VLGA President’s Message
Last Thursday night the VLGA was hosted by the City of Greater Geelong at our Leading Edge Forum on ‘Local governments and alcohol in the community’. We were joined by a large number of VLGA members and guests from the Barwon-South West area and outer Melbourne for this event, and I once again extend my thanks to everyone at the City of Greater Geelong who assisted us to put this together, and to Cr John Doull, the VLGA’s Treasurer for his welcome to the City. If you missed the Forum and want to view the webcast you can go here. Our next Leading Edge Forum is coming up at the end of the month – a week early so we don’t clash with the Easter break (can you believe we are talking about Easter already?). I look forward to seeing you around the traps soon. 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 a line via email. And have a Happy International Women’s Day on Thursday! Cheers.
Cr Samantha Dunn, President
Keeping you up to date
Minister releases Sustainability Victoria review
Last week Minister for Environment and Climate Change Ryan Smith, released the report, Review of Sustainability Victoria’s Strategic Direction. The report outlines the findings of the SV Review and makes recommendations that inform the future direction of SV, including the outcomes SV must deliver. The Review provides important input to the development of SV’s new strategic plan. Revised priorities for SV include helping the Victorian community improve recycling and waste management, and saving resources such as energy. You can hear more about the SV review and priorities for the future at our next Leading Edge Forum on Thursday 29 March – see the next article!
Future Waste: emerging issues and collaborations
For those members interested in all things sustainable, including waste and recycling, our next Leading Edge Forum on Thursday 29 March is for you. Future Waste: emerging issues and collaborations will see the new CEO of Sustainability Victoria Stan Krpan outline his vision for SV, joining with Cr Heinz Kreutz, VLGA Board Member and Chair of the Metropolitan Waste Management Group to talk about emerging synergies and opportunities for collaboration between the State Government and local governments. This LEF will also showcase a terrific case study which saw western suburbs local governments collaborate on food security projects. Flyer with further details to follow shortly.
Directly elected mayors
The issue of directly elected mayors continues to be of considerable interest to the local government sector. At the recent LGPro Conference, the VLGA’s Director Governance Ron Exiner co-facilitated, with Fran Kerlin from the City of Melbourne, a session on this topic as part of the ideas marketplace. The variety of contributions from those who attended, both officers and councillors, demonstrates the differing views around directly elected as against councillor-elected mayors. This reinforces the VLGA’s current position that some serious investigation needs to be done into the pros and cons of both systems before any further changes are proposed. The VLGA will continue to take a close interest in how this issue develops. If you have ideas you would like to send us please email Ron Exiner, Director Governance.
VLGA represented at 4th International Gambling Conference 2012
Last week, our Local Government Gaming Policy Officer Emma Shepherdson represented the VLGA at the 4th International Gambling Conference in Auckland, and presented two papers to delegates. Emma’s conference papers focused on her work on the MoreConnect project in her role with the City of Moreland, and the Social and Economic Impact Assessment framework profiled by the VLGA and several member local governments recently. The conference was hosted by the Problem Gambling Foundation of New Zealand, the Auckland University of Technology, the Gambling and Addictions Research Centre, and Maori Public Health. Emma also featured recently in the ‘MyCareer’ section of The Age.
VLGA to observe Timor-Leste Presidential Election
VLGA Vice President and Chair of the Timor-Leste Advisory Group, Richard Brown, and Timor-Leste Project Officer, Gary Jungwirth, will represent the VLGA at the first round of the Presidential elections to be held on 17 March. Two other members of the Advisory Group, Barbara Godfrey and Gaynor Atkins, will also be official observers. Councillors, officers and many representatives of friendship groups have lodged their observer registration forms with the Australian Timor-Leste Friendship Network, which is co-ordinating the observer mission. The VLGA has been represented at the two previous Presidential Elections in 2002 and 2007. If no candidate wins a majority vote there will be a second round vote in April. Parliamentary elections will be held in June of this year.
Advocacy on emergency relief
Recently, the VLGA has received correspondence from a number of member local governments about the growing pressures on emergency relief agencies and communities under stress. We have taken your views to the Victorian and Commonwealth Governments and you can view comprehensive responses from the Federal Minister for Community Services, Julie Collins MP and Victorian Minister for Community Services, Mary Wooldridge MP on our website.
Update on ‘Think women for local government 2012’ forums
As we celebrate International Women’s Day this week, the 2012 ‘Think women’ regional forums hosted by local governments get underway. We start with Greater Geelong today (5 March), Hobsons Bay on 15 March, Mount Alexander on 21 March, and Gannawarra on 22 March. Following these are forums in Boroondara, East Gippsland, Horsham, Nillumbik, Baw Baw and Moyne. Other local governments are organising specific community events that support the goals of building the numbers and diversity of women candidates in the October 2012 local government elections. If your local government would like to join us, please contact the VLGA’s Women’s Policy Officer, Linda Bennett, who can assist with ideas, advice and kits to support your event. Linda says, “We aim to meet the challenge of helping you design something that fits your community and your time and budget.” For more information email Linda Bennett.
City of Melbourne and development of Cairo Tower – inner city living for young people with a disability
In last Wednesday’s edition of The Age, we saw a wonderful story of the redevelopment of the former site of the JH Boyd Girls High School at Southbank. The new Cairo tower development will include around forty apartments and support services for people with disabilities in an affordable housing component of the 32-storey development. This is a great example of the partnerships that can be supported and formed by local governments, developers and the community sector.VLGA congratulates 2012 LGPro Awards winners
Congratulations to the VLGA member local governments for their achievements in winning the following categories at the 2012 LGPro Awards.
* Hobsons Bay City Council – Service Delivery Initiative
* Wodonga City Council and Neighbourhood Strengthening Team – Community Partnerships Initiative
* Maribyrnong City Council – Community Assets and Infrastructure Initiative $1million and under
* Casey City Council – Community Assets and Infrastructure Initiative over $1million
* Greater Geelong City Council – Sustainability Initiative
To see more information about the Awards, you can go to the LGPro website.
VLGA Events
Leading Edge Forum – Future Waste: emerging issues and collaborations
Thursday 29 March, 6-9pm
VLGA, 60 Leicester St, Carlton
As per the information above, this LEF will see the new CEO of Sustainability Victoria Stan Krpan outline his vision for SV, joining with Cr Heinz Kreutz, VLGA Board Member and Chair of the Metropolitan Waste Management Group, to talk about emerging synergies and opportunities for collaboration between the State Government and local governments. Flyer with further details to follow shortly.
Pokies Assessments: a ‘how to’ short course
Monday 30 April or Thursday 3 April
VLGA, 60 Leicester St, Carlton
Everything you ever wanted to know about assessing the social and other impacts of pokies, and the context and history of pokies. This is the most comprehensive training program ever put together in Victoria and includes:
* Practical case studies, tools and guides
* Local Government Initiatives Marketplace – talk to people who’ve achieved results
* Gaming and planning processes
* Understanding community wellbeing
Designed for statutory and strategic planners, social and community planners, social researchers, health professionals and consultants, as well as councillors, this short course includes a comprehensive 120-page ‘step by step’ Training Manual. There will be two opportunities to attend this full-day training program (please choose one) – either Monday 30 April or Thursday 3 May at the VLGA. Cost is $245 VLGA Members and project contributors, $275 for non-members. Download the flyer, program and registration form from the VLGA website.
Other Events
IAP2 Vic: Rescuing Policy – an evening with Dr Don Lenihan
Tuesday 20 March, 6-8pm
Graduate House, 220 Leicester St, Carlton
The evening will include a seminar presentation by Dr Don Lenihan, the Public Policy Forum’s Vice President, Engagement, based on Don’s recent book, Rescuing Policy, followed by informal networking. The book contains a timely and innovative re-thinking of the policy process, based on the Public Engagement Project, an 18-month, cross country dialogue that involved nine federal, provincial and municipal governments, as well as the Government of Australia and some 500 public servants. For registration details, go to the IAP2 website.
Committee for Economic Development Australia (CEDA)
Geelong and Barwon South West: Planning a region for the future
Thursday 22 March, 9am-2pmGeelong and Barwon South West: Planning a region for the future
Mecure Geelong, cnr Gheringhap & Myers Sts, Geelong
Join CEDA and Regional Development Victoria as they bring together leaders from key sectors to discuss a range of issues for the Barwon South West and G21 region including:
* Providing for communities: education and health
* Providing jobs for a growing population
* Planning a city for the future of the region
Register here and for further information email Gemma Clarke.
Sustainable Communities Forum for Local Government
Friday 30 March, 9.30am-4.30pm
Zinc @ Federation Square, cnr Flinders & Swanston Sts, Melbourne
This forum, co-hosted with ICLEI, aims to inform and engage a wider audience of the workshop outcomes and to develop a local response for Australian local government. It will offer a unique opportunity to hear leading examples from the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, outcomes from the workshop, and provide input into a sectoral agenda for sustainable communities. The forum will feature:
* parallel sessions for elected representatives, and local government administrators and stakeholders to develop the case for sustainable communities
* release of Local Government Position Paper on Local Climate Change Action; and
* workshop to test the draft Local Government Guide for Green Star Communities, which provides local government with guidance on promoting the planning and design of best practice sustainable communities.
RSVP via email by 5pm Friday 9 March.
2nd National Sustainable Food Summit
2-4 April
Dockside Sydney
This summit is a must-attend event for practitioners with an interest in how Australia's food system will transform to meet the challenge of feeding more people with less over the next century. The inaugural Summit held in April 2011, and attended by over 340 participants from diverse sectors and backgrounds, generated extraordinary consensus for the need to collaborate and continue the conversations necessary to generate change. 2012 may be pivotal for Australian food policy with the National Food Plan due for release. It is also appropriately the Australian Year of the Farmer and United Nations International Year of the Cooperative. The 2nd Annual National Sustainable Food Summit begins in Sydney on 3 April. A series of pre-conference workshops on 2 April 2012 have also been designed to bring people up to speed on the current issues and discussion from the 2011 summit. Anyone who is interested in this area can join the Sustainable Food System Conversation. This conversation is designed to feed into discussions at the Summit so will be particularly useful to attendees. For more information about the program and workshops, please email Cheryl or phone 02 9555 2358.
People and the Planet Conference
26-28 April 2012
Melbourne
Twenty years on from the landmark Earth Summit in Rio, RMIT is collaborating with the UN Global Compact Cities Programme to bring internationally renowned experts in sustainability to discuss the future of the planet. Global superstars such as Sigourney Weaver, David Suzuki and Bob Geldof will be in Melbourne, speaking alongside Australian high-profile speakers including Tim Costello, CEO of World Vision; Robyn Eckersley, leading environmentalist; Ian Lowe, President of the Australian Conservation Foundation; and Dennis Altman, Professor of Politics, to discuss where we go from here.
* How do we move beyond the current set of crises and relative political stalemate?
* How do we get beyond carbon accounting?
The outcomes of the Melbourne forum will become the basis for the ‘Cities and Urbanization’ Track at Rio+20 www.earthsummit2012.org. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit the official website. Enquires can be directed through the Global Cities Research Institute via email or phone 9925 8322.
Urban Rail 2012
8-9 May
Intercontinental Melbourne, The Rialto
Now in its fourth year, the ARA Annual Urban Rail Conference has developed into one of the most significant events on the industry calendar. This year’s focus will be on enhancing network performance and the passenger experience as demand for urban rail services surge. See the agenda and register online.
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