Thank you to the many individuals and community organisations that have shared their time over the past seven years. It has been an absolute honour to represent the Loughnan’s HIll Ward and the Mullum Wards in the City of Maroondah.
We accomplished a lot over these years, including new investment in community infrastructure, a focus on public transport advocacy and a Council that responds to needs in the community. During my time as Mayor I reversed twelve years of budget deficits and improved the accountability of Councils by encouraging debate and discussion during Council meetings.
I was the first elected Councillor to regularly maintain a blog, documenting my Council activities and to engage communities through social media. I provided a range of contact options to ensure that constituents were able to easily make contact with an elected representative.
After seven years I will not be renominating at the upcoming Council elections. I would like to thank the many people who have offered support and encouragement for providing the opportunity to respond to their concerns.
We have a great seven years together but it now time for me to focus on my career and other pursuits. I like the people of Loughnan’s Hill Ward and the Mullum Ward for the opportunity to serve as their elected representative.
Being an elected Councillor requires an ongoing time commitment coupled with an understanding of good governance and the ability to respond to community feedback. Victorian council elections will be held at the end of October in all local councils with the exception of Brimbank City Council.
The Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) provides introductory sessions for prospective council candidates to assist in understanding the role and responsibilities of local government. The sessions include an overview from a neighbouring Council Chief Executive Officer and Councillor to discuss the role of council officers and elected representatives.
This evening I was invited to speak at the information session held at Knox City Council to provide an overview of my experiences in local government and advice on conducting council campaigns. The session provided an opportunity for candidates to discuss the operations of a Council and the role that Councillors undertake within the community. In particular I was able to provide an overview of governance structures for Council to assist candidates in understanding how Councillors can deliver results for the community.
I attended a similar information session in 2005 when I first stood for local government in Maroondah and found that the discussion was useful in gaining an insight into councils. Candidates should be advised to learn about local government and its decision making processes to ensure that they can become effective representatives for their community.
Maroondah residents were among more than 3500 people to support a Municipal Association of Victoria petition calling on an upgrade to energy efficient street lighting.
Maroondah Mayor Councillor Alex Makin thanked those Maroondah residents who pledged their support to the Give Our Streets the Green Light campaign.
“The petition was calling on the State and Federal governments to partner with local councils to fund the $114 million upgrade costs which come with the switch to energy efficient street lighting,” Cr Makin said.
“The Municipal Association of Victoria delivered the community petitions to the Premier and Opposition Leader ahead of last Friday’s Local Government Climate Change Summit,” Cr Makin said.
“The Municipal Association of Victoria are confident the strong support by 46 councils and their communities will result in a commitment ahead of the state election to contribute some funding to fast-track the changeover to energy efficient street lighting,” Cr Makin said.
“Securing a combined contribution of $45million over four years from the Federal and State Governments would mean that councils could change about 330,000 street lights from 80W mercury vapour lamps to energy efficient globes at a low cost and in a quicker turn around,” Cr Makin said.
In Maroondah the upfront costs of replacing more than 5500 mercury vapour globes currently lighting Maroondah’s streets is about $2million.
Cr Makin said the reason for changing to more energy efficient globes was to reduce Council’s greenhouse gas emissions and create a greener more energy-efficient future.
“Council estimates that 31 per cent of its green house gas emissions and 22 per cent of its electricity costs are generated by lighting Maroondah’s local streets,” Cr Makin said.
“Electricity is predominately generated by burning brown coal which results in significant green house gases. By making the change to energy efficient globes, we can reduce our carbon footprint and work towards mitigating the effects of climate change,” Cr Makin said.
“The sooner the change over the sooner we start making a difference,” Cr Makin said.
The State Election is just over a month away and the Marooodah Leader has canvassed community organisations on the issues facing Maroondah and Melbourne’s outer east:
Mayor Alex Makin said the council’s focus was on funding for the $48 million Maroondah Aquatic and Leisure Centre, but the major parties should also provide an ongoing commitment to Ringwood Central Activities District, preserving local government’s authority over planning decisions and more frequent public transport services.
It is imperative that all parties commit to a shared vision for Maroondah, including Ringwood’s status as a Central Activities District. This requires an ongoing commitment and planning certainty, as well as facilities that serve not only Maroondah but the wider eastern region.
Ringwood Station fails to meet disability compliance standards and is perceived to be unsafe due to the poor station design, including narrow and steep ramps. The community has continually called for the full redevelopment of Ringwood Station into a safe, accessible and integrated interchange that will meet the needs of Ringwood as a vibrant urban centre.
While public transport is a State Government responsibility, Council must advocate on behalf of its community and it is clear that Maroondah is seeking a commitment for the redevelopment of Ringwood Station.
Council has been circulating a petition for the past month which has now attracted over 2000 signatures with approximately 1000 visitations through social media tools, including Facebook and Youtube. This evening Council officially launched the Missing Piece campaign with a direct call to action for all political parities to commit to the station upgrade.
Alex with Margaret launching Maroondah's Missing Piece campaign calling for the upgrade of Ringwood Station into an accessible, safe and integrated transport interchange
Ringwood Station is the Missing Piece in a vision for Ringwood, since a lack of commitment diminishes the residential, commercial and community investment that is taking place. Margaret Stevens, a renowned accessibility advocate who spent a week at Eastland collecting signatures for the petition, joined me in launching the campaign and calling on all political parties to commit to Ringwood’s future.
Council’s video highlighting the condition of Ringwood Station was displayed throughout the launch reinforcing the accessibility difficulties that exist.
The speech provided during the launch is available within this post:
In the spirit of Reconciliation, we acknowledge that we are meeting on land for which the Wurundjeri people have been custodians for many centuries, and on land which the Indigenous Australians have performed age old ceremonies.
We, Maroondah City Council, accept, respect and have shared with the Wurundjeri people in their customs of welcome.
The Wurundjeri people support the coming together of all people, respecting their individuality to focus on a unified and cohesive nation.
As you have gathered here this evening, you will have seen the video playing overhead showing the difficulty people in our community, and particularly those with a disability, have accessing Ringwood Station and the 50 year old ramps leading to the station platforms.
This video has been an important element of an advocacy campaign Council has been running over the past six weeks.
The campaign is seeking a funding commitment from all state political parties in the lead up to the State election for the upgrade of Ringwood Station within the next term of government.
The campaign has been running for six weeks with significant support and media coverage from Maroondah’s two local papers, editorial has appeared each week for the past 6 weeks.
Community support has been extremely strong, and to date we have over 2000 signatures to the petition, from individuals and community groups.
One of these individuals is here with us tonight, and I would like to acknowledge Margaret Stevens for her dedication to the cause in securing over 600 signatures from the Maroondah community and beyond during a week at Eastland. In addition, several members of the community, including Dawn Oliffe spent time at Ringwood Station securing signatures for the petition.
Margaret is one of many voices demanding action for Ringwood Station. I have spoken with many people during the course of this campaign and the message from the community is clear, Maroondah residents are tired of waiting, they want a safe, integrated, accessible and vibrant Ringwood Station, and they want it in the term of the next government.
Tonight, Council is launching “The Missing Piece – Ringwood Station” in the lead up to this evening’s Eastern Transport Coalition Forum.
Alex with Margaret launching Maroondah's Missing Piece campaign calling for the upgrade of Ringwood Station into an accessible, safe and integrated transport interchange.
Significant investment and development continues in Ringwood, with support from the State Government and private enterprise, however the commitment to fund the redevelopment of Ringwood Station remains the missing piece of the vision for the Ringwood Central Activities District.
As you can see within the Ringwood Central Activities District jigsaw, we have EastLink providing an important road transport corridor from Mitcham to Frankston, an area responsible for 40 percent of Victoria’s manufacturing output and over 1.3 million people living in the area and providing more than 350,000 jobs.
The sporting, recreational and leisure facilities that either currently exist (Maroondah Federation Estate/Maroondah Art Gallery, tennis, croquet, football and cricket), are under construction (Soccer), or awaiting funding (proposed Maroondah Aquatic and Leisure) in the Jubilee Park precinct are within walking distance from Ringwood Station and the Central Activities District.
New businesses and services are moving to Ringwood, bringing increased employment and spending, as evidenced by the Connect East building perched over EastLink.
Ringwood Lake Park is an icon of Ringwood, providing enormous leisure and recreational pleasure all year round for people of all ages and abilities.
The $39million bus interchange is poised to change the face of Maroondah Highway, however, it does not provide an interface with the existing Ringwood Station.
Residential housing development is showing consistent growth within the Central Activities District with private building developers showing their support for the vision of Ringwood. The new 10 story co-operative housing development will soon be home to over 100 people early next year.
Eastland and the Ringwood Market site are expected to see construction and expansion of retail, community and business floorspace, changing the face of Ringwood significantly.
The Lake to Creek project will see pedestrian and cycling links between the Mullum Mullum Creek and Ringwood Lake, adding another vital layer to the accessibility of our city.
It is time to add the missing piece to the Ringwood Central Activities District jigsaw, a new Ringwood Station.
It is time for each state political party to not only acknowledge the need for an upgrade to Ringwood Station, but to actually stand up and commit to fund this important piece of public transport infrastructure that remains the missing piece of the vision for the State Government’s own Ringwood Central Activities District.
Radio Eastern FM is a community radio station that broadcasts on 98.1 FM from studios at Wyreena Community Arts Centre. The radio station has a variety of programs, including interviews with Councillors on the first Friday of each month.
This month I was interviewed on Radio Eastern FM to discuss Council’s role in advocating on behalf of the community and to provide further details on Council’s campaign calling on all political parties to commit to the upgrade and redevelopment of Ringwood Station.
The State Election in November provides the ideal opportunity to secure a commitment towards Ringwood Station, so that it becomes an accessible, safe and integrated transit interchange. While the State Government has committed $39 million to redevelop the bus interchange and station forecourt, further funding is required to improve the station itself, including ramps that fail disability compliance standards.
The redevelopment of Ringwood Station is essential to transforming it into a vibrant, sustainable and accessible urban centre. Ringwood will only be successful as a Central Activities District if it is provided with public transport infrastructure and services that are accessible, safe and easy to utilise. The current station does not meet this criteria and needs a State Government commitment to secure its redevelopment and upgrade.
Council is working in partnership with the community to secure the upgrade of Ringwood Station. A petition is available at Council Service Centres, as well as online at www.maroondah.vic.gov.au so that community members can demonstrate their support for the redevelopment of Ringwood Station.
In addition, I will be writing to community groups to outline how they can get involved in the campaign and assist in securing a commitment from all political parties towards the vital redevelopment of Ringwood Station.
Council will be continuing this campaign in the lead-up to the State Election and will be holding an official launch in mid October. Regular updates will be provided on the progress of this Campaign and I look forward to working with the community to advocate for a safe, accessible and integrated Ringwood Transit Interchange.
A sixty metre long petition demanding the Victorian Government revisit its transport policy was today presented to the Victorian Government.
Mayors and Councillors from Maroondah and six other Melbourne’s eastern suburban Councils – who represent about a quarter of Melbourne’s population – gathered on the Parliaments steps today to send a message to the Victorian Government that transport needs in the east are not being met.
Presenting the monster petition to the Minister for Transport, Martin Pakula, Eastern Transport Coalition Chairperson Cr Samantha Dunn said that Eastern suburbs residents have been neglected by Government for too long.
“It’s time this government looked seriously at providing sustainable transport options right across Melbourne rather than focussing on a few key electorates,” Cr Dunn said.
“The Eastern Transport Coalition represents seven councils in the East whose residents are crying out for more public transport. The petition we’re presenting today has over 13,000 signatures, each one of them a demand of Government to end the neglect,” she said.
Maroondah Mayor Cr Alex Makin said that the level of concern in Maroondah regarding public transport had been increasing for some time.
“Maroondah residents want public transport improvements. They are crying out for a solution and for the redevelopment of Ringwood Station into an integrated and accessible transit interchange. This is why The City of Maroondah signed up to the ETC in the first place,” Cr Makin said.
Cr Dunn said that the ETC petition called on Victorian Government to address the significant gaps in the provision of and planning for public transport in Greater Dandenong, Knox, Manningham, Maroondah, Monash, Whitehorse, and Yarra Ranges.
The petition seeks commitments from the Government to modify the plan to include:
A full and public feasibility study for a heavy rail line to Rowville,
A full and public feasibility study for a heavy rail line to Doncaster
A greater commitment to the extension of the Metro rail tunnel from Domain to Caulfield,
A full and public feasibility study for an increase in capacity on the Belgrave/Lilydale and Glen Waverley lines,
Improved facilities for passengers, particularly at interchanges located in central activity districts – Ringwood, Dandenong and Box Hill,
Fully accessible public transport facilities and vehicles
Cr Dunn said that there was still time for this government to make a commitment to Melbourne’s east.
“This election year provides a perfect opportunity for this government to show that it is listening to the million or so residents east of Warrigal road who are forced to drive their cars to work because they have few viable alternatives,” Cr Dunn said.
Cr Dunn thanked the Minister for Transport for receiving the petition.
“We’re pleased that all sides of Parliament are interested in our issues. Now it’s important that today’s gesture from the Victorian Government results in action,” she said.
One of the key priorities for the Maroondah City Council and our community is the complete redevelopment of Ringwood Station so that it becomes a safe, accessible and integrated transport interchange. While the State Government is planning to begin works on the bus interchange and station forecourt in July, no commitment has been received for the redevelopment of the station itself.
The Maroondah Leader has reported on Ringwood Station being ignored in the State Government Budget that was unveiled last week.
Maroondah Mayor Alex Makin said the council was disappointed the railway station, which does not comply with disability standards was ignored.
“The council views the redevelopment of the station as our top community advocacy priority,” Cr Makin said. “It is a central vision as part of the Ringwood central activities district, and we’ll be calling on all political parties to commit to this before the station election.”
Ringwood Station currently fails disability compliance standards with some residents resorting to the use of a bus service to Box Hill, which takes an hour to complete its journey, just to avoid the steep, dark and narrow ramps at Ringwood Station. It is clear that Ringwood Station is in need of a complete redevelopment and Council will be advocating strongly for a commitment for a safe, accessible and integrated transport interchange in the lead up to the State Election.
This morning I spoke briefly to Eastern FM to discuss the process for filling a vacancy on council, given Peter Gurr’s resignation.
The method for filling a vacancy depends as to the whether the council has a multi-member or single member ward structure.
Maroondah now has three wards electing three Councillors each and under this system no by-election is required. Instead the votes that were cast for Peter at the 2008 election are distributed in order of preference and the candidate that receives an absolute majority of these votes (50% + 1) will be deemed elected. The successful candidate will be deemed to be elected for the remainder of this council term.
The counting will be undertaken on the 27th of January after the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC) contacts each Arrabri Ward candidate from the 2008 election to confirm whether they wish to be included in the ballot.
Similarly to a standard council election, this process will be undertaken by the Victorian Electoral Commission and is independent of Council.
I ask members of the community to respect Peter’s decision and I wish Peter and his wife Helen all the very best into the future.
“It is with regret that I advise the Maroondah community that Peter Gurr has resigned from his role as a Councillor of the City of Maroondah, effective 31 December, 2009,” said Mayor of Maroondah, Councillor Alex Makin.
“Peter was elected to the first Maroondah City Council in March 1997, and has served the Arrabri Ward continuously across five terms of elected office,” said Cr Makin.
During his thirteen year term of office, Peter has been Mayor of Maroondah on three occasions:
March 2000 to March 2001
December 2006 to December 2007
December 2008 to December 2009.
“Peter has made a wonderful contribution to the Maroondah community. In particular he has been a committee member of the Arrabri Community House for many years, many times as Chair. He has also been Chair of Council’s Business Advisory Board and Audit Advisory Committee on a number of occasions,” said Cr Makin.
“Over the years, Peter has also represented Council on a range of committees and boards, including the Maroondah Partners in Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committee; the Maroondah Tourism and Heritage Advisory Board; the Melbourne Valley of the Arts Marketing Board; the Ringwood Town Centre Working Group; the Municipal Association of Victoria; and the Ringwood Eisteddfod,” said Cr Makin.
“My fellow Councillors and I offer Peter, and his wife Helen, our best wishes as they move onto the next phase of their lives,” said Cr Makin.
The process to fill the vacancy in the Arrabri Ward will be managed by the Victorian Electoral Commission via a countback using the votes cast at the November 2008 Maroondah City Council election,” said Cr Makin.
“It is important that the community be aware that the resignation of a Councillor does not trigger a by-election for the vacant position,” said Cr Makin.
The Victorian Electoral Commission has set Wednesday 27 January as the date for the countback. Time is yet to be confirmed. The elected candidate will then take up the remainder of the Council term through to November 2012.
Unsuccessful Arrabri Ward candidates in the November 2008 Maroondah City Council election were:
Robyn Barrand
Aaron Carlson
Tony Dib
Christina Gleeson
James Jamison
Neil MacDonald
Brian Robinson
Neil Rose
It is anticipated that the newly elected Councillor will be sworn in at the next Council meeting on the 15th of February.
