Tonight’s Council meeting has several considerable items including the Council’s Draft Homelessness and Affordable Housing Strategy, the Draft Community Safety Plan and commenced engagement on the Community Infrastructure Plan. I also lodged a petition in relation to reviewing parking within Fishermans Bend.

Petition: Review of Council Parking Policy – Parking Restrictions on Thistlethwaite Street, South Melbourne

Thistlewaite Street, located in South Melbourne and part of Fishermans Bend has several differing parking restrictions along the street, causing confusion within an area experiencing increased development. Furthermore, as part of Fishermans it has a mix of residential and commercial premises.

The petition, which I lodged at the Council Meeting on behalf of residents, seeks to simplify the number of restrictions and update Council’s parking strategy to better accommodate mixed commercial and residential buildings.

Council will engage the community along Thistlewaite Street to consider changes to the parking requirements.

Draft Affordable Housing and Homelessness Strategy

The Affordable Housing and Homelessness Strategy, updates and merges two previous Council strategies, ensuring we view affordable housing as a continuum in relation to housing certainty.

Importantly, the Strategy provides direct support to housing providers, including $500,000 to St Kilda Community Housing over two years, and will seek information from other providers including South Port Community Housing to consider further support.

Feedback on the Homelessness and Affordable Strategy can be submitted via Engaging on the new Homelessness and Affordable Housing Strategy | Have Your Say Port Phillip until 2 November 2025.

Engagement on the Community Infrastructure Plan

I was flabbergasted that the City of Port Phillip, despite incorporating the significant urban renewal precinct of Fishermans Bend, lacked a Community Infrastructure Plan, which is required to identify current service demand and to forecast future requirements.

The development of a Community Infrastructure Plan has been a key priority of mine since being elected to Council, as we must ensure the City of Port Phillip understands our existing community needs so we can accommodate future growth and new civic facilities.

Importantly, the Community Infrastructure Plan will provide an advocacy platform as we call on other levels of government to support urban renewal within Fishermans Bend.

Community Infrastructure Plans commence by following a standard scope including:

• Community centres and halls
• Libraries
• Cultural venues (art spaces).
• Neighbourhood houses.
• Youth Centres
• Senior Centres.
• Multipurpose spaces including maternal and child health, toy libraries and playgroups

These categories are guided by provisioning ratios, which help identify the number of facilities required across a community. Community needs, however, extend beyond these categories and this is where community feedback will assist.

For example, given the densification of Fishermans Bend it would be logical to assume an increased in community gardens and makers spaces, alongside art and cultural venues.

Community engagement on the Community Infrastructure Plan will commence during October.

Visit Building Our Future: Draft Community Infrastructure Plan 2025 | Have Your Say Port Phillip to submit your feedback or visit the City of Port Phillip during our community engagement sessions.

Draft Community Safety Plan

Community safety has been an ongoing concern for the Port Phillip community and this is reflected in the updated Community Safety Plan.

Key recommendations include designing safer public spaces, with improved lighting, as well as supporting CCTV in key areas, alongside community support to improve social cohesion and reduce isolation.

Feedback on the Community Safety Plan, follows initial engagement earlier this year, as well as the roundtable involving key stakeholders.

Feedback on the Community Safety Plan can be submitted by 2 November at Feel Safe. Be Safe. Community Safety in Port Phillip | Have Your Say Port Phillip

Agenda and minutes of the Port Phillip Council meetings are available at Meetings and Agendas – City of Port Phillip