Category: Attendance Reports

2008 Eastern Volunteers recognition function

Posted on by alex

This afternoon Eastern Volunteers, as part of National Volunteer Week held its Volunteer Recognition Function to acknowledge the commitment and dedication of their many volunteers.

Eastern Volunteers, which covers the areas of Maroondah, Whitehorse and the Shire of Yarra Ranges, provides transport services or for the frail aged and people with disabilities as well as recruiting volunteers for over 350 community organisations.

The slogan for this year’s Volunteer Week is Volunteers Change the World! which recognises the important and positive contribution that volunteers deliver for the community and I would like to congratulate the many volunteers that dedicate their time to improving life within Maroondah.

For more information on Eastern Volunteers please visit www.easternvolunteers.org.au.

Delegates' Report: Community sustainability through involvement

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On the 18th of March I attended the North Ringwood Community House Annual General Meeting. North Ringwood Community House, located at 120 Oban Road, provides a remarkable facility for our community. Sue McDermott is the new coordinator of the house and she spoke extensively about their services into the future.

North Ringwood Community House is in a unique situation where the facility is located on parish land within the Holy Spirit Primary School. The fact that the house does not own either the building or the land they are on curtails their growth and the ability to offer services and courses to Maroondah residents. North Ringwood Community House is a unique community asset and has moved beyond the traditional role of community houses by offering TAFE accredited courses in areas such as Palliative Care and Aged Care. It is it critical that the house is able to secure a solid future within Maroondah.

On the 25th of March I attended one of Enjoying Planned Retirement’s bocce afternoons. Bocce, which is conducted between December and April, is one of the many activities organised by EPR. This afternoon marked a special occasion since it included the unveiling of a new barbecue for the group. This barbecue was donated by a local Croydon resident, who is a Sales Manager for Rinnai after EPR’s original barbecue was stolen on the 12th of February and subsequently featured in a local newspaper. The strength of a community is always demonstrated during negative times and it was great to see our community rallying behind EPR to provide this new barbecue.

On the 4th of April I attended the Scoot Wheel n Move workshop. This workshop provided an opportunity to plan the future of this highly successful group, which is focused on the needs of people with mobility aids, such as wheelchairs and scooters. Scoot Wheel n Move has had a range of achievements over the past few years, including the highly successful recharge program and a number of public forums. With initiatives, such as the redevelopment of Eastland, it is imperative that accessibility is built into these projects and not merely considered as an afterthought. The feedback from the workshop will assist the future direction of Scoot Wheel n Move and ensure that these successes continue into the future.

On the 5th of April I attended a local version of the Rudd Government’s 2020 Summit as the Deputy Chair and Maroondah’s representative of the Eastern Transport Coalition. This event which was held at Monash University in Clayton provided an opportunity to include input for the summit that was held in Canberra. I attended the economic infrastructure, digital economy and future of our cities session, where the need for Federal leadership in regard to urban sustainability and public transport infrastructure was readily agreed upon. In fact, the need for public transport improvements was stressed in a number of different forum topics as it became clear that people require mobility and transport choice in accessing educational, employment and health services.

In fact, the ETC and hence by extension the City of Maroondah’s stance on public transport improvements has garnered respect far and wide, with Kelvin Thomson, the Federal Member for Wills, speaking favourably of the ETC’s approach within Federal Parliament. I will be tabling the extract of the members speech. It is clear that the approach the ETC has taken is generating results, just like when the grouping of seven councils led the successful abolition of zone three.

On the 8th of April I attended the 40th AGM of the Maroondah Citizens Advice Bureau. The Citizens Advice Bureau is another one of Maroondah’s hidden gems who are focused on assisting people in need within Maroondah through providing advice, referral services and emergency relief. Being in existence for 40 years is a testament for any volunteer and community based organisation but it is an even greater achievement for an association that is dedicated to assisting others.

Lastly, on the 15th of April I attended the Know Your Parks function at Lockhart Road Reserve. Lockhart Road Reserve is a park situated in Ringwood North next to a kindergarten and it was great to see such a strong interest in our community with this park. Over 250 people and families enjoyed the festivities and children were able to partake in the jumping castle and face painting. The sausages and balloons were a tremendous success and it was great to be able to enjoy a sunny Autumn afternoon in one of our wonderful parks.

I will be tabling the rest of my report.

Delegates' Report: Supporting community calls for accessibility and sustainability

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On the 28th of February I attended the launch of the Coloured Emotions Art Display, facilitated by the Parent Support Network – Eastern Region. The group provides support for carers, parents and families that have children with a disability, through support groups, advocacy and other activities.

Coloured Emotions is an art therapy program facilitated by the Parent Support Network and is one of the activities provided by the group. The program allowed these carers to express their emotions through art within a supportive environment.

The raw emotion that was on display demonstrated the stress and challenges that carers face, including the need for peer support. Groups like the Parent Support Network and the people involved in them need to be congratulated for the peer support they provide. It is often difficult for most people, due to time constraints, to become involved in a voluntary capacity within community groups, but for parents who are carers for children with disabilities it must be even more difficult to manage caring, careers and being involved in the community.

It is imperative that we continue to improve the accessibility of our municipality to ensure that all people have access to the community, lifestyle and opportunity that Maroondah provides.

On the 6th of March I attended the Croydon Conservation Society’s AGM, where Phil Turner, our Director of Major Projects and Planning, was the guest speaker to discuss the Ringwood Transit City and the plans for Ringwood. The Croydon Conservation Society is Maroondah’s oldest environmental association and topics discussed included strengthening provisions for water and energy efficiency, as well as the continued advocacy for sustainable transport.

The Croydon Conservation Society welcomed this opportunity and it was great to see our community groups being included in the discussions for the plans for Ringwood.

On the 13th of March I attended the Eastern Transport Coalition meeting. This month’s meeting discussed the bus service reviews that are currently being undertaken within some of the member council areas, as well as furthering the call for the necessary public transport improvements. One of these improvements is the Ringwood to Frankston SmartBus and and will begin operating next Monday on the 24th. The SmartBus will provide a bus service operating through to midnight six days a week, with services every 15 minutes during weekdays and half hourly during evenings and weekends. The SmartBus marks the first really substantial upgrade to bus services within Maroondah and indeed the outer east and will provide transport choice for parts of Maroondah that previously had little option but to drive.

While it is unfortunate that this upgrade took almost four years, it is certainly an encouraging improvement and hopefully a sign of more to follow.

The role of urban transport is critical to reducing Australia’s greenhouse emissions and yesterday on the 16th of March I attended a meeting with the Maroondah Climate Change Action Group. Transport is Australia’s fastest growing sector of greenhouse emissions and contributes up to 50% of household emissions. There has been much discussion around potential greenhouse reduction targets for 2020 and any serious targets are going to be established they must include a reduction in car dependence and thus also assist with providing transport choice and mitigating worsening traffic congestion.

Delegates' Report: 2008 has begun

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Thank you, there are several events that I wish to comment upon to keep council and the community informed.

On the 24th of January I attended the first Eastern Transport Coalition meeting for 2008 as the delegated Maroondah representative. This meeting included a workshop to determine the ETC’s priorities for this year. The ETC has had a tremendous success over the past few years and Maroondah has been front and centre in the advocacy for public transport improvements. In 2006 the ETC successfully advocated for the abolition of zone three, saving outer eastern residents, including people in Maroondah up to a $1000 per annum. Last year the ETC was focused on the need for federal funding of urban public transport. While the Federal Government still has not accepted its role in the provision of urban public transport infrastructure; the calls for national leadership in urban sustainability are growing stronger, with the ETC joined by other transport and planning groups, the business community and the local governments across Australia.

This year the ETC will be focusing on both the Federal and State Governments, particularly since the Ringwood to Frankston SmartBus will begin operating in late March. This improvement, which will provide a fast, frequent and direct service between Ringwood, Knox, Dandenong and Frankston provides the ideal foundation for further public transport improvements.

The need for federal leadership in urban sustainability was recently conveyed in a recent Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) discussion on national priorities for transport. This forum, which was also attended by Cr. Naylor, expressed the need for a national transport strategy that encompasses people and freight across all modes, including public transport.

As the two well renowned speakers explained, Australia is currently unsustainable with the continued major road building not being economically viable or environmentally prudent. If Australia is serious about meeting greenhouse reduction targets we need Federal leadership to curb rising pollution due to the transport sector, the fastest growing source of greenhouse emissions.

On, the 12th of February I was invited to Enjoying Planned Retirement’s bocce afternoon. EPR organises a number of activities and provides bocce and a barbecue at Norwood Park in Ringwood North, every second and fourth Tuesday from January through to March. Unfortunately the occasion was marred by the theft of EPR’s barbecue. It is dismaying that someone would choose to steal from one of our community groups, particularly since the barbecue was dedicated to Ron Ginger, a former President and committed EPR member who unfortunately passed away a few years ago. While EPR, in their typical jovial fashion, made the best of the afternoon it is disappointing that this theft occurred.

On a lighter note, I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate the many community stall holders and the dedicated council staff at Sunday’s Maroondah Festival. I did not receive a single negative comment about this year’s festival and council staff must be commended for organising such an awesome event.

Delegates' Report: Climate change, accessibility, support groups and events for seniors

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Thank you, I will be tabling my delegates’ report this evening, however before I do, there are several items I plan on discussing this evening:

From the 26th through to the 30th of November I attended the Australian Local Government Association National General Assembly in Darwin. The Australian Local Government Association, is the peak body representing local councils across Australia. The national general assembly provides an opportunity for councils to debate motions of national significance with the aim of shaping the advocacy direction of ALGA. As will be detailed in the council agenda this evening, Maroondah proposed two motions, both of which were successful. Aside from the general assembly, there were also a number of speakers presenting at ALGA, including Dr. Tim Flannery who spoke about the looming environmental issues facing Australia and the world.

The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report stated that:

  • “Warming of the climate system is unequivocal.”
  • “Most of the observed increase in globally averaged temperatures since the mid-20th century is very likely due to the observed increase in anthropogenic greenhouse gas concentrations.”

For reference, the IPCC defines ‘very likely’ as meaning a probability greater than 90%. It is therefore imperative that action is taken in regard to climate change. If there was a 90% chance of an adverse event occurring, most people would logically takes steps to prevent this, as such prevention is required to mitigate the effects of climate change.

I will be tabling a report on my attendance at AGLA , in line with council’s guidelines for accountability in regard to interstate events.

It is encouraging that as a council, Maroondah is acting on climate change and involving the community. On the 20th of November I attended Maroondah’s energy workshop, entitled ‘All About Climate Change’. This workshop provided an introduction to the issues involved around Climate Change and featured an Al Gore Ambassador who explained the concepts and the need for action. It was encouraging to see that the workshop was well attended and I would like to thank Council’s Sustainability Department for organising, planning and hosting the workshop. This will hopefully be the first of many steps that we undertake to demonstrate leadership in regard to climate change, one of the crucial issues that we will need to face as we enter the new year.

Over the past month, I attended several events hosted by Enjoying Planned Retirement (EPR), one of Maroondah’s largest and most active seniors organisations. On the 23rd of November I attended EPR’s Spotlighters Performance. Spotlighters, for those who may not be aware, is one of the 47 activities organised by EPR and consists of a musical theatre group who performed to packed out audiences over the three nights of their show. The singing, dancing and acting talents of its members provided a wonderful night of entertainment and I would like to congratulate EPR on hosting such a successful performance.

On the 4th of December I attended another one of EPR’s activities, the launch of their Bocce Season for 2008. While I suspect EPR allowed me to win at last year’s tournament, unfortunately this year I was not so lucky!

The launch provides an opportunity to showcase bocce to new EPR members and included an afternoon picnic at Norwood Hall providing a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. The latest terminology in regard to seniors, appears to be the wording ‘healthy aging’, EPR typifies this concept, healthy aging with a lot of spirit. What else can you expect from a group of people that refer to themselves (and quoted directly from their recent newsletter) as ‘recycled teenagers, who want to chill-out, gross-out, max-out, space-out and have fun?’ It’s a shame I left my teenage years around a decade ago!

The Croydon Stroke Support Group, is another organisation that includes a lot of spirit and on the 6th of December I had the pleasure of attending their end of year Christmas function. The Croydon Stroke Support Group, provides an incredibly supportive atmosphere for people who had stroke and for the families that support them. The Croydon Stroke Support Group aims to restore the confidence of people who had stroke to demonstrate that that they can still participate in society. Many of its members volunteer their time not only to the organisation but also in nursing, care and other services to people outside the group. The work of the Croydon Stroke Support and its members is simply amazing.

Lastly, on the 7th of December I attended the final Scoot Wheel N Move meeting for 2007. Scoot Wheel N Move, a group I have discussed a number of times previously, aims to improve the accessibility of Maroondah and has organised a number of successful projects. I would like to congratulate Maroondah’s new MetroAccess worker in hosting a successful meeting and for discussing the future direction of the group. 2008 will be an exciting time for Scoot Wheel N Move and it is imperative that the group’s advocacy voice is as strong as possible, particularly to ensure that major projects such as Eastland are accessible and inclusive for an entire community.

Being the final meeting for 2007, I would like to thank the many groups who have invited me to functions over the past year and I am looking forward to attending further events in 2008.

Delegates' Report: Community involvement through advocacy and participation

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There are several items I wish to discuss this evening:

Firstly, I would like to congratulate Enjoying Planned Retirement for their second Art and Craft Exhibition, held on the 12th of October. The exhibition, which marked the conclusion of Maroondah’s Seniors Week, attracted approximately 500 visitors and provided an opportunity to demonstrate the fun and energetic nature of Enjoying Planned Retirement. Last year’s art and craft exhibition received a grant from council and it was great to see EPR continue the exhibition for a second year.

On the 18th of October I attended the monthly Eastern Transport Coalition meeting. I’m pleased to announce that the group appointed me as Acting Chair through to the end of this year. This will allow Maroondah to strengthen its leadership role in advocating for sustainable transport in the eastern suburbs.

On the 29th of October I attended Maroondah’s forum for people with disabilities and carers. This is a quarterly forum which provides an opportunity for attendees to raise accessibility issues directly with council. The forum continues to experience strong community involvement and I would like to thank these attendees for willingly giving their time to create a more successful and accessible municipality. Community attendance at these forums does make a difference and the outcomes produced by the Maroondah Pedestrian Strategy and the Public Footpath Trading Policy, which is listed in this council agenda tonight, are testament to this.

On the 1st of November I met with Eastland Centre Management to follow up on a number of items that were discussed at the Bar None Expo that I reported on last month. It is encouraging that Eastland has already pursued recharge points for motorised mobility aids. The Recharge Program was developed in collaboration between Maroondah’s Scoot Wheel N Move Group and traders to provide facilities for motorised scooters and wheelchairs to be recharged. This improves the level of accessibility for people with motorised mobility aids. It is great to see that Eastland, as a major retailer and shopping destination, is now part of this program.

On the 13th of November I attended as council’s delegate a meeting of the Melbourne 2030 Councillor Reference Group. As part of this meeting I delivered a presentation on the Eastern Transport Coalition and an analysis of ‘Creating a City that Works’ a report commissioned by the State Government’s Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability. The presentation focused on the key areas that the ETC is pursuing, including the need for public transport improvements to enhance the liveability of Melbourne’s eastern suburbs. While it is clear that the MAV, as the peak body for local government, sees the ETC and hence Maroondah as a leader in the advocacy for sustainable transport, this an area we need to continue expanding upon particularly if we want to ensure the very best outcomes for the Ringwood Transit City and the Croydon Activity Centre.

Also on the 13th of November I attended the graduation evening of the FReeZA program at EV’s. FReeZA is a program that provides a dozen young people with the responsibility of organising, promoting and managing musical gigs and is just one of a wide array of programs supported by Council’s Youth Services team. It was great to hear each of the graduates provide an overview of their experiences of the FReeZA and particularly with the forthrightness they delivered. While the program may have been stressful at times, each of the participants certainly did learn something from being part of FReeZA and I would like to thank Youth Services for their continued dedication and support for our youth.

On the 14th of November I attended a Heatherdale Community Action Group meeting. It is pleasing to see that the Heatherdale community appreciates the ongoing work of council in regard to issues along Heatherdale Road. These issues have involved a wide cross section of council, including environmental health officers, building inspectors, planners and corporate services and I can assure this council that these efforts are definitely appreciated by the Heatherdale community.

Lastly, I was invited to officially launch Campaign Enable on the 14th of November. This campaign, which is organised by local community members and the Australian Federation of Disability Organisations, marks a turning point in advocacy with the campaign being managed, organised and conducted by people with a disability.

The campaign currently has three central aims including:

  • Financial help for people with a disability looking for work or trying to keep a job.
  • The development of a National Disability Employment Strategy.
  • The introduction of a nation wide Access to Premises Standard.

It is important to note that these issues are required to allow people with disabilities to be able to enjoy the same of level of access experienced by members of our society. Campaign Enable, is not a campaign for special treatment – it is a campaign about ensuring that everyone has equal access and inclusiveness within society.

Campaign Enable allows all people to have a voice and I look forward to the ongoing efforts of the group.

Delegates' report: Engaging our youth and people with disabilities

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On the 19th of September I attended Maroondah Snippets, Maroondah’s very own youth film festival. This event showcased the breadth of talent that exists within Maroondah, particularly in regard to cinematography, multimedia, script writing and acting.

All entrants should be congratulated for the the level of professionalism within the films and the diverse range of genres that were covered. This project was a collaborative effort between our youth, which suggested the idea of a film festival and Maroondah’s Youth Services Team that prepared, managed and conducted the event. Maroondah’s Youth Service Teams, based at EV’s in Croydon, must be congratulated for their dedication and I certainly hope that Snippets will become an annual fixture on the Maroondah calendar.

It was also great to see proceeds from Snippets being donated to Beyond Blue, to advance the level of support provided for people experiencing depression. I would once again like to thank Maroondah’s Youth Services Team for their efforts in undertaking Snippets.

On the 4th of October I participated in Bar None, a combined initiative between Maroondah City Council, Scoot Wheel N Move and the Department of Human Services. Bar None aimed to celebrate community inclusion and to recognise local examples of inclusion for people with disabilities. This forum provided an opportunity to discuss accessibility in the context of the business community.

The forum provided the opportunity to showcase businesses that are doing the right thing. Including Invicta Bus Company, which has exceeded the regulatory requirements for low floor buses and provides a telephone hotline for people that require accessible buses for their travel needs.

It was also encouraging to see representatives from Eastland at the forum. It is imperative that the proposed development of Eastland and the new town centre are accessible from the beginning, rather than requiring costly retrofitting to make up for past mistakes. The fact that Eastland attended the forum should demonstrate a willingness of their part to ensure an accessible environment.

I would like to congratulate the Scoot Wheel N Move Group and Maroondah’s MetroAccess and Community Planning and Development Unit for the time they have dedicated to ensuring a successful event. Scoot Wheel N Move provides a role model for community engagement and I encourage this council to follow in other areas to ensure that we are listening and responding to community concerns.

Lastly, as Maroondah’s representative on the Eastern Transport Coalition I would like to thank the mayor, Councillor Peter Gurr for his participation this morning in the joint mayoral letter signing calling for Federal involvement in urban public transport infrastructure.

Delegates' report: volunteerism and community engagement

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The previous month marked a number of events that I would like to share with my colleagues and the gallery this evening.

On the 4th of September I had the pleasure of opening Brush Strokes, an art exhibition featuring works created by members of the Croydon Stroke Support Group and I would also like to thank Cr. Taylor for her attendance that morning. The exhibition, which is on show at the foyer of Maroondah Federation Estate, celebrates the support offered to members of the Croydon Stroke Suppport Group with the aim of restoring confidence and skills.

The Brush Strokes exhibition was a recipient of Maroondah’s Cultural Grants and it was great to be able to see the project, which looked good on paper, at its completion. I must offer my thanks to the organisers of the exhibition and the based council team at Federation Estate.

While art may come naturally to some people, many of the artists featured in the exhibition have had to re-learn their artistic skills and the fact that these artists have been able to re-develop their talents is a testament to the supporting nature of the Croydon Stroke Support Group.

In addition, there was also a number of collaborative pieces which allowed all members of the group to contribute, using a number of unique instruments, such as chopsticks, cups and eye droppers. These collaborative pieces served to represent the experiences of the members and the support and friendship gained from others.

After the opening, I spoke to a number of the artists who had their works on display and each of them discussed how the project helped them rebuild their confidence and assist in re-engaging with the community.

Brush Strokes will be on display in the foyer of the Maroondah Art Gallery at Federation Estate until the 30th of September. I would strongly recommend that people visit the exhibition so that they can see first hand the professionalism and diversity of the artworks in display.

On the 6th of September I, along with Cr Taylor, attended the Annual General Meeting of the Eastern Volunteers Resource Centre. The EVRC is a not for profit organisation, which provides volunteer assistance and community transport for people living in the Cities of Maroondah and Whitehorse and the Shire of Yarra Ranges. We are fortunate to have the main offices of the EVRC located in Maroondah and to have an organisation that actively promotes and encourages volunteerism. I would like to congratulate the office bearers for the upcoming year and for the new model rules that the organisation has adopted. These new rules which provide additional governance for the EVRC and separate its elected committee of management from its operational staff, will provide a focus for the organisation into the future.

I would like to table the Annual Report of the Eastern Volunteers Resource Centre and trust the organisation will continue to further its successes in coming years.

Delegates' Report: Improving our urban sustainability through the Eastern Transport Coalition

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There were a number of significant events that occurred over the past month and I would like to use this opportunity to brief both council and the wider community:

On the 20th of July the Eastern Transport Coalition, which consists of Melbourne’s seven eastern councils, organised a bus tour for Meredith Sussex the Coordinator-General of Infrastructure. Meredith is responsible for coordinating the areas of planning and transport on behalf of the State Government. Given the urban revitalisation and consolidation that is occurring in the eastern suburbs, it was imperative that Meredith saw the region firsthand to understand the issues facing the seven councils, including Maroondah.

As the Maroondah delegate on the Eastern Transport Coalition, I discussed the council’s vision for Maroondah, with a particular emphasis on the Ringwood Transit City and Croydon Activity Centre. We stressed the need for further bus improvements, particularly along main thoroughfares such as Maroondah Highway, Canterbury Road, Dorset and Wonga Roads to ensure that our community is provided with transport choice. We also highlighted the need for rail frequency improvements, where currently people must wait up to half an hour to catch a train between Ringwood and Croydon during a weekday, despite the fact that services are more frequent, with a twenty minute interval, on weekends.

We also discussed the need to upgrade Ringwood Station and for improvements along the pedestrian crossing at Maroondah Highway.

I will be tabling the factsheet compiled by Maroondah’s Sustainability Department, which explained Council’s direction and highlighted the issues requiring active involvement from the State Government.

The tour provided a welcomed opportunity to explore these issues firsthand and I would like to thank Meredith for her time.

On the 12th of August I attended a meeting organised by the Maroondah Climate Change Action Group and supported by Maroondah City Council. The meeting, which explored the issues surrounding climate change, was well attended and demonstrated the partnership that can exist between the community and council. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Maroondah’s Sustainability Department for providing logistical support for this function and hope that this will be the first of many instances of where we as a council support such groups in exploring environmental issues.

Lastly, on the 14th and 15th of August, as part of a delegation from the Eastern Transport Coalition, I flew to Canberra to discuss public transport issues with Federal Parliamentarians and to meet other stakeholder groups such as the Australasian Railways Association and the Australian Local Government Association.

Despite the dramas experienced at Melbourne Airport, where our 8.25 am flight did not depart until 11.10 am, the trip was extremely productive, once we finally arrived in Canberra.

Australia remains the only OECD nation, that is the only Westernised nation, where the Federal Government has no involvement in urban public transport. This is despite the recent Sustainable Cities Inquiry of 2005, which was based on a vision for Australian cities to be vibrant and healthy and concluded that a coordinated and concerted action plan, through leadership from the Federal Government, was currently missing in regard to our cities.

There is an economic, social and environmental case for Federal involvement in urban public transport and the ALGA motions brought forward in tonight’s agenda expand upon these elements.

In particular, however, is the issue of good governance and accountability and I would like to take this opportunity to clarify the stance of the Eastern Transport Coalition.

Cost-shifting from the State Government is a major source of frustration and increases costs to local government and our community. Since we experience this burden firsthand we are not about to try and shift State responsibilities to the Federal government. What we are calling for is Federal involvement to keep State Governments accountable. Federal involvement in urban public transport would help ensure that the State Government lives up to its pledge of improving public transport and finally delivers on previously made promises, such as the third track to Ringwood which was promised by the current State Labor Government since its election in 1999.

Federal leadership would further the infrastructure investment within our region and boost our the wellbeing of our community, the same way that the offer for matched federal funding for the then Scoresby Freeway ensured that it was on the State Government agenda.

The Eastern Transport Coalition is not about to shift costs and responsibilities to the Federal Government, what we are calling for is better governance and Federal leadership on this issue to ensure greater sustainability and the economic wellbeing of the eastern suburbs.

The trip to Canberra provided an opportunity to explore these issues with Parliamentarians and there is definite potential to explore suitable models for Federal leadership in creating Sustainable Cities. Federal leadership and involvement in such issues will ensure greater accountability and ensure that State Governments are not able to simply forget about their responsibilities for urban sustainability and public transport.

I will be tabling my written report that the trip to Canberra as well as the Eastern Transport Coalition’s report on the feasibility of federal funding for urban public transport.

Delegates' report: Peak Oil and Climate Change

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On the 27th of June I attended the Peak Oil, Petrol Prices and Climate Change Conference convened by the Victorian Council of Social Services, Environment Victoria and in partnership with the Victorian Government.

Peak Oil is the situation that occurs when the supply of oil is unable to meet demand. It was first hypothesised by Marion King Hubbert who successfully predicted the peaking of US oil supplies in the 1970s.

This conference provided a wealth of information on the repercussions of rising petrol prices and therefore the implications of peak oil on Melbourne and Victoria more broadly. This has a number of consequences for Maroondah since rising petrol prices can create increasing financial strain on household budgets.

In fact one of the speakers at the conference, Dr. Jago Dodson, has investigated the vulnerability of Australia’s cities in regard to rising petrol prices. The report found that outer eastern Melbourne, including Maroondah is definitely susceptible to the resulting increased financial strain, due mainly to the under provision of public transport services.

The conference on peak oil reinforced the need for strong advocacy in regard to public transport. It is therefore encouraging that Maroondah has recently appointed a full-time sustainable transport officer to strengthen our advocacy for public transport improvements.

There were a number of sustainability related events over the course of the past month, including the Croydon Conservation Society Film night on the 28th of June. This film night included screenings of Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth and the End of Suburbia, a film that further explores the concept of peak oil.

An Inconvenient Truth which features former US Vice-President Al Gore, explores the growing evidence surrounding climate change and the growing need for worldwide consensus and action. The film draws an interesting comparison between the controversy surrounding climate change and the debate that surrounded CFCs approximately two decades ago.

At the time there was much controversy surrounding the environmentally harmful effects of CFCs, however a worldwide treaty banning their production was signed in 1987. As a result of this definitive action the ozone hole over the Antarctic improved, demonstrating the merit of effective worldwide action. It would appear that similar action is required in regard to climate change. While there is still much debate surrounding the magnitude of climate change, effective action is required to mitigate its increasingly dire effects.