Tag: association

Ringwood Spiders: Christian Ampt Memorial Trophy Match

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The Ringwood Spiders is a football team for people with disabilities and competes within the Football Integrated Development Association (FIDA), where they are fielding two teams for this season.

This morning I attended the Ringwood Spider’s Home  Game at Jubilee Park where they competed against Mazenod for the Christian Ampt Memorial Trophy, in recognition of a former player of the Spiders who battled depression.   The trophy will be played for each year in honour of Christian who had some of his best games against Mazenod. The match coincided with the Spiders Sponsors Day and provided an opportunity for sponsors to see how their support of the Spiders assists the Club and its members.

They gave their all in the second half and kicked away to a four goal buffer. But Mazenod were not done and two late goals tightened things up. It was a jubilant Spiders though that held on and ran out winning by 13 points.

The Ringwood Spiders has a strong community focus and prides itself on community inclusion.  Initiatives such as the junior development squad and cheer squad continue to grow and enable people of all abilities to become involved within the Club and to be a part  of the Ringwood Spiders.

While the match was the Spiders last home game for the season there are additional games throughout the season.  For furhter information on the Ringwood Spiders please visit www.ringwoodspiders.com.

MAV State Council Meeting – May 2010

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The Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) is the peak body representing local government across Victoria and advocates on behalf of the sector.  The MAV holds two State Council meetings each year, where motions are debated to influence the policies and activities of the organisation.

As the current Mayor I am also Maroondah’s MAV representative, meaning that I represent the views of the municipality at the State Council meetings.

Maroondah submitted several motions to be debated at the State Council, including calling on the State Government to provide a centralised support service to provide assistance in regard to Councillor Workcover and Conflict of Interest provisions.  In addition Maroondah initiated a motion calling on the roll-out of energy efficient lighting across Victoria and expressed concern over the lack of consultation in regard to the increases in the State Government Landfill levy.

Each of these motions were successful and will help shape the policies and actions of the Municipal Association of Victoria.  The next State Council meeting is planned for late October.

Ringwood Cricket Club – 2010 Presentation Night

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The Ringwood Cricket Club is based at Jubilee Park in Ringwood and fields four sides in Victorian Premier Cricket, as well as  a fifth side in the Eastern Cricket Association.   This evening I attended the Ringwood Cricket Club’s presentation evening where distinguished players were recognised for their cricketing skills over the season.   The Club has a strong presence both on and off the field, whereby it is supported by volunteers and sponsors who provide valuable assistance to the Club and its activities.

The presentation evening held at the Karralyka Centre, provided an opportunity to reflect on these successes and to build a strong foundation for the upcoming Cricket Season.  Jubilee Park, with a range of sporting activities including Aquatic, Football, Cricket, and Soccer, is one of Maroondah’s premiere sporting precincts.  Council is replacing the grass at the second oval at Jubilee Park and will be increasing its water allocation, through other water savings, to ensure a playable surface for the upcoming season.

In addition, Council is undertaking a Management Plan of Jubilee Park, which will improve accessibility and the management of each of the facilities, as well as assessing the future needs for this precinct and Maroondah.  Combined, these initiatives will help ensure that we continue to meet the sporting and recreational needs of the Maroondah community.

Media Release: Council to present three motions at ALGA conference

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Maroondah City Council will present three motions to the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) National General Assembly in Canberra from 14 to 17 June.

Mayor of Maroondah, Cr Alex Makin, will make the presentations on Council’s behalf.

“The three motions to be presented on behalf of Maroondah are seen to be of national significance, particularly as issues such as population growth and climate change need to be approached at the national level in the interest of all Australians,” Cr Makin said.

At its meeting of Monday 19 April, Council approved the three motions for submission.

“The first motion calls on the ALGA National General Assembly to encourage the Federal Government to financially support the upgrade of infrastructure within large metropolitan activity centres to cater for the projected increase in Australia’s population by 2050,” Cr Makin said.

The second motion requests that the ALGA National General Assembly call on the Federal Government to ensure that any possible changes to the funding of health care services, particularly in the area of Home and Community Care and Maternal and Child Health services, does not impact on current funding arrangements with local government.

“As Victorian councils are involved with the delivery of these services, the Commonwealth must be alerted to the need to protect their financial interests in any changes to the system,” Cr Makin said.

Cr Makin said the third motion requested that the ALGA National General Assembly call on state and federal governments to provide financial assistance for the roll-out of energy efficient street lighting.

“Implementing energy efficient street lighting is the single biggest issue for Councils trying to reduce greenhouse emissions and meet greenhouse reduction targets,” Cr Makin said.

“There are substantial changeover costs associated with the introduction of new energy efficient street lighting and this presents a significant barrier to the uptake of this technology,” Cr Makin said.

– ENDS –

Ringwood Spiders: 2010 Jumper Presentation Evening

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The Ringwood Spiders is a football team for people with disabilities and is based at Jubilee Park, where they share facilities with the Ringwood Redbacks.  The Spiders compete within the Football Integration Development Association League and will be entering two teams into the competition this year.

Ex-footballer Nathan Thompson was the guest speaker and discussed depression and its affects.  Nathan spoke about his own experiences and how it is important to be proactive in seeking support when experiencing depression.  Members of the Spiders have had their own experience with depression and it was encouraging  to hear from someone who has had own first-hand experience with depression and its symptoms.

Tonight’s evening also reflected on last year’s on-field success, where the Spiders won the Premiership flag and the players are enthusiastic about the year ahead.  The Ringwood Spiders Cheerleading Squad is also returning and provides opportunities for people who are unable to play football to still get involved in the team.

The Ringwood Spiders also launched their new website which is available at www.ringwoodspiders.com.

Kilsyth Cobras – Singlet Presentation Evening

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The Kilysth Cobras compete within the South East Australian Basketball League (SEABL), the premiere Winter basketball league and is part of the Kilsyth and Mount District Basketball Association (KMDBA).

The Association has members across the City of Maroondah and the Shire of Yarra Ranges and tonight’s singlet presentation provided an opportunity to welcome players competing for the Cobras in the 2010 SEABL season.

Eastern Volunteers Board of Management Meeting

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Eastern Volunteers is a not-for-profit organisation that provides volunteer assistance, as well as community transport for the frail aged and people with disabilities. The organisation aims to strengthen volunteering by providing training services and assistance in recruiting and placing volunteers within other community based associations.

Eastern Volunteers is also heavily involved in community transport solutions and provides a range of transport services for home and community care (HACC) eligible clients to assist in enhancing social inclusion and reducing isolation. The organisation is also involved in programs which aim to look at how community transport can augment public transport and taxi services. Eastern Volunteers is planning three major events this year, including its Fun Run in March, a Business Dinner and a Regional Conference in August.

Eastern Volunteers was formed in 1976 and has 14 part-time staff with approximately 100 volunteers to assist in service delivery. A voluntary board of management oversees the policies and strategic direction of the organisation. I have been a member of the board of management since July 2008.

For further details on Eastern Volunteers please visit www.easternvolunteers.org.au.

RDCA vs Ringwood Cricket Club – Charity Cricket Match

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Each year the Ringwood and District Cricket Association and the Ringwood Cricket Club compete in a charity match, which aims to raise funds for a nominated charity.

This year the chosen charity was Wesley Mission Victoria, with a representative from their Ringwood Office present during the game. The game was a Twenty20 match with the Ringwood Cricket Club narrowly defeating the RDCA.

Wesley Mission has an extensive presence within the eastern region of Melbourne, including support services and crisis accommodation. Wesley Mission Victoria’s eastern region office is located on the Maroondah Highway in Ringwood.

Wellbeing of the Sudanese Community within Maroondah

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The City of Maroondah is home to many Sudanese refugees, who settled within the municipality to start a new life within Australia. While many community organisations and facilities have welcomed the Sudanese community, they have experienced some ongoing difficulties in securing employment and housing.

This afternoon I attended a public meeting convened by the Maroondah Southern Sudanese Christian Welfare Association to discuss the ongoing difficulties faced by this community.

I was joined by the majority of my Council colleagues, as well as several State Members, so that we could hear first-hand the difficulties the Sudanese community is facing. While one of the challenges, in regard to community space, will hopefully be resolved through partnering with community houses, the challenge of affordable housing and employment, is more difficult to resolve.

All levels of government need to work together to ensure that our emerging communities are able to establish a sustainable and ongoing future within Maroondah. I will be discussing these concerns with State and Federal Members so that we can work towards some positive outcomes for the Sudanese community.

VLGA Essential Mayor’s Weekend

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The Victorian Local Governance Association (VLGA) is a peak body that represents councillors across Victoria. Maroondah has been a member of the VLGA since 2008 and as such is able to utilise the organisation for advocacy, as well as training and support.

This weekend the VLGA held its Essential Mayor’s Weekend, which provides a training program for current Mayors across Victoria. Sessions covered governance, meeting procedures and advocacy to help ensure a successful year as Mayor.

Both Richard Wynne, the Minister for Local Government and Jeanette Powell, the Shadow Minister for Local Government, addressed the attendees and provided their perspectives on local government. It was encouraging to hear both of them discuss the importance of local government and it is imperative that there are genuine partnerships between all levels of government so that we deliver positive outcomes for our communities.

The Essential Mayor’s Weekend was informative and provided an opportunity to meet the Mayors of other municipalities. Collaboration across councils will strengthen the advocacy voice of local government and deliver results for our communities.

As an example, Maroondah, Whitehorse and Frankston each have similar issues in regard to the need for the redevelopment of major transport hubs (Ringwood, Box Hill and Frankston Stations) and working together will assist in demonstrating the importance of these projects across the eastern region.