Thanks to all who joined us for the 2020 AGM & Candidate forum. The AGM was fast. The forum was civil & informative. How good is that.
The functions of an AGM were swiftly dealt with prior minutes accepted etc, and we moved quickly to the Presidents Report, with a brief footnote of the Treasurer affirming the committee is solvent and can meet its commitments.
Please find a copy of the Presidents Report attached here, along with the Agenda
We’re very excited to have new members this year, including new residents coming to participate in how the development proceeds around them. If you’d like to join us too, drop us a line at president@apmag.org.au and we’ll help you get involved.
If you’re into forms – here’s the form:
Candidate Forum
Once again, the local election Candidate Forum was a great success. All 3 candidates of the major local parties who joined us were fantastically focused on community representation and see themselves actively working with us when dealing with major developments. All 3 talked about the importance of diligent development scrutiny, representing the interests of the community, and environmental sustainability. APMAG thanks them each for their time. The forum went for about an hour and a half. My brief notes are below, and a recording is available.
Stephen Jolly
Steve talked about his focus on keeping the development on track to keep their DPO commitments and acknowledges progress to date has been a product of huge public mobilization. Stephen sees it is important to be vigilant on keeping pressure on developers, for example regarding the riverfront environmental controls. He is advocating for public ownership of the riverbank, as well as pushing to maintain public access to the riverfront bike path through eastern Alphington around Alphington Grammar.
He is proud of outcomes on the long term plan for affordable housing, and is focused on improving the planning approach – particularly along Heidelberg rd – based on policy tools & approaches used internationally.
He calls for a local area traffic management scheme to prioritize safety over developer operations – by reversing recent cuts to funding for traffic planning. Parking is also important – particularly for onsite workers – and he wants to see that provided on the site itself.
When talking about how he engages with the community, he talked about his well established forums of street meetings, newsletter circulation and online sessions.
Regarding the riverfront, he says it’s nonsense the subsidence was natural. It was caused by poor building practice. While he’s keen to negotiate who will own the riverfront when it’s transitioned to the public, management must be through the City of Yarra. It must be handed over in good condition, not polluted and degraded. Being all over this policy development is the number 1 environmental issue in Yarra.
On Bike safety, Steve’s clear that the corner of Heidelberg and Chandler Hwy is the worst cyclist black spot in town. He sees the answer as investment in fixing the infrastructure, directed from reversing bdget cuts in the recent local budget.
On representing the indigenous community, Steve is proud of Smith St as a living community gathering place and is keen to support that in practice by reversing local government laws that target the local indigenous community.
Karen Douglas – Labor
Karen lives in Clifton Hill and feels commitment as a resident and participant in our local community to give back. She spoke to her experience in public, private, union and public service organisations – including policy & implementation – in Australian and Europe. She has a PhD focusing on the impacts and policies around insecure work, and she also researches in disability services and environmental science areas.
Karen’s future focus is on green spaces, and enforcing developer’s commitments and obligations – including a focus on safety and connectivity of services like transport, health and public infrastructure. She has also committed to working with transport ministry on the Farm Rd bike / pedestrian link.
Her community principles are guided by the Labor movement & collective approaches to protect those in the community who rely on it. She sees the principled debate ethos of the Labor party as a good guide to how she approaches community service.
Regarding the riverfront, she is keen to enforce developer’s obligation to create a safe and accessible riverfront.
Regarding bike safety, Karen is keen to find a solution to access to the bike trail via Farm Rd / Alphington Grammar, and to make sure pedestrian safety improves as well.
Gabrielle de Vletri – Greens
Gabrielle lives in Collingwood and appreciates the diverse and vibrant range of Yarra. She has worked as a paralegal in refugee advocacy, and as an artist and filmmaker with a focus on community.
She wants to create a walkable & rideable city, with expanded urban forests & green spaces. Its a local government principle to build back better, from the high street and community housing with a quick and fair transition to a sustainable economy.
She sees its a priority to reinvigorate Bowls Club, maintain and extend the Darebin trail and supports better Public transport. Better bike routes. Protect the river front via the Strategic Plan. Enforce the DPO via the CRG, and to diligently examine developer plans. She calls for stricter control on planning along Heidleburg Rd and ambitious targets for green requirements in future development schemes.
Gabrielle is guided by Greens values and feels they are very aligned with the community needs.
Regarding the riverfront, aware of the slumping, independent review etc and will ensure the council monitors and developers deal with it. Feels Melbourne Water will probably manage it, and will be responsible to decontamination. Sees statutory protection as a key Greens win and she will scrutinize developments to make sure they comply.
She will also push to connect up the Outer Circle bike path, the Darebin trail and improve bike safety on Heidelberg Rd
Debates and conversations
We also had some great conversations about
- the best ways to protect the bat colony,
- some passionate support for better recycling infrastructure,
- aligning planning along Heidelberg Rd with Darebin Council
- Riverfront access & protection
- improving cycling safety and active transport in general
- local indigenous community & connection.