Tag: Community Engagement

Media Release: New Community House a Priority

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Alex Makin, the Councillor for Loughnan’s Hill Ward, has declared his support for a new home for North Ringwood Community House and pledged to work with the house to make the vision a reality.

“The Ringwood North community deserve the same standard of facilities that exist in other suburbs of Maroondah”, Cr. Makin said. “It is critical that the community rallies behind this project to demonstrate the importance local residents hold for their community house.”

North Ringwood Community House is situated at the rear of the Holy Spirit Parish at 120 Oban Road, North Ringwood. The building was a gift from a local family and the parish kindly provided the land. North Ringwood Community House is the only community house in Maroondah that does not reside on council land.

“Community houses that are located on council land are eligible for capital works funding through council grants”, Cr. Makin said. “Since North Ringwood Community House does not reside on council land, the house is unable to expand to meet the growing needs of the community.”

“This is a major project but the sooner we start, the sooner we will see a new community heart for Ringwood North. I offer my complete support to North Ringwood Community House so we can make this vision a reality”, 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 is focused on improving the accessibility and sustainability of Maroondah and has a keen interest in public transport, planning and community engagement.

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

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Delegates' Report: Reconciliation Week, engaging our youth, supporting people with disabilities and calling for an investment in public transport

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While held slightly before Reconciliation Week I attended the screening of a film Liyarn Ngarn by Eastern Access Community Health on the 23rd of May. The screening was held as part of EACH’s Stage Club program at Lifeworks in Ringwood. Stage Club hosts film or life performances every third Friday and provides an opportunity for people with mental illnesses to learn skills relevant to the hospitality industry.

Liyarn Ngarn means ‘Coming Together of the Spirit’ in the Yawuru language of the West Kimberley region. The film is a documentary which explores the treatment of Indigenous Australians from the perspective of English actor Peter Postlethwaite. The film focuses on the journey undertaken by Peter, singer/songwriter Archie Roach and Patrick Dodson as they travel from Perth through to Archie Roach’s home country in south west Victoria. Throughout the journey they hear from personal accounts and discuss major turning points in the relationship with Indigenous Australians such as the Bringing them Home Report and the Aboriginal Deaths in Custody Inquiry.

The film, which features a soundtrack by Archie Roach is a very moving and thought provoking documentary. The theme for this year’s Reconciliation Week was it’s all our story, representing that to progress reconciliation it will involve all of Australia coming together and I certainly encourage people to view the film and consider how reconciliation can become part of our story.

On the 30th of May I had the pleasure of officiating the Young Leaders Presentation Evening held at EV’s Youth Centre. The presentation provided an opportunity to acknowledge the twenty Year 10 students who participated in council’s young leaders program.

Young Leaders is a week long program that helps develop a wide variety of leadership skills, such as public speaking, communication and conflict resolution. The program is held during the school week and while some students may look forward a week off school, in reality it means that they will need to catch up on the work they have missed. Participating in the program is a huge responsibility and one which each student passed with superb results.

The presentation evening provides an opportunity to see firsthand the skills these students have learnt and I would like to take this opportunity to thank our Youth Services Team for facilitating the program and also to the schools and parents for their cooperation. I hope that these students will remember the skills they have learnt and use them not only in school and employment but also within the community. Many community groups would welcome the involvement of younger people and I hope they will use these skills to assist in strengthening our community.

On the 10th of June I attended the launch of Youth Voices at Ringwood Secondary College. Youth Voices will develop a magazine to provide a voice for our youth and to demonstrate the positive contribution that young people make within society. The launch began with an online interactive forum which covered a range of topics, including the future of Ringwood. Council’s Youth Services Team and Economic Development Team, as well as Eastland, need to be congratulated for using this opportunity to consult our youth to understand their vision for Ringwood. This an exciting project and it was great to see the embracing of technology through interactive online forums to encourage people to offer their thoughts. I hope that as a council we will continue to explore innovative methods of community engagement.

On the 15th of June I attended a game of the Ringwood Spiders and their Sponsors Gala function. The Ringwood Spiders is part of the 14 team league organised through the Football Integration Development Association (FIDA). The Ringwood Spiders have a strong focus on the community and they encourage community engagement through their sponsorship program where businesses and community members can sponsor a player for $150 to provide funds for uniforms and other expenses. While the Spiders narrowly lost to Parkside they played some great football and it was great to see the player I sponsored, half back Tom Raisebeck, out on the field. The Spiders have just two remaining home games on the 29th of June and 27th of July and I wish them all the best for the remaining rounds in the season.

On the 15th of June I attended the EastLink open day like many other people and while it certainly is true that Eastlink is an engineering feat we need to remind ourselves that it is not the end of our transport needs in the eastern region. In fact with evidence suggesting $2 per litre petrol prices being common in the not too distant future we need the public transport equivalent of Eastlink.

For those among us that are sceptical about petrol ever reaching $2 a litre we only need to look back a few years and remember how many people claimed that a $1 litre was unforeseeable.

Fortunately Maroondah and the eastern region is focused on the needs of public transport and I am pleased to announce that the Eastern Transport Coalition, the consortium of the seven eastern councils, will be hosting a public transport summit aptly titled ‘It’s Time to Move On’. This summit will explore the public transport needs for eastern Melbourne including a session on Ringwood and its importance as a regional centre.

The summit will be held on Friday the 4th of July from 8.30 am through to 11 am at the Manningham Function Centre in Doncaster. To RSVP please visit www.etc.org.au or let me know as Maroondah’s delegated representative to the ETC.

We have had the investment in our road network – it now is time to move on to ensure that we also receive the necessary investment in our public transport network.

Media Release: Campaign for Ringwood Station must be revived

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MEDIA RELEASE: FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION
Wednesday, 7 May 2008

MEDIA RELEASE: Government Leaves Ringwood to Rot

Cr. Alex Makin, the ward councillor for much of the Ringwood Transit City area, has slammed council’s ‘softly softly’ approach after the State Government failed to provide any funding for the Ringwood Transit City in the state Budget.

“The State Government’s repeated refusal to back the redevelopment of Ringwood Station is a slap in the face to Maroondah Council and every single resident within Maroondah and beyond,” Cr. Makin said. “This Government has such contempt that it even failed to provide the few measly millions we had seen in previous budgets.”

While previous State Budgets had allocated a few million for design and scoping works for Ringwood Station and associated areas, no funding was unveiled in the 2008 – 2009 State Budget. This was despite Ringwood’s status as a transit city and the fact that Ringwood Station does not meet accessibility standards.

“This government only acts in the face of public pressure. This was seen last year when the City of Maribyrnong launched a successful public campaign for the upgrade of Footscray Station”, Cr. Makin said. “Maroondah’s ‘softly softly’ approach has clearly failed, since absolutely nothing was allocated to Ringwood Station in the budget.”

The City of Maribyrnong campaigned heavily for the upgrade of Ringwood Station in the lead up to the 2006 State Election and beyond. Funding for the redevelopment of Footscray Station was announced in last year’s State Government budget.

“I will be calling on council to act decisively and publicly in denouncing the budget decision and launching a campaign to revive Ringwood. Should council fail to act then I am ready to lead a campaign so that Ringwood is not left to rot,” 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, has a keen interest in accessibility, sustainability, public transport, planning and community engagement.

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

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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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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.

Maroondah City Council Meeting 2008

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Council meetings commence at 7.30 pm and are held in the Council Chambers, Braeside Avenue, Ringwood.

The public is welcome to attend and there is an opportunity to submit a question to be answered at council meetings or to speak directly to councillors and council staff after the meeting.

If you wish to submit a formal question at a council meeting, please download the form for Public Question Time from the Maroondah City Council Website.

Launch of Campaign Enable

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I was invited to officially launch Campaign Enable, a group established through the Australian Federation of Disability Organisations, which aims to enable all people to participate within society.

Alex Makin at the launch of Campaign Enable

Campaign Enable marks a turning point in advocacy with the campaign being managed, organised and conducted by people with a disability.

At a national level Campaign Enable aims to achieve the following three goals:

  • 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 an Access to Premises Standard.

While these areas are not the only issues that require attention, they are examples of where a national approach is required. Campaign Enable is not a campaign for special treatment – it is a campaign about ensuring that everyone has equal access about inclusiveness within society.

For further information on the Home
Australian Federation of Disability Organisations please visit www.afdo.org.au.

Please continue reading to view a copy of the speech I delivered for Campaign Enable.
Continue reading “Launch of Campaign Enable”

Maroondah Journal: Two throw hat in ring for city's top job

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The Maroondah election for the City of Maroondah will be held on Wednesday the 5th of December. The Maroondah Journal has reported on the current status of the mayoral race, including my intent to run as a candidate:

The race for Maroondah Council’s top job is heating up with two councillors vying for the mayoral position. Alex Makin and Tony Dib have expressed interest in becoming mayor.

As the councillor for Loughnan’s Hill Ward I have worked continuously on behalf of my constituents and the wider Maroondah community. The level of work I have undertaken in council is demonstrated by my monthly delegates’ reports which highlight the variety of functions I undertake as a councillor.

Cr Makin has flagged his desire for the mayoralty, citing the need for a younger voice as his reason for standing. “I believe Maroondah needs a younger voice at the helm of council. We need to look at new ways to engage our community and ensure that we genuinely represent our constituents”.

While Maroondah has made great strides over the past several years in regard to community engagement and sustainability, the council needs to become a leader in representing the concerns of the community, particularly in regard to accessibility and improving our overall level of sustainability.

Maroondah, particularly the Ringwood Transit City and Croydon Town Centre, will experience significant changes over the next few years. It is critical that we provide the foundations necessary to ensure a positive outcome for our community.

Councillors Maureen Naylor and Jo-anne Tayor said they would support Cr Makin.

I would like to thank Jo-anne and Maureen for their support in this campaign. It is great to have this level of public support from two of my colleagues, particularly two councillors who are extremely dedicated in their service to the community.

The mayor is officially sworn in Wednesday the 5th of December, I would like to thank members of the community for encouraging me to run as a mayoral contender.

Media Release: Will Alex Makin become Maroondah's youngest mayor?

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In announcing his intent to nominate for Mayor, Alex Makin has vowed to be responsive to community needs and to strengthen community engagement.

“I will be nominating for Mayor because I believe Maroondah needs a younger voice at the helm of Council. We need to look at new ways to engage our community and ensure that we are genuinely representing our constituents,” Cr. Makin said.

The Mayor of Maroondah, a twelve month position, will be chosen by councillors on Wednesday the 5th of December. If successful, Alex Makin, a councillor elected in November 2005 would become Maroondah’s youngest mayor.

“I already maintain a website with a blog to communicate with my constituents and I would intend to extend this to include activities I would be undertaking as mayor,” Cr. Makin said. “Likewise, I plan to continue this council’s advocacy for the upgrade of Ringwood Station and the recent abolition of zone three demonstrates I can achieve results. I also believe that Maroondah must be at the forefront of sustainability and this will be an area I will be focusing on”.

“I hope that my colleagues will support my bid for Mayor, no one can deny that I am dedicated to my position as a councillor for Maroondah. My monthly delegate reports, which include many community functions, clearly demonstrate this commitment,” 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

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.