Tag: scoot wheel n move

2007 in review: standing up for the community

Posted on by alex

As we enter the final year of this current council term, it is important to reflect on the last twelve months so as to shape the priorities for 2008:

Improving Accessibility

Improving Sustainability

Advocating for Sustainable Transport

Standing up for the community

Over the course of this year I plan on continuing to stand up for the community, including through my involvement in the Committees of Management for the Maroondah Citizens’ Advice Bureau and North Ringwood Community House. I am also Maroondah’s representative on the Eastern Transport Coalition and am continuing my involvement to the Maroondah Tourism and Heritage Advisory Board. I should also be continuing as chair of the Maroondah Partners in Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committee, although this will be dependent on the outcome of the notice to review that I issued for February’s council meeting.

It is critical that Maroondah becomes a leader in sustainability and accessibility. The vision for the Ringwood Transit City and Croydon Activity Centre will result in changes that will remain with us for at least 20 or 30 years. It is imperative that we get things right from the very beginning, so as not to repeat past mistakes.

I would like to thank the many people who have contacted me during 2007 to discuss issues within Maroondah. It is your calls and emails that provide me the opportunity to stand up for the community.

Thank you to everyone who has helped make Maroondah a better municipality throughout 2007.

Cr. Alex Makin

Councillor for Loughnan’s Hill Ward
City of Maroondah

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.

Final Scoot Wheel N Move meeting for 2007

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Maroondah’s Scoot Wheel N Move, is a combined council and community group that consists of people that use mobility aids, with the aim of improving accessibility within Maroondah.

To achieve this aim Scoot Wheel N Move has organised public events, including the Maroondah Mobility Expo and the forum Good Access = Good Business. Scoot Wheel N Move has also been responsible for the highly successful ReCharge Program, where participating businesses provide facilities for people to be able to recharge their electric scooters and wheelchairs. This ensures that people that use mobility aids are able to travel to and from their local shops safely and easily.

Today’s meeting focused on discussing the future direction of the group, including the possibility of increased independence from Maroondah Council. Increased independence would assist in strengthening the group’s advocacy efforts, which is particularly crucial given the redevelopment that is expected to occur in areas such as the Ringwood Transit City during 2008.

It is imperative that accessibility improvements are delivered as the revitalisation of Ringwood takes place. Projects such as Eastland and Ringwood Station, must be accessible from the very beginning so as to ensure an inclusive community and to prevent the need for costly and ineffective retrofitting.

A forum will take place early in the new year to discuss the future direction of the group and its priorities for 2008 and beyond.

Delegates' Report: Community involvement through advocacy and participation

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There are several items I wish to discuss this evening:

Firstly, I would like to congratulate Enjoying Planned Retirement for their second Art and Craft Exhibition, held on the 12th of October. The exhibition, which marked the conclusion of Maroondah’s Seniors Week, attracted approximately 500 visitors and provided an opportunity to demonstrate the fun and energetic nature of Enjoying Planned Retirement. Last year’s art and craft exhibition received a grant from council and it was great to see EPR continue the exhibition for a second year.

On the 18th of October I attended the monthly Eastern Transport Coalition meeting. I’m pleased to announce that the group appointed me as Acting Chair through to the end of this year. This will allow Maroondah to strengthen its leadership role in advocating for sustainable transport in the eastern suburbs.

On the 29th of October I attended Maroondah’s forum for people with disabilities and carers. This is a quarterly forum which provides an opportunity for attendees to raise accessibility issues directly with council. The forum continues to experience strong community involvement and I would like to thank these attendees for willingly giving their time to create a more successful and accessible municipality. Community attendance at these forums does make a difference and the outcomes produced by the Maroondah Pedestrian Strategy and the Public Footpath Trading Policy, which is listed in this council agenda tonight, are testament to this.

On the 1st of November I met with Eastland Centre Management to follow up on a number of items that were discussed at the Bar None Expo that I reported on last month. It is encouraging that Eastland has already pursued recharge points for motorised mobility aids. The Recharge Program was developed in collaboration between Maroondah’s Scoot Wheel N Move Group and traders to provide facilities for motorised scooters and wheelchairs to be recharged. This improves the level of accessibility for people with motorised mobility aids. It is great to see that Eastland, as a major retailer and shopping destination, is now part of this program.

On the 13th of November I attended as council’s delegate a meeting of the Melbourne 2030 Councillor Reference Group. As part of this meeting I delivered a presentation on the Eastern Transport Coalition and an analysis of ‘Creating a City that Works’ a report commissioned by the State Government’s Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability. The presentation focused on the key areas that the ETC is pursuing, including the need for public transport improvements to enhance the liveability of Melbourne’s eastern suburbs. While it is clear that the MAV, as the peak body for local government, sees the ETC and hence Maroondah as a leader in the advocacy for sustainable transport, this an area we need to continue expanding upon particularly if we want to ensure the very best outcomes for the Ringwood Transit City and the Croydon Activity Centre.

Also on the 13th of November I attended the graduation evening of the FReeZA program at EV’s. FReeZA is a program that provides a dozen young people with the responsibility of organising, promoting and managing musical gigs and is just one of a wide array of programs supported by Council’s Youth Services team. It was great to hear each of the graduates provide an overview of their experiences of the FReeZA and particularly with the forthrightness they delivered. While the program may have been stressful at times, each of the participants certainly did learn something from being part of FReeZA and I would like to thank Youth Services for their continued dedication and support for our youth.

On the 14th of November I attended a Heatherdale Community Action Group meeting. It is pleasing to see that the Heatherdale community appreciates the ongoing work of council in regard to issues along Heatherdale Road. These issues have involved a wide cross section of council, including environmental health officers, building inspectors, planners and corporate services and I can assure this council that these efforts are definitely appreciated by the Heatherdale community.

Lastly, I was invited to officially launch Campaign Enable on the 14th of November. This campaign, which is organised by local community members and the Australian Federation of Disability Organisations, marks a turning point in advocacy with the campaign being managed, organised and conducted by people with a disability.

The campaign currently has three central aims including:

  • 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 a nation wide Access to Premises Standard.

It is important to note that these issues are required to allow people with disabilities to be able to enjoy the same of level of access experienced by members of our society. Campaign Enable, is not a campaign for special treatment – it is a campaign about ensuring that everyone has equal access and inclusiveness within society.

Campaign Enable allows all people to have a voice and I look forward to the ongoing efforts of the group.

Maroondah Forum for People with Disabilities and Carers – final meeting for 2007

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Maroondah’s Forum for People with Disabilities and Carers provides an opportunity for the community to raise access and inclusion concerns directly with Maroondah City Council. The forum is held on a quarterly basis and often includes updates from Maroondah City Council, transport providers and government.

Maroondah is currently revising its Disability Policy and Action Plan and a workshop is planned for early 2008 to review the forum and its role in enhancing accessibility. The workshop will examine how Council can ensure stronger engagement for people with disabilities and to provide an opportunity for feedback in regard to the Disability Policy and its corresponding Action Plan.

The forum also included a presentation from one of its members in regard to the need for a direct bus service along Mount Dandenong Road connecting Ringwood Station to Maroondah Hospital, as well as Karralyka and Croydon. The current bus services do not provide a direct service to the hospital making it difficult to access the services provided at Maroondah Hospital and the nearby health precinct.

The State Government has announced a review of bus services to be undertaken over the next few years and it is hoped that a new bus route along Mount Dandenong Road will be included as part of this process. Maroondah Council must collate this feedback, such as new routes that are required, to ensure that public transport is able to meet the needs of its community.

I would like to thank the regular participants within the Maroondah Forum for People with Disabilities and Carers. The forum has initiated a number of significant improvements to accessibility, including the Scoot Wheel N Move working group, improvements to a number of pedestrian crossings and continued advocacy over the need to upgrade Ringwood Station.

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.

Bar None: Good Access = Good Business

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Today I participated in Good Access = Good Business, a combined Maroondah City Council and Department of Human Services initiative under the Bar None program, a local leadership recognition project.

Bar None aimed to celebrate community inclusion and to recognise local examples of inclusion for people with disabilities. Today’s forum provided an opportunity to discuss accessibility in the context of the business community.

Alex Makin at the opening of Bar None : Good Access = Good Business

As part of the proceedings I participated in a panel discussing access and inclusion within Maroondah. A number of topics were discussed, including the lack of disability compliance at Ringwood Station and the difficulty crossing roads such as Maroondah Highway due to the lengthy delays and lack of adequate crossing time.

Businesses such as Invicta Bus Company are demonstrating a comprehensive commitment to inclusion through significantly exceeding the State Government requirements for low-floor buses and through providing telephone assistance for people that require accessible bus services.

At a council level it is imperative that we work with Eastland and its parent company, Queensland Investment Corporation (QIC) to ensure that the proposed expansion of Eastland is accessible to the entire Maroondah community. Likewise new developments also need to be accessible and as such I have been requiring footpath construction as a condition for proposals within the Ringwood Transit City area. Maroondah Council is currently developing a principal pedestrian network, which will identify the areas that require footpaths thus improving the accessibility of our municipality.

In conjunction with Scoot Wheel N Move, Maroondah has encouraged businesses to participate in the Recharge Program, where shops are encouraged to provide power facilities for people with motorised scooters or wheelchairs. The cost to businesses is a mere 10 or 20 cents an hour but it ensures that people with motorised mobility aids are able to travel safely to and from the shops.

All levels of government need to work in cooperation to ensure a more inclusive and accessible society. While Maroondah is undertaking a number of strategic and practical initiatives to improve access, such as our new footpath construction policy and the Recharge Program, a commitment is also required from the State Government particularly in regard to our infrastructure.

Discussion Panel for Bar None : Good Access = Good Business

Ringwood Station currently fails disability compliance standards (DDA Act 1992) and as such its redevelopment is a necessity to ensure the success of an inclusive and vibrant future for Ringwood. Accompanied with the Station redevelopment, the State Government must also compel VicRoads to provide sufficient time for pedestrians to cross Maroondah Highway and minimise the lengthy delays that pedestrians must endure while they wait to cross the Highway. Many other pedestrian crossings also need improving and the State Government must deliver these accessibility improvements so that Maroondah can become an inclusive and accessible municipality.

I also had the privilege of opening Good Access = Good Business and a copy of my opening speech is available:

Continue reading “Bar None: Good Access = Good Business”

Scoot Wheel N Move panel preparation

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Today’s Scoot Wheel N Move meeting included a discussion with other panelists for the Good Access = Good Business discussion forum next Thursday.

The panel will consist of:

  • Ben from Maroondah Home Healthcare;
  • Pam Usher from Invicta Bus Company;
  • Robyn from Glen Park Community Centre;
  • John from Scoot Wheel N Move;
  • and myself as a Councillor for the City of Maroondah

The panel includes a mixture of businesses, community members and organisations and will provide their thoughts on accessibility and inclusiveness within Maroondah. Good access means more than just having an accessible entrance into a shop it also includes uncluttered aisles, accessible counters and customer service.

The panel discussion is part of a range of presentations that will feature in the Good Access = Good Business discussion forum held at Maroondah Federation Estate from 10:30 on Thursday the 4th of October.

Good Access = Good Business

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Good Access = Good Business is a panel discussion organised by Maroondah’s Scoot Wheel N Move and supported by the State Government’s Bar None initiative.

The event aims to highlight the need for an accessible and inclusive community, including good access for businesses and mobility through public transport.

Good Access = Good Business will held at Maroondah’s Federation Estate on Thursday the 4th of October from 10:30 am.

Scoot Wheel N Move and Bar None

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This morning’s Scoot Wheel N Move included personnel from the Department of Human Services (DHS) to discuss Maroondah’s involvement in the Bar None initiative.

Bar None, a program initiated by the State Government, aims to highlight the efforts of people who are working to eliminate barriers within our community and hence ensuring a stronger and more inclusive community.

Scoot Wheel N Move has been nominated as part of the Bar None program and is hosting a panel discussion on Thursday the 4th of October under the topic of Good Access = Good Business. The event will recognise nominees within the Bar None initiative and will discuss access issues within Maroondah’s businesses.