Tag: politics

VLGA: Discussing advocacy within local government

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VLGA: Discussing advocacy within local government

The Victorian Local Governance Association (VLGA) is a peak body for councillors, local government and community leaders with an emphasis on governance and sustainability.

As the Deputy Chair of the Eastern Transport Coalition I was invited to speak at the VLGA’s Essential Mayors Weekend, a conference designed to assist newly elected mayors throughout their mayoral term.

The topic was ‘kicking above our weight’ with an emphasis on advocacy within local government. Three organisations formed part of a panel discussion, including the Eastern Transport Coalition, the White Ribbon Day and Regional Cities Victoria.

My presentation covered the background of the Eastern Transport Coalition and the diverse geography and demographic that it covers.

I discussed the importance of policies and procedures to ensure that transparency, such as providing ample time is provided for feedback. The composition of the ETC is also a contributor to its success whereby each council provides an elected councillor and council officer. Council officers provide the day-to-day support for the group as well as undertake research and submission development and it is therefore important that both council officers and councillors are actively involved within the organisation.

I also mentioned the need for a united approach and the strength in advocating as part of a region, since this prevents other tiers of government from trying to divide local governments. This also ensures that projects are viewed in a regional context whereby the benefits are demonstrated across local government areas thus making it easier to advocate to other tiers of government.

I presented the removal of zone three as a case study that demonstrated a number of critical success factors, including a united stance on the issue, a strong presence within the media, proactive advocacy with election candidates and the need to engage all sides of politics. Zone three fares were abolished in March 2007 after there was bi-partisan support for its removal during the 2006 State Election.

While each organisation had a different emphasis a number of common success factors emerged including the need for unity, a positive engagement with the media and constructive advocacy across the political spectrum.

Councillor Magazine: How councillors can harness the Internet

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Councillor is a quarterly magazine designed to help educate current councillors and demonstrate innovative approaches to local government.

I was contacted by Councillor Magazine to write an article on how councillors can harness the Internet to assist in encouraging dialogue with their community. The article was featured in the September/October edition of the magazine:

How Councillors can harness the Internet

City of Maroondah councillor Alex Makin has operated his own website and blog since 2004. In this article, Cr Makin describes how councillors can also establish their own website and blog, and why more elected members need to use the Internet to engage the community.

Compared to the UK and the US, Australian politics has been relatively slow to embrace the capabilities of the Internet and its potential to re-engage the community and our constituencies.

While the use of websites is not new, Australian politics is still typically not using the Internet for more than a digital version of their off-line campaigns. The Internet, through the use of blogging has the potential to be so much more.

As local Councillors, representing the needs of our local constituencies, we are best placed to take a leadership role of embracing the Internet to create dialogue and re-engage with our communities.

We need to move beyond static webpages and move into an era of dynamic blogging and dialogue.

Going beyond a website

Some Councillors already have experience with establishing a website. A blog extends the capabilities of a website by providing interactive content.

A website can be likened to a static shop window, which displays information but provides little opportunity for someone to interact with the content.

Standard websites can also become difficult to maintain over the longer term as information becomes out of date.

A blog, otherwise known as weblog, is an interactive website, likened to a diary, that allows you to post new entries, keeping content relevant and allows people to post comments and subscribe to updates.

Blogs use categories and tags to file new content and provides readers with the opportunities to subscribe to updates so they are notified when new content is posted.

Getting started – what do you need?

Establishing a website is neither difficult nor expensive.

There are numerous free tools, such as www.wordpress.com or www.blogspot.com, which provide templates and a basic blogging presence free of charge. Using these tools you can set up your blog, complete with photographs and content within 10 to 15 minutes.

While these free tools provide you with a good start, there are advantages in having your own web presence.

To do this you firstly need a domain name. A domain is the physical name of the site, such as www.alexmakin.com.au. Domain names are easier for people to remember and also provide greater flexibility in how your site will look and function. A .com.au domain normally costs around $65 per year, US .com domains are slightly cheaper.

Secondly, you need a web host. The host provides the computing system that stores your website and makes it viewable on the Internet. Total costs for hosting a site varies but you generally do get what you pay for.

If you want to set up a blog you’ll need a host that supports database and dynamic capabilities, namely functionality called mySQL and PHP. Most mid-level hosting packages provide these features.

I use a carbon neutral hosting provider that provides maximum reliability and detailed site statistics, my costs are roughly $300 per annum.

While free blogging providers certainly have their use, your own dedicated web presence will provide you with greater flexibility in the functionality and features of your site.

In addition many hosting providers are able to supply detailed site statistics so you can ascertain how people are accessing your website and the content they are accessing.

Getting your blog online

One of the common mistakes people make is keeping their blog separate to the rest of their website.

Web users typically dislike navigating through a site; so if the content isn’t there when the page loads, it is unlikely that they will look to find what they want.

Likewise don’t reinvent the wheel. There are many blogging programs, such as WordPress (www.wordpress.org) that are available free of charge and provide the functionality that you need.

WordPress and other blogging tools, such as Movetable Type use templates that guide the layout of a site. There are many templates that are available and these can be further customised.

Once you have downloaded WordPress or a similar package, you will need to upload to your website. Your hosting provider should be able to assist with this, once uploaded you will be able to install the package and begin blogging.

WordPress (which is the program I use), allows you to create two types of content, pages and posts. Pages are designed to be static content that is always available, like contact or about pages. These are the links across the top of my site.

Pages contain information that generally does not change, such as my contact details or information about the ward I represent.

Posts are the blogging element of your site. Posts are filed in specific categories (such as urban sustainability, accessibility, delegates reports that I use on my site), as well as tags, which help define the content of the post (such as accessibility, public transport, planning and so on).

Posts relate to a certain event or activity that occurred at a point in time and hence newer content appears towards the top of the page. Blog posts can be used to discuss council events, community meetings or other activities you undertake as a councillor.

When I first designed the website in 2004, the concept of blogging was still relatively new, so I referred to the blog as an Internet Journal.

The Journal stores the posts I created with the five newest entries listed first.

Each blog post provides an opportunity for people to comment. This way your community can add their thoughts or ask for additional information.

Blog posts can also be linked to each other, meaning you can provide an easy chronology of events. For example, I link my delegates’ reports, to each event that I discuss so that people can easily find additional information on the activities I attend and speak about.

Posts and pages are created just like using a standard Word Processor or email program. Like email you can also attach other documents to your posts to allow people to download additional content, I normally discuss presentations I deliver and include the slides for people to download.

The template system in WordPress or similar tools controls the layout of the post so you simply need to type its content. This means each post and page will have a similar look and make it easier for people to navigate throughout your site.

My website has had three substantially different designs and the template system meant the content of my site was unaffected by these changes.

Separating the layout of a site from its contents makes it much easier to maintain and extend compared to traditional web pages.

Extending your blog

Comments are usually moderated meaning that they need your approval prior to being included on your blog. This means you have the possibility to prevent inappropriate comments from being included on your site. Likewise spam filters exist which block spam comments from appearing.

While you have the ultimate control over what comments are included within your blog, do not go overboard in preventing feedback.

The purpose of a blog is to encourage dialogue and interaction and all relevant comments should be encouraged. Also make sure that email and phone details are available as some people will prefer these methods of communication.

Once you have established your blog and website it is worth considering ways of expanding its reach. Blogs utilise RSS feeds which allows people to be notified when new posts are created.

RSS feeds operate similarly to email where a subscriber receives the content of the post. RSS feeds are a standard feature of blogs and it is worth encouraging your readers to subscribe to them.

In addition you can also create an email subscription list for people that prefer to receive emails. This way email subscribers can receive an email message of your blog post and raise awareness of the activities you undertake as a councillor.

Just as newsletters assist in informing the community about our activities as a councillor, an electronic newsletter or RSS feeds can expand the reach of your communications with the public.

WordPress has a number of plugins, which can add additional features. Examples of plugins include the calendar and event system I use on my site. This enables me to post details of meetings I attend. Likewise previous posts can be accessed through the calendar or using the search functionality.

The web as an accessible medium

The Internet, through accessible web standards, means we can truly create a medium that can be experienced and accessed by all people.

Screen readers, larger font sizes, colour contrast and other technologies are available to assist people with disabilities to view content on the Internet and your website should be mindful of accessibility issues.

For example screen readers cannot read images so any graphics you include on your site should not be used in place of text.

In addition, the layout of your site should be mindful of people who prefer larger font sizes and your site should adapt to these requirements.

Future use of the Internet by councillors

Councils are the closest form of government to the community and we need to consider new methods of encouraging community engagement and interaction. In particular the web has the potential to assist us in communicating with younger people, as well as people with disabilities and the many other people in our community that prefer communication via the Internet.

Just as mobile phones are now considered essential equipment for Councillors, no doubt a web presence will be seen as a necessity shortly into the future. As councillors we have an obligation to remain relevant and keep pace with new technologies.

Creating a web presence is neither difficult nor time consuming and while purchasing your own domain and hosting provider may incur some expense it will be of benefit to the wider community and assist in conveying the work you undertake as a councillor.

Opening of the Westpac Business Centre

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Amid the other events of Maroondah Business Week, the Westpac Business Centre in Ringwood held its official opening launch this evening. The opening of the Business Centre demonstrates a confidence in Ringwood, which is much welcomed particularly amid the ongoing economic uncertainty.

The launch included a presentation from Simon Hammond from the Belong Group, a marketing firm that aims to align meaning with marketing through articulating what a business stands for, ensuring that people want to be part of it and having brands that can be discovered and experienced.

The business world like other aspects of society is attempting to reconnect with people to re-establish purpose and meaning. Politics and council is no different and I certainly believe I have assisted in reconnecting communities and making people’s voices heard leading to better decisions and outcomes.

Councillor Remuneration Panel Hearing

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This morning I was invited to speak in support of my submission to the Councillor Remuneration Review in front of a panel consisting of Joanne Anderson, Bruce Mildenhall and Liz Roadley.

My presentation covered a number of issues largely unique to younger people within local government, including the need to juggle work and council commitments. While these commitments are not exclusive to younger people, the effects are often more prominent for younger age groups, who are often at the beginnings of their career and family lives.

Currently Victoria’s councils are on a three tired system providing up to $12,000, $15,000 or $18,000 per annum for councillors. Currently Councillors elected within the City of Maroondah receive $15,000 per annum.

As outlined in my submission, I spoke in favour of higher remuneration to make it easier for younger people to be able to participate in local government and therefore increase youth participation with our communities.

While it would be wrong to entice candidates into council simply due to the remuneration, it is clear that the current rate of remuneration is a factor that is deterring youth participation within local government. Younger people are significantly under-represented in local government with just 7.8% of councillors aged under 35, despite the fact that one quarter of Victoria’s population is within this age group.

I also spoke strongly in support for the need of compulsory training for councillors. I believe that compulsory training would deter non-genuine candidates from seeking election and would ensure a higher standard of expertise for elected councillors. While training is not explicitly within the scope of the review, it is critical that the issue of training is explored.

The recommendations of the panel are due to be reported to the Minister for Local Government by the 30th of November.

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.

Maroondah Climate Change Action Group: the Science, Politics and Solutions on Climate Change

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The Maroondah Climate Change Action Group was formed earlier this year to advocate to all levels of government on the need for action in regard to climate change and to educate the wider Maroondah community on the need for greater environmental sustainability. In working towards these aims, the group organised a public presentation at the Karralyka Centre which explored the growing consensus around climate change and the solutions that are available.

The presentation included two speakers, Dr. Peter Christoff, the Vice-President of the Australian Conservation Society and Professor at the School of Social and Environmental Enquiry at the University of Melbourne and Mark Wakeham from Greenpeace.

Dr. Christoff, who was trained to deliver presentations on Al Gore’s film An Inconvenient Truth, was able to reinforce his presentation with a number of localised examples, showing the repercussions that climate change would present to Australia. While the focus of the presentation was in regard to energy, Dr. Christoff did make reference to the damage being caused by the transport sector, which remains Australia’s fastest growing source of emissions.

Mark Wakeham spoke about the need for greenhouse reduction targets, but failed to provide any indication as to whether political parties would in reality meet such goals. While setting greenhouse reduction targets might be seen as a positive step forward, there is a need for a detailed implementation plan to achieve such goals.

As an example, the State Government has targets to increase rail freight usage to 30% by the year 2010 and public transport modal share to 20% by 2020. In the case of the freight goal, the trends have shown a decline in rail freight usage, demonstrating a complete failure to achieve this target. In regard to public transport modal share, the State Government has still failed to provide a detailed implementation plan that would work towards increasing modal share above the current figure of 9%. While more people are using public transport, more people are also driving showing very little improvement in achieving this target and a lack of conviction on the part of the State Government.

It is easy for political parties to set goals, it is more difficult for them to actually maintain the conviction to achieve such goals, particularly when target dates such as 2050 are chosen. Electorates should remain cynical until a detailed implementation plan is provided with interim targets to benchmark performance.

Maroondah Journal: Are we stuck in first gear?

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As part of its State Election coverage, Fairfax Community News (which owns the Maroondah Journal) has reported on a series of election issues. The Maroondah Journal, along with the other Fairfax Community Newspapers, has reported on the issue of public transport.

Better public transport would result in a lower level of car dependence, thus mitigating rising traffic congestion and the burden of higher petrol prices.

Unfortunately rather than provide a vision, the government chose instead to neglect its earlier promises, such as the Rowville feasibility study and the South Morang and Cranbourne rail extensions, and instead has released a plan that contains spin rather than actual substance.

The Public Transport Users Association was so unimpressed with the plan that it called on Mr Batchelor [The Transport Minister] to resign.

Vice-President Alex Makin said the document did not tackle the root of Melbourne’s transport tangle – its fragmented make-up.

The State Government has neglected to provide Melbourne with much needed train and tram extensions or to overhaul the bus network to ensure a frequent, direct and readily available bus network.

Ultimately there has been a failure to integrate transport and planning meaning that Melbourne is not being provided with a frequent, reliable and readily available public transport system.

The PTUA wants a single controlling body and a rethink on buses – the only transport most Melburnians have access to – to better co-ordinate the system.

“Melbourne’s bus servies are likened to a tangled mess of spaghetti,” Mr Makin said. “The more frequent services are, the easier it is to coordinate with other services and the easier for people to use.”

The Government seems content to tell two-thirds of Melbourne to wait up to an hour for bus services. The Opposition which has stated that “public transport can be vote-changer” must pledge to deliver a comprehensive public transport system that actually delivers the broken promises of the Bracks Government.

Presentation to Marlborough Primary

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This morning I was invited to speak to grade five and six students at Marlborough Primary School about local government and the role of a councillor.

Marlborough Primary School, located in Heathmont, was in fact my old primary school and it was definitely a rewarding experience to talk to students not only as a local councillor but also as an ex-student.

I was in grade six back in 1992 and the age of 12 years old being elected onto council was probably the furthest thought of my mind.

While my presentation cantered largely on the role of local government my basic message was there is an absence of young people taking an interest in both politics and their local communities. This needs to change to ensure that the interests of young people and the broader community are being addressed.

South East Transport Forum

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Tonight I was invited to speak at a Transport Forum organised by candidates from the Liberal Party covering the electorates of Carrum, Bentleigh, Mordialloc, Clayton and Frankston in Melbourne’s south east.

My presentation covered the failings of the Bracks Government’s Transport and Liveability Statement and the ramifications this holds for Melbourne’s south east. People living in suburbs located beyond the tram and train network are simply being treated as second class citizens that must make do with bus services that fail to operate to the same level of service provided by Melbourne’s tram network.

Bus services across Melbourne require urgent reform so that all main roads throughout Melbourne are provided with a level of service and frequency that matches the tram network, frequency improvements also make it easier to ensure coordination with bus and train services.

Ultimately people cannot use public transport if no services are readily available. Melbourne’s outer suburbs and the south east deserve a level of service that operates at a 15 minute service frequency and through to midnight seven days a week.

With rising petrol prices the Victorian Opposition has an opportunity to deliver real public transport improvements such as reforming the bus network so that it operates as a coordinated component of Melbourne’s public transport system and not just as a collection of isolated routes.

The Bracks Government still has the opportunity to honour its past election promises such as the previously made pledge to deliver more express and off-peak services on the Frankston line. Unfortunately the Bracks Government has so far chosen to use each subsequent transport plan as a way of avoiding real improvements and reneging on previous commitments.

Melbourne’s south east is demanding better public transport and it is imperative for the financial and economic security of Melbourne that an alternative to car dependence is finally delivered.

Paper Moon – an example of art within Maroondah

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It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to the opening of Paper Moon: a unique photographic exhibition of studio and table-top constructed photography featuring works by artists from Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia and toured by the Contemporary Art Services Tasmania.

Paper Moon presents artists who rather than using computer software to create their imagery have opted instead to painstakingly construct their own sets and props.

In creating these works through painted back-drops, props and narrative devices these artists have drawn on the types of techniques that have played an important role within the history of photographic imagery.

The artists in Paper Moon employ techniques such as painting, sculpting, sewing, printing and model making to create he subject matter for their photographs. Paper, plastic, wood and fabric are just some of the materials used to explore issues ranging from historical themes, politics, personal memory and early pictorial construction.

Amongst the many artificial props used within a photographer’s studio the romantic ‘paper moon’ always proved popular – so much so that it inspired composer Harold Arlen to pen the famous song of the same name later sung by Ella Fitzgerald.

The curator of this exhibition Dr. Elly Ray has also been inspired by the name and has sought out artists who continue to explore the potential of this artificial backdrop.

Amongst the artists featured in this exhibition include Jacqui Sockdale who has been inspired by the colonial painter John Glove, bringing together an array of characters such as Ned Kelly, a princess and a mysterious Tasmanian Tiger.

Rose Farrell and George Parkin have created images reminiscent of a Gothic asylum while Vera Moller’s sculptures have been invaded by a family of rats within these photographs.

Not all of the sets in these photographs are life size although we may not realise it.

Patrick Pound, Melanie Breen and Samantha Small have created scaled models all of which are uncannily life.

In one room an elderly woman lies sleeping while in others the inhabitants have vacated the scene.

Beyond the method of construction these works also share a sense of narrative. Like all good art, however the narrative of these works is open to interpretation.

I will now leave it you to not only be inspired by these works but to unravel and interpret the narrative that these works convey.

I now declare this exhibition open. Thank you.