Category: Submissions

Submission – Maroondah bus service reviews

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The State Government is currently reviewing bus services across Maroondah, Knox and the Shire of Yarra Ranges and has called for submissions into the bus network within these municipalities.

The initial deadline for submissions was Friday the 27th of February but this has now been extended until Friday the 3rd of April, since several workshops within the Yarra Ranges have needed to be rescheduled due to the bushfires.

I have completed a submission in regard to bus services within Maroondah, focusing on the need to rectify gaps in coverage, as well as increased frequencies and operating spans.

The City of Maroondah, with a residential population of approximately 100,000 residents, is located in Melbourne’s outer east, 25 kilometres east of the Melbourne CBD.

The City of Maroondah includes the activity centres of Ringwood and Croydon, with Ringwood identified as a Transit City and Central Activity District. State Government planning and transport policies have acknowledged the need for public transport to underpin the designated Central Activity Districts.

Accessibility is of critical importance within Maroondah, since the municipality has one of the highest proportions of people with a disability. As such infrastructure, in the form of bus stops and vehicles need to be accessible so that they can be used by people with a range of mobility aids and disabilities.

Likewise service levels need to be of a standard that does not restrict the mobility of people that are reliant on public transport services and takes into account the urban revitalisation that is being encouraged within Ringwood and Croydon.

Specially, the submission calls for a new bus route along Canterbury Road from Ringwood to Box Hill, and a new route along Mount Dandenong Road providing a direct connection between Ringwood, the Karralyka Centre, Maroondah Hospital and the associated medical precinct.

In addition there is a need for localised services through Warranwood, where houses reside beyond reasonable walking distance to bus services.

The success of the Ringwood to Frankston SmartBus, where patronage has increased by up to 80% due to increased frequencies and service spans, demonstrates that public transport will be utilised if services are direct, frequent, readily available and accessible.

Bus services that travel along Maroondah’s main roads, should have a level of service comparable to the SmartBus network to deliver a comprehensive public transport system within Maroondah.

Lastly there is need for comprehensive bus route reform to ensure that Maroondah’s main thoroughfares are serviced by frequent public transport routes. Localised services could operate in residential areas and connect to these main routes. Such reform will provide efficiency savings on the bus network and will also lessen confusion over bus routes and minimise travel times.

To view the full report, please read my submission made to the bus services review for Maroondah.

Response Submission to the VEC's representation review for Maroondah City Council

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I have submitted my response submission to the Victorian Electoral Commission’s (VEC) representation review into Maroondah City Council.

It is encouraging that the Victorian Electoral Commission has found that substantial changes are required to Maroondah’s ward structure as demonstrated through the three options brought forward in the preliminary submission.

In providing a response to the three options proposed by the VEC I assessed the models against the issues listed within my preliminary submission to ensure a consistent and systematic approach.

Ultimately it is imperative that Maroondah’s ward boundaries are restructured to combine communities of interest, rather than the current case where communities are clearly being divided.

VEC Preliminary Submission – Achieving a cohesive Maroondah community

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Given that Maroondah City Council has failed to reflect the community’s views in its submission to the Victorian Electoral Commission I have authored my own individual submission recommending multi-member wards, as supported by the community.

It is unfortunate that some councillors in Maroondah have chosen to disregard the community’s view and decided to put their own self interests above the needs of the municipality. The City of Maroondah, with its current single-member wards, has divided our community with suburbs such as Ringwood being separated into differing wards. Likewise, the divisions between Ringwood and Croydon, a situation perpetuated by the current ward boundaries, has prevented a cohesive and united Maroondah.

A restructure of Maroondah so that it consists of three council wards electing three councillors each would remove the arbitrary divisions that currently exist within Maroondah. Three wards would ensure easily identifiable ward boundaries and would combine broad communities of interest leading to a higher standard of representation and community involvement.

The proposed structure outlined in my submission would lead to stronger governance and a higher standard of representation within the City of Maroondah and would be consistent with the VEC’s approach to nearby municipalities that share similar populations to Maroondah. Lastly, this structure would be robust enough to maintain its relevancy over the next eight years and beyond.

The VEC’s preliminary review aims to propose preferred options for Maroondah and is due on the 1st of April. Following this report there will be a round of further community consultation and submissions including a public hearing.

Media Release: Youth in councils – a critical situation

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MEDIA RELEASE: FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION
Thursday, 30 August 2007

Youth in councils – a critical situation

In an individual submission issued over councillor remuneration, Cr. Alex Makin has highlighted the lack of youth participation in local government and called for higher councillor allowances to ensure more representative local councils.

“The call for higher councillor allowances must not be seen as a grab for cash. While it is true that I am calling for higher allowances, I am doing so to ensure a greater level of commitment and a healthier balance for both councillors and the community,” Cr. Makin said.

The State Government has called for a review into councillor allowances with submissions closing the 1st of September. Currently Victoria’s councils are on a three tired system providing up to $12,000, $15,000 or $18,000 per annum for councillors. Councillors elected within the City of Maroondah receive $15,000 per annum.

“It is distressing that youth participation within councils is extremely low with just 7.8% of councillors aged under 35, despite the fact that over one quarter of our population is within this age group,” Cr. Makin said. “The current rates of remuneration are partially responsible for this, since it is extremely difficult for younger people to make a positive impression within their careers while balancing other commitments. This is contrasted against older people who generally have stable careers, assets and family, making it much easier to fulfil council duties on the current remuneration provided.”

Cr. Alex Makin has supported the rates proposed by the Municipal Association of Victoria which would provide three categories allowing up to $19,933, $24,204 or $28,475 per annum dependent on the budget capacity of the respective municipality.

“Councillors spend on average the equivalent of 20 hours per week on council duties and the allowance should reflect this commitment. While there may be some current councillors who fail to provide the necessary work, the fact is the current remuneration is deterring committed individuals and particularly our youth from stepping forward,” 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

Submission: Councillor Remuneration Review Panel

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The State Government has announced a review into councillor remuneration, as part of this process I authored a submission encouraging to examine the need for stronger youth represention with local government:

Given the time commitment councillors provide, it is fair and reasonable to look at a level of remuneration that allows elected officials to adequately manage council, work, family and other commitments.

It has been estimated that the majority of councillors undertake between 11 to 30 hours per week on council duties and as such it is reasonable to view the commitment to council as a significant time component. Given this commitment and the current remuneration provided, it is unsurprising that youth are significantly under-represented as councillors given that younger people are often beginning to undertake significant career and family commitments.

While it would be wrong to entice candidates into council purely due to the remuneration provided, the current quantum may in fact be deterring committed individuals and particularly our youth from seeking election.

In 2005 I was elected as a Councillor for the City of Maroondah and am one of the few Victorian councillors younger than 30 years of age.

While I understand that both the Municipal Association of Victoria and the City of Maroondah have issued submissions, I believe that there is the need for a submission that explicitly explores the challenges facing younger people in local government.

Speaking from my own experience, I can testify to the challenges that the role provides particularly in regard to balancing career, family and other commitments. While such commitments are not exclusive to younger people, the effects are often more prominent for younger age groups. There may be councillors who are not putting the work into the role, but this is not a path I have wanted to take. In fact, I can confidently and honestly state that I have and will continue to represent my community to the fullest of my ability, despite ongoing competing demands for my time.

Lastly, I would like to state that while I am writing in support of higher remuneration this is not a grab for cash. People should not enter politics or local government due to remuneration, but it is reasonable to expect fair compensation to ensure that competing time demands can be managed and to maximise the ability to represent the community.

ALGA and the Maroondah Mobility Expo: Empowering the Community

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I will be tabling my report but would like to elaborate further on two items, those being the National General Assembly of Local Government and the Maroondah Mobility Expo.

From the 26th through to the 30th of November I along with Cr. Gurr and Cr. Willmott participated in the National General Assembly of local government in Canberra. The National General Assembly convened by the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) allows councils to raise issues within a national context., allowing ALGA to make representation on behalf of local councils to the Federal Government.

In this regard I am particularly pleased that Maroondah’s motion in relation to sustainable transport was passed by the general assembly. This will empower ALGA to advocate for federal involvement in sustainable transport.

I will be tabling a written report, which provides further details on the conference. View the written report on the 2006 National Assembly of ALGA

On the 5th of December I was invited by the Scoot Wheel ‘N’ Move to officially launch and MC the proceedings of Maroondah’s first mobility expo.

The expo provided a full day program that included:

  • Free scooter and wheelchair safety checks;
  • Trials of a low-floor bus;
  • Information sessions on topics such as:
  • Accessing public transport safely;
  • Road rules for motorised scooters and pedestrians;
  • Advice from occupational therapists;
  • Scooter etiquette to ensure safe usage of motorised scooters and wheelchairs;

The expo, which attracted over 250 attendees, was an overwhelming success and demonstrates the results that can be achieved with strong community partnerships.

The expo coincided with the launch of the booklet, Maintaining Your Mobility in Maroondah, which contains valuable tips and etiquette on using mobility aids with Maroondah.

Both the expo and the booklet were only possible due to the strong partnerships that exist between Maroondah City Council and the Maroondah’s Scoot Wheel ‘N’ Move Working Group.

The Scoot Wheel N Move working group comprises of local residents who are passionate volunteers and dedicated to improving mobility within Maroondah. The empowerment of the Scoot Wheel N Move and the strong cooperation with Maroondah resulted in the mobility expo exceeding all expectations.

The community members of the Scoot Wheel ‘N’ Move working and staff from Maroondah City Council, in particular Katie Goodrope Maroondah’s MetroAccess and Trisha Matthes, must be congratulated on working tirelessly to ensure the success of the expo.

The Mobility Expo coincided with the International Day for People with Disabilities and it was therefore fitting that the aim of the expo was to help ensure that all members of the Maroondah community could participate confidently and fully in society.

Given the positive it is clear that the Mobility Expo succeeded in its aim of empowering people within Maroondah. The success of the Expo and Scoot Wheel ‘N’ Move provides a framework to ensure further engagement and empowerment of our community.

National General Assembly of Local Government

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The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) is the national body that represents the 673 councils within Australia. ALGA was formed as a federation of state and territory associations such as the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) and other state or territory local council organisations.

As a national body, ALGA is suitably poised to advocate on behalf of local councils and their constituents at a national level.

The National General Assembly of Local Government provides the opportunity for councils to debate issues of national significance, with approved motions being used by ALGA for advocacy to the Federal Government.

Since I had proposed a motion on behalf of Maroondah City Council I attended this year’s National General Assembly from the 26th to the 30th of November in Canberra.

Motion – Sustainable Cities and Transport:

In September 2005, The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Environment And Heritage tabled its report on an inquiry into Sustainable Cities.

The Standing Committee’s vision is for Australian cities to be vibrant and healthy – environmentally, socially and economically. In order to work towards this vision, the Committee identified that there is a need for the Australian Government to assume a significant leadership role.

The report outlined seven key recommendations relating to improving transport sustainability within Australia. Of significance is the recommendation that the Federal Government significantly boost funding for sustainable transport and in particular, urban public transport.

Recommendation six in particular states that “the Australian Government significantly boost its funding commitment for public transport systems, particular light and heavy rail, in the major cities.”

There is growing acknowledgement around the world that at the national level, government has a key role to play in the provision of urban public transport. In the United States, the Federal Government provides approximately 50% of capital funding for public transport. The UK Government’s current ten year plan will see a £120 billion investment in transport, with explicit provision for rail, light rail, buses and other sustainable transport projects.

In contrast, the Australian Federal Government is reluctant to make a commitment to fund urban public transport infrastructure, even though the opportunities for greater involvement are increasing.

This motion is even more relevant given projected fuel costs and limited long term supplies of fuel with Australian Oil fields “coming to end of productive lives” (Peter Costello April 2005).

This motion calls for the Commonwealth Government to embrace the recommendations of the Standing Committee’s sustainable Cities Report and to adopt the transport recommendations as a matter of urgency.

The specific wording of the motion was as follows:

That the National General Assembly calls on the Commonwealth government to adopt the transport recommendations as outlined in the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Environment and Heritage – Sustainable Cities Report (September 2005).


I am pleased to announce that delegates at the National Assembly passed this motion, as well as others relating to sustainable transport, meaning that ALGA, as a national body for local government, will be making representation to the Federal Government for funding of urban public transport.

The success of sustainable transport motions reflects the growing desire and need for the Federal Government to view urban transport as an issue of national importance and as such follow the lead of other countries around the world in funding urban public transport.

Federal involvement would not excuse State Government inaction:

While the operation and provision of public transport will ultimately remain as a State Government responsibility, there is clear need for the Federal Government to provide national framework for sustainable transport and to provide matched funding for key urban public transport projects similarly to how AusLink provides funding for freight projects.

The call for Federal funding and involvement should not be seen as excusing the State Government’s poor performance of public transport. Instead federal involvement in public transport, would help ensure a national approach to sustainable transport measures and would therefore hold the State Government accountable when it fails to act in regard to public transport.

Eastern Transport Coalition: Evaluating the Fair Fares Campaign

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Tonight’s Eastern Transport Coalition meeting focused on evaluating the results of the Fair Fares Campaign and on preparing to speak to candidates in the upcoming election about the ongoing public transport issues facing Melbourne’s outer east.

While final results are still being prepared, it appears that approximately 60% of all commuters surveyed are driving substantial distances to avoid paying zone three fares. The avoidance of zone three fares results in an unnecessary increase in traffic congestion and detracts from the local amenity of neighbourhoods near stations due to excessive car parking. Furthermore the existence of zone three detracts of residents catching nearby bus services to access stations due to the excessive cost of the additional zone.

The survey results vindicate the Eastern Transport Coalition’s stance on fare reform and the calls to seek a restructuring of the fare system concurrently with the introduction of the new ticketing system next year.

The outer east deserves fair public transport fares.

Delegates' Report: EVRC, Heatherdale Road and the ETC

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I echo comments in regard to the Eastern Volunteer Resource Centre and the community service the organisation provides. In regard I will be tabling their Annual Report, which was presented at their 30th AGM.

On the 13th I attended a meeting of the Heatherdale Community Action Group. This group, which represents the residents of Heatherdale, continues to grow and flourish with each meeting as the interests of the group diversity to cover the overall community. I am pleased to report that the group has been appreciative of council’s efforts in regard to Southern Rocycling and labelled the verdict of the recent court case as a ‘very successful win’. The verdict was obviously a victory for both residents and council alike and it is great to see that these efforts are being appreciated by the Heatherdale community.

The Eastern Transport Coalition met on the 14th and I am pleased to say the campaign for fair fare zones is continuing. It is planned to undertake a survey to ascertain the extent in which people drive to avoid paying the additional slug of a zone three fare.

In response to a question put to council a fortnight ago I also raised the issue of parking at Croydon Station. The Eastern Transport Coalition as a regional body will be pursuing this matter with the State Government and Connex to seek not only additional parking but also a more functional bus network to provide an integrated service to get people to and from Croydon Station.

Another issue I raised was the current lack of hourly bus services on a Sunday along Maroondah Highway. After much advocacy the state government pledged to provide an hourly Sunday service for bus route 670, which connects Ringwood, Croydon, Chirnside Park and Lilydale along the Maroondah Highway.

While some Sunday services were provided on this highly patronised route there is currently a three-hour gap in the middle of the day. The Eastern Transport Coalition will be requesting the fulfilment of the government’s commitment made in 2005 to deliver a proper hourly Sunday service.

Achieving Transit Orientated Design

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This submission was written in response to concepts discussed during the Community Reference Group meeting in September relating to the proposed redevelopment of Ringwood Station.

Transit orientated design refers in part to the integration between public transport and commercial/residential/community precincts and as such is dependent on the convenience of public transport, active transport (walking and cycling) and the ease of transferring between these modes.

For instance the experience of a passenger journey on public transport comprises of many factors including:

  • Service reliability;
  • Service frequency;
  • Travel times;
  • Safety;
  • Ease of transfer.

In this regard the expansion of Clocktower Park to provide integration with Ringwood Station must be facilitated to connect the history and significant of this park to the wider public consciousness. Furthermore current shop frontages at Ringwood Station should consist of a retail/café mix to provide retail integration between the two sides of Maroondah Highway and to transform the so-called ‘Station Superblock’ into a liveable space.