives to guide the Federal Government’s involvement and investment in cities. It reiterates the need for all levels of government to work together, and notes the importance of effective engagement of stakeholders and the community. The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) has said that the Urban Policy is consistent with the main issues raised in their submissions to the Federal Government, and it also flags the creation of a National Urban Forum to advise on National Urban Policy implementation. ALGA will be seeking representation on the Forum to represent the interests of its metropolitan councils. Of course the policy will need to be matched by adequate resources to support the investment in infrastructure which is required to achieve its own goals. To see the full National Urban Policy, go here.
27 May – 3 June: National Reconciliation Week
Please share your National Reconciliation Week celebrations with the rest of Australia by entering your details into the NRW calendar of events here. To help you celebrate and learn more about the end of National Reconciliation Week 2011, including educational information, activity ideas, teaching resources and more here.
This Thursday: VLGA June Leading Edge Forum: Local government leaders connecting with Aboriginal communities
As referred to above, we invite you to join us during National Reconciliation Week and:
* hear from Victorian and inter-state Indigenous leaders about the roles and opportunities for Victorian local governments to contribute to bridging the gap and advancing Reconciliation
* discuss positive examples and promote discussion about relationships between Local Government and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders and communities
This Leading Edge Forum is specifically designed for elected councillors and Mayors, and follows a similar forum we held in November last year with the Community and Social Planners Network designed for local government officers and community groups. Officers and community members are also welcome. We have an excellent range of speakers to leave us all inspired about simple things we can do as elected leaders to advance reconciliation in our local communities. For more information and to register see the flyer here.
Events for your diary
VLGA events
‘Liveable and Just’ Workshops: Helping local governments build community resilience to climate-related challenges
Following successful workshops in Ballarat, Bendigo and Wodonga, there are still places available for the 2 remaining rural and regional Liveable and Just Workshops in Mildura and Traralgon. Conducted by the VLGA, and supported by mecu Ltd, each workshop is hosted by a VLGA member local government. Join us for an entertaining and practical event, and learn how our Liveable and Just Toolkit can help you build community resilience in the face of complex climate-related challenges. Dates and locations for subsequent sessions (all sessions run 9.30am-4pm) are:
Mildura: Friday 3 June - Alfred Deakin Centre, 180 Deakin Ave (cnr 12th St)
Traralgon: Friday 17 June - Quality Inn Latrobe Convention Centre, Princes Hwy, Traralgon
Download the flyer and registration form. For more information contact Cr Philip Schier, VLGA Policy & Project Officer, via email or telephone (03) 9349 7999.
Other events
Tuesday to Wednesday 7-8 June 2011
Warrnambool
The Department for Planning & Community Development (DPCD), presents the third annual planners forum for planning and community development professionals. The forum will explore ways of preparing for and responding to future planning challenges in rural and regional Victoria. Featuring keynote speakers, field trips and discussion workshops, it should not be missed by planners, community engagement professionals and other practitioners from the private and public sector. This forum will provide an ideal networking opportunity for participants from regional Victoria to share skills and ideas. Issues to be discussed include:
* climate change adaptation
* using data and technology to inform strategic planning
* improving planning for rural and non urban areas
* new energy generation opportunities
* risk management and planning responses
For a full copy of the program and to register, go here. For more information contact Sally Hutchison via email or telephone (03) 5988 5280.
IAP2 Community Engagement Tips, Tools and Techniques
Thursday 17 June
Abbotsford Convent, Abbotsford
Don’t miss out on the value and experience of this one day IAP2 workshop on Community Engagement Tips, Tools and Techniques. If you are keen to learn more about creative engagement techniques and to develop skills around evaluation techniques then this is the perfect opportunity. In this jam packed agenda, 8 Leading practitioners will share their favourite tools and techniques through creative activities and parallel workshops. The event will be hosted by the IAP2 Vic Committee, post event networking opportunities will be provided and all participants will receive take home notes. For more information and to register, go here.
PIA Planning for Licensed Premises
Tuesday June 21
Melbourne
How does the built environment contribute to managing the social and economic issues of planning for licensed premises? A Planning Institute of Australia’s panel of experts will look to address these issues and more in this seminar. Speakers include Con Tsotsoros (MPIA, and Department of Planning and Community Development), Maxine Cooper (Planning Panels Victoria), and John Rogerson (Australian Drug Foundation). The cost for PIA Members is $45, ISV/VPELA Members $55, and Non Members $60. You can RSVP by Friday 17 June online or by sending the registration form by email.
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