As members know, the VLGA has provided a good deal of comment on the issue of a directly elected mayor for Geelong. A week or so ago, the Victorian Government announced the details of the legislation, which includes specific powers that the directly elected mayor will have in Geelong, in particular the right to appoint Special Committee Chairs and Council representatives on other bodies. We have continued to emphasise in our media comments and our representations to the Minister that there needs to be research into the governance and other implications of a directly elected mayor model in a regional city, particularly when that mayor will have new and additional powers to other mayors. This is important so that the issue can be informed on a broader scale. The VLGA notes that the State Government will review the directly elected mayoral systems of Geelong and Melbourne after the Geelong model has been in operation for two years. We stated in our submission to the consultation that it would have been preferable for a proper inquiry to take place before the process for electing the mayor was changed, and we still hold this position. We also advocated that any decision-making process around direct election needed to include consideration of the powers of the mayor and deputy mayor, as there is no clear role statement for deputy mayors in the Local Government Act 1989. There are issues to be considered with the model of a mayor being directly elected by the public, when the deputy mayor, if council chooses to have one, is elected by their fellow councillors. A directly elected mayor will rely heavily on their fellow councillors and a deputy mayor to be able to achieve what s/he sees as their mandate. Good working relationships will be crucial. It will be instructive to learn how the directly elected mayor’s powers of appointment in Geelong will contribute or otherwise to these good relationships and good governance in general. Our primary interest is in a participatory system that will deliver good outcomes for council and the communities of Greater Geelong. We will continue to monitor the developments with interest.
That’s it from me this week. In the meantime please don’t hesitate to give me a call to discuss issues of interest to you on 0407 364 509, or drop me an email. Cheers.
Cr Samantha Dunn, President
Keeping you up to date
Green Wedge – Review of urban growth boundary anomalies outside of Growth Areas
The VLGA is aware that a number of our member local governments have requested that Planning Minister Matthew Guy provides them with an extension to the review to allow time to consult about their specific needs in Green Wedge areas. Other member councils have rejected any changes, and some have put forward what they see as ‘anomalies’. The review has been controversial and ever since the Government announced their intention to re-look at Green Wedge zones, developer interest has sparked and communities have become alarmed. With a review now pending bi-annually, there is a level of concern for VLGA members, particularly in food production areas and where land values are escalating thus potentially impacting the viability of agriculture. The uncertainty created by the review and the public debate that has ensued has been unfortunate and we are keen to discuss this with Minister Guy when we next meet with him.John Jago Award 2011
We have a very high-standard field of entries for the 2011 John Jago Award. A short list of four entries is now being assessed to determine the 2011 winner. The short listed entries are from the Indigo Shire Council (Indigo 2030 – long term strategic vision), Alpine Shire Council (Harrietville Community Building Initiative), Baw Baw Shire Council (Baw Baw 2050 project) and Maribyrnong City Council (David House redevelopment). We face a very challenging task to pick a winner from these excellent projects. We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at our end of year function on 1 December where the winner will be announced.
Local government inspectorate improves information flow
The VLGA has been conveying the need to the State Government and the Municipal Inspector for more case studies and information to be provided to the sector about the rights of councillors. We are pleased to see that this is now occurring. Go online for recently updated Frequently Asked Questions; if you need to know more about your rights; and if you would like to know more about the investigation process. We still believe there is room for sharing with councillors the issues and outcomes of particular investigations and that this would support good governance and transparency. While we congratulate the Inspectorate for improving information flow, we will continue to lobby the State Government for more training and other support to councillors.
Local government first: Frankston City Council measures community greenhouse gas emissions
Local governments, as opposed to other levels of government, are at the forefront of taking mitigation and adaptation measures in response to climate change. The VLGA often highlights good practice by our local government members, and the work that Frankston has done is one such example. The purpose of this project was to establish a methodology for measuring annual community greenhouse gas emissions based on localised data at the city-wide and suburb level. Frankston has been involved in an innovative project to measure Frankston City's community greenhouse gas emissions – as they accept that they can't manage what they don't measure. Whilst emissions are measured at national and state levels, there has been no reliable way to measure emissions on a local level. Frankston, with consultant Renewable Future, has successfully developed 'Measure it, Manage it' – a new methodology that has tracked Frankston City's community greenhouse gas emissions for 2005 and 2009. In demonstrating the feasibility of measuring greenhouse gases on a local level, this project will be used to build Council support for tailored localised behaviour change programs. Click here to view the Report, which is a first for local government.Annual Reporting – the new (Knox) way
In another achievement for a VLGA member local government, we extend our hearty congratulations to the City of Knox for their innovative new Annual Report. It’s worth noting that the video format Annual Report was produced entirely in-house using Council staff, and Knox councillors are very proud of the innovation and expertise of the staff team in conceiving and producing the report. In our view, the Knox Annual Report is contemporary, accessible, and really well put together. It’s as easy as clicking here! There are even handy transcripts right throughout for anyone having trouble viewing the video links. Or check out the videos directly on Youtube and ‘like’ what you see.
White Ribbon Day
Last Friday saw the celebration of White Ribbon Day, held to promote the campaign to prevent violence against women. It also marked the beginning of the VLGA’s ‘16 Days of Action’ on our website at www.vlga.org.au, which will run until International Human Rights Day on 10 December. If you’d like to join us for our International Human Rights Day Morning Tea on 8 December with a focus on women, see the details in VLGA events below. We encourage you to have a look at the simple actions you can take as part of our ‘16 Days of Action’, with new actions loaded each day.
Implications of Carbon Pricing for Waste Management in Metropolitan Melbourne
Waste management has both negative and positive greenhouse impacts. The Federal Government’s moves to put a dollar price on some of these carbon impacts will affect the costs of waste management. The Metropolitan Waste Management Group has developed a simple information sheet that summarises the ways that carbon pricing are likely to affect waste management in metropolitan Melbourne. It addresses the carbon pricing mechanism, the carbon farming initiative, materials and energy recovery, and what local government waste managers can do.Green Wedge paper open for discussion
The Westernport Green Wedge Discussion Paper public exhibition period is open for submissions until 5pm on 2 December. The paper outlines the management plan of the Victorian State Government in partnership with City of Casey and Cardinia Shire Council. The plan aims to deliver a long-term vision for land use in the green wedge. Visit http://caseyconversations.com.au or Cardinia www.cardinia.vic.gov.au/greenwedges.
For more information contact Lisa Brassington (Cardinia) 1300 787 624 or email Cardinia, or Paul Laughton (Casey) 9705 5200 or email Casey.
Media coverage for ‘Think women for local government 2012’
The VLGA’s Think women for local government 2012 project continues to receive local media coverage in the Hobsons Bay Leader, as well as the Bendigo Advertiser. It is wonderful to see local governments taking up the challenge to promote the project, and if you need more information to do this, download a sample media release, or visit the Think women website or the Facebook page for plenty of resources, including the update of A Gender Agenda which contains lots of tips about campaigning. This resource is also highly relevant to men.
Have your say: new research to look at the experiences of students with disability in Victorian schools
For the first time in many decades, this issue received a great deal of attention in the lead up to the last State Election. The Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (VEOHRC) is conducting research into the experiences of students with disability in Victorian schools. This follows an increase in complaints to the Commission relating to disability discrimination in education, and concerns raised by parents of children with disability, disability advocacy groups and members of the Commission’s Disability Reference Group about the provision of education services to students with disability. The purpose of the Commission’s research is to gather information about the issues and challenges experienced by students with disability in the Victorian school system and to identify potential solutions, consistent with Victoria’s equal opportunity and human rights framework, to improve access to education for students with disability. VEOHRC is keen to hear from students, parents and educators about what works and what could be improved when it comes to the education of students with disability in Victoria. There are several ways you can have your say. You can complete a confidential survey if you are a student with a disability, a parent of a student with a disability, or a principal, teacher or you work in a Victorian school. The survey is anonymous – and VEOHRC does not ask for any personal or identifying information. If you work in a community organisation or otherwise provide support to families, children and young people with disability, you can tell VEOHRC your views by sending an email to research@veohrc.vic.gov.au. VEOHRC will treat this as a written submission to our research. You can also ring VEOHRC’s state-wide telephone call-in on Saturday 3 December 2011 – call 1300 292 153 or (03) 9032 3583 from 10am to 4pm. If you need an interpreter, you can call the Commission using the interpreter service on 1300 152 494 or TTY at 1300 289 621. Further information about ‘have a say’ days in regional Victoria in February 2012 will be available soon. If these options are not convenient, please feel free to tell VEOHRC your story by sending them an email to research@veohrc.vic.gov.au. Events for your diary
VLGA events
Making human rights real – Bairnsdale
Tuesday 29 November
Learn more about human rights and how to translate them into the work of your organisation.
The Australian Centre for Human Rights Education at RMIT, the VLGA and VCOSS are hosting a series of free participatory workshops across Victoria to facilitate people's understanding of human rights and to develop a human rights approach to service delivery and policy development in locally based organisations. The workshops are funded by the Commonwealth Attorney-General's Department as part of a project to identify the importance of human rights education. The workshops are designed for both the community and local government sectors – for management, service delivery workers, board members, councillors, advocates and members of vulnerable groups – and use case studies to highlight human rights and how to support human rights for people in local communities. The next workshop will be held in Bairnsdale on Tuesday 29 November, 10am-2pm, at the Mercure Hotel, 355 Main St.
To register for the workshop, please phone Michelle at VCOSS on (03) 9654 5050 or register online. To see the workshop flyers, click on our VLGA Events Calendar. For further information, contact the VLGA’s Human Rights Policy & Project Officer, Gary Jungwirth, via email or phone (03) 9349 7999.
VLGA End-of-Year Members’ Function
Thursday 1 December, 6-8.30pm
Carlton
Members are invited to join the VLGA Board and Staff to celebrate our successes at our end-of-year drinks with local government, community and State Government colleagues. Come and hear the announcement of the winner of the 2011 John Jago Good Governance Award. Please RSVP by either registering online or phoning (03) 9349 7999.
International Human Rights Day Morning Tea
Thursday 8 December, 10-11.30am
VLGA, 60 Leicester Street, Carlton
The VLGA invites you to celebrate International Human Rights Day. The theme for the 2011 International Human Rights Day is ‘promoting human dignity' and 2011 also marks the 100th Anniversary of International Women’s Day. The VLGA Board therefore has pleasure in inviting you to mark these occasions at an informal morning tea. Our focus for this year will be on the progress and future of local government and community actions in:
* Preventing Violence Against Women
* Promoting participation of women in next year’s Local Government Elections, and
* The uptake of the Victorian Local Government Women’s Charter.
Come along and network with colleagues, and do your bit for International Human Rights Day. Numbers are limited, so please RSVP via email or phone (03) 9349 7999.
Other events
5th ‘State of Australian Cities’ National Conference
Tuesday 29 November – Friday 2 December
University of Melbourne, Parkville
Australia’s society and economy are dominated by its cities and regions, and the future of Australia’s environment is also linked to urban sustainability. The State of Australian Cities is a national forum, held biennially, to share scholarship directed at the complex and multidimensional issues facing us as an urban nation. Australian cities are highly ranked internationally for their liveability, and have continued to grow strongly through a global financial crisis. Yet we are confronted with significant challenges. These challenges should not blind us to opportunities. For the first time in two decades, the Federal Government is talking about the need to address the infrastructure gap in cities. A growing body of urban researchers is interested in the policy implications of their work, while policy-makers are increasingly turning to the developing evidence base. Unlikely coalitions are springing up to address intertwined social, economic, environmental, governance, and infrastructure issues.
Local Government Promising Practice Forum on the Prevention of Violence Against Women
Wednesday 14 December, 12.30-5.30pm
Department of Human Services - Level 1, 50 Lonsdale St, Melbourne
Speaking of preventing violence against women, and acknowledging the wonderful leadership that local governments in particular have demonstrated, the MAV is holding a Local Government Promising Practice Forum on the Prevention of Violence Against Women on 14 December in Melbourne. The audience is primarily local government people (both elected representatives and officers), key community partners and government representatives. This half-day event (including lunch) is offered by the MAV at no charge. Registrations are required by 5 December, and you can find more information and register online here.
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