Month: April 2008

Opening the AC Roberston Athletics Track and Grandstand

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The AC Robertson athletics track, based at Proclamation Park in Ringwood, is one of the premiere athletic facilities in the eastern suburbs and is home to a number of different sporting clubs.

This afternoon we officially opened the newly resealed track, as well as the newly constructed grandstand which provides additional seating for up to 350 spectators. Further works including accessible toilet facilities will be completed over the next month and will ensure a greater level of accessibility to this facility.

These works were funded through Maroondah City Council, the AC Robertson Committee of Management and the State Government of Victoria. These much needed upgrades will further ensure that AC Robertson and Proclamation Park meet the needs of Maroondah residents and the eastern region.

Eastern Transport Coalition – presentation from the National Transport Commission

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Tonight’s Eastern Transport Coalition meeting included an update on the Federal urban transport paper which will be utilised by the ETC to convey the economic, social and environmental case for Federal leadership in the investment of urban public transport infrastructure.

The guest speaker was Karen Dowling from the National Transport Commission who spoke about the commission’s role within the Federal Government and the Infrastructure Working Group which operates through the Council of Australian Governments (COAG).

Infrastructure Australia has been appointed to advise governments on matters relating to nationally significant infrastructure, such as transport, energy, communications and water. Infrastructure Australia will serve as an advisory group to COAG.

Given that issues such as traffic congestion, social isolation and greenhouse emissions all have national costs it is imperative that the Federal Government begins to invest in urban public transport infrastructure. The Better Cities program of the early 1990s provided electrification to Cranbourne East and tram services to East Burwood and Bundoora. It is now time for the Federal Government to focus once again on the sustainability of our cities.

On Tuesday morning delegates of the Eastern Transport Coalition will be undertaking surveys at major transport interchanges to ascertain community attitudes on public transport. I will be at Ringwood Station from 7am to conduct these surveys.

Council backflips – Response submission to be listed for Monday's council meeting

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This afternoon I received a telephone call advising that Maroondah’s response submission to the Victorian Electoral Commission’s representation review will now be listed on the agenda for Monday night’s council meeting.

It is encouraging that Maroondah has seen the need for this item to be listed in the open council chamber. This will ensure that the item will be debated and while I doubt that it will change the outcome, it will provide an opportunity to reinforce the fact that the community has requested substantial changes in the structure of wards and representation within Maroondah.

Response submission to the Victorian Electoral Commission close on the 22nd of April.

Media Release: Council view on ward boundaries must be transparent

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Cr. Alex Makin has condemned Maroondah City Council for its failure to adequately represent the community over proposed ward boundary changes.

“Community consultation held in November last year made it clear that the community supported the introduction of a new ward structure including multi-member wards,” Cr. Makin said.

The Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) is required to undertake a review of council wards every second term. The VEC’s preliminary report found that substantial change was required within Maroondah to ensure that communities were sufficiently represented.

“Council’s advocacy campaign was not endorsed by council and is a simply another tactic of the closed door mentality that operates in Maroondah,” Cr. Makin said. “This thinly veiled attempt at bullying our community is typical of the ‘gang of four’ who benefit from this lack of scrutiny.”

Maroondah Council is proposing to submit a further submission to the VEC in favour of retaining the current ward structure. Neither the final submission or the petition calling on community support have been formally endorsed by council.

“I call on the community to see through council’s latest stunt and to support the changes that are necessary to ensure a higher standard of democracy and representation within Maroondah. Should council fail to uphold basic democratic principles I will be considering action against this abuse of process,” Cr. Makin concluded.

About Alex Makin:
Alex Makin was elected in November 2005 as the Councillor for Loughnan’s Hill ward in the City of Maroondah. Alex, currently the youngest councillor elected within the history of the City of Maroondah and just one of several councillors Victoria wide aged under 30, has a keen interest in sustainability, including public transport, planning and community engagement.

ALL MEDIA ENQUIRIES: CR. ALEX MAKIN ON 0408 311 645

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Maroondah's reponse to the VEC must not be made behind closed doors

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Maroondah Council is currently proposing not to formally endorse its response submission to the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) at Monday night’s council meeting.

The decision not to formally adopt council’s position is at odds with other municipalities which required both the preliminary submission and final response to be adopted by resolution at a formal council meeting.

The motion that was adopted in February 2008 (in a five versus two decision) reads as follows:

That Council adopts an electoral structure of seven councillors and single member wards reflecting Maroondah’s current communities of interest as the basis of its preliminary submission to be made to the VEC review panel by 4 March 2008.

It has been claimed that the wording of this resolution applies to the response submission due on the 22nd of April, as well as an advocacy campaign currently being undertaken by Council. It is clear that this is incorrect – the wording of the resolution refers exclusively to the preliminary submission.

This is yet another example of decisions that are being made behind closed doors at Maroondah City Council. It would appear that this is an attempt to stymie debate on the response submission, where the council is attempting to clutch to a modified version of the existing ward boundaries – despite the fact that they divide communities within Maroondah.

While it is necessary at times to tolerate the churlish behaviour of some of my colleagues I will not accept a denial of transparency and accountability. I am seeking independent advice as to whether Maroondah can prevent the response submission being listed on Monday night’s council agenda.

Media Release: Public transport high on Rudd’s 2020 summit agenda

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The Eastern Transport Coalition has issued a media release following the recent Your Local 2020 Summit hosted by the Federal Members for Chisholm, Deakin, Holt, Hotham, Bruce and Isaacs.

Councillor Alex Makin, the Deputy Chair of the group, represents Maroondah City Council on the Eastern Transport Coalition and attended the summit.

“The Eastern Transport Coalition attended the Summit and found the level of interest in federal funding for public transport infrastructure supported the results of the 2007 survey conducted by the Eastern Transport Coalition,” said Cr Makin.

“The Eastern Transport Coalition will continue to advocate the Federal Government to see funding models developed for public transport infrastructure, particularly in the eastern region of Melbourne,” said Cr Makin.

“The survey also found that the Federal Government can help provide that option, 62% of respondents said it was not acceptable that the Federal Government provided funding for major roads but not for public transport infrastructure.

“The Federal Government currently provides billions of dollars for major road infrastructure but public transport is a viable and a necessary alternative. People know that public transport can achieve the same ends, taking private cars off the roads, helping reduce greenhouse gas emission and leaving road space for freight.

“Our local residents don’t want to see each level of Government blame each other, 76% believed the State and Federal Governments should share the cost for all necessary public transport infrastructure,” Cr. Makin concluded.

The Eastern Transport Coalition is made up of seven Councils in Melbourne’s east, representing almost one million residents, with a primary focus on advocating for improved transport choices in the east.

Know Your Parks: Lockhart Road Park

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Know Your Parks is an event organised by Maroondah City Council to showcase the many community parks that exist throughout the municipality.

This afternoon we held the first ever Know Your Parks program at the Lockhart Road Park in Ringwood North. Combined with Melbourne’s mild Autumn weather the event which included a free sausage sizzle, and a range of children’s activities was a tremendous success.

Lockhart Road Park, situated next to a kindergarten, is one of Maroondah’s hidden gems complete with playground facilities. Children were able to enjoy the jumping castle, face painting and a range of other activities that were available throughout the afternoon.

It was absolutely delightful to be able to speak to families about life in Maroondah and I would like to thank the many hundreds of people that enjoyed the afternoon at Lockhart Park.

Sustainable Living Space Working Group meeting 2008

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The Sustainable Living Space Working Group is a partnership between North Ringwood Community House, Park Orchards Learning Centre, Eastern Volunteers Resource Centre and Maroondah and Manningham Councils.

The project involves the assessment of support for a CERES type sustainability project within Melbourne’s outer eastern suburbs. A project manager has recently been appointed by the working group to undertake extensive community consultation to ascertain support and involvement within the potential project.

The current aim of this working group is to measure the level of community support over the next twelve to eighteen months, prior to beginning any detailed assessments into the feasibility of the project.

For further information please visit www.users.bigpond.net.au/nrch/sustainability/

Heatherdale Community Action Group – discussing Heatherdale Reserve

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At tonight’s Heatherdale Community Action Group meeting I discussed the Heatherdale Reserve Landscape Plan, which is located in Vermont abutting Heatherdale Road and the Dandenong Creek.

Council has received a grant through the Dandenong Creek Living Links project and is currently undertaking consultation as to the facilities that the community would welcome at the reserve. I distributed a survey at the meeting to encourage feedback and it was great to see a strong interest from the Heatherdale community in regard to this reserve.

The funding received for the reserve will allow council to begin implementation of a final landscape plan and to incorporate the community feedback.

Maroondah Leader: Go carbon neutral by 2012

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Amid further concerns in regard to the environment, the Maroondah Leader has reported on the need to reduce energy usage and achieve carbon neutrality.

Councillor Alex Makin said the council needed to become a leader in combating climate change and to take immediate action.

It is important that council not only reduce its own emissions but also educate the community in how our municipality can collectively improve its urban sustainability.

“Victoria’s carbon emissions are spiralling out of control and we need to take action,” Cr Makin said. “The State and Federal governments are procrastinating and we at a local government just get on with the job.”

Victoria has seen a 30% increase in greenhouse emissions since 1990, largely due to a dependence on coal and a failure to provide transport choice and sustainable forms of transport for Melbourne’s outer suburbs. Meanwhile the Federal Government is awaiting the results of the Ross Garnaut report before announcing any interim reduction targets.

It is therefore important that Maroondah, as a form of government, undertake steps to reduce greenhouse emissions and to demonstrate that proactive change is possible.

“I do hope my colleagues view this as seriously as I do, because we need to acknowledge the seriousness of climate change.”

All councillors within Maroondah must view the need for reducing greenhouse emissions as a priority. It is imperative that we improve our urban sustainability so that we can ensure that future generations inherit a planet that is economically, environmentally and socially prosperous.