Councilors Council Officers Glen Eira
residents and community members viewing
our meeting online this
evening I would like to welcome you on
the 9th of April 2024 ordinary council
meeting there are a few items I would
like to mention before we begin this
evening the first is a reminder to
councilors council offices and members
of the public that all mobile phones are
to be switched off or placed on silent
for the duration of the meeting meeting
our meetings are being live streamed to
the community and if a technical problem
is encountered during the meeting which
prevents Council from live streaming the
meeting will be adjourned for 10 minutes
if the meeting cannot be resed within
30 minutes the meeting will be adjourned
to be reconvened on Monday the 15th of
April at 7:30 p.m. council is not
responsible for any data usage charges
or technical issues that members of the
public may experience in accessing
council's live stream or recordings of
meetings a copy of each of the live
stream meeting is placed on council's
website the day after the
meeting thank you councilors we will now
commence with the items on the
agenda I'll start with an
acknowledgement of the traditional
owners Glen Eira City Council respectfully
acknowledges that the Boonerwrung people
of the Kulin nation are the traditional
owners of the land now known as Glen Eira we
pay our respects to their Elders past
present and emerging and acknowledge and
uphold their continuing relationship to
and responsibility for this
land we have no apologies this
evening we will now move on to item
three this is a reminder to declare any
conflicts of interest in any items on
the agenda counselors there is a
requirement for disclosure of conflicts
of interest to items listed for
consideration on the agenda or any item
that is considered at this meeting in
accordance with Section 130 in Brackets 2
of The Local Government Act 2020 and
Rule 60 in Brackets 3 of The Glen Eira
City Council governance
rules counselors if you have a conflict
of interest in an item please state the
item nber and the title of the item
there are no conflicts of interest
tonight we will now commence public
participation we have received three
questions we will have 15 minutes for
this section and it each submit a
permitted 3 minutes at 15 seconds prior to
the end of the 3 minutes you will
receive or you'll hear the bell the
warning bell acting CEO we will now
commence public
participation thank you Mayor could
Ray Earls come up to the table thank
you you just press the
button it's
right good evening my name is Ray Earls and
I delivering this to you on behalf of my
wife Cheryl who is also present here
tonight dear Mayor counselors and
officers of the City of Glen Eira I live on
Derby Crescent and I am writing this to
you at 4:30 a.m. in the morning of
Sunday the 7th of
April when will Council end this awful
nightmare hanging over the residence of
Derby
Crescent it is causing myself and other
residents stress anxiety and loss of
sleep worrying about the possibility
that our quite narrow street will be the
designated location for an unwanted bike
path the lxrp finished the bog of the
construction months ago but yet this
path saga and the lack of landscaping
vegetation along Derby
continues and it continues to dominate
our
thoughts and affect our lives and energy
levels each time we leave our homes to
look out of our front windows or look
out of our front windows we are
immediately reminded of what we have
lost and confronted by the
mess left by the
lxrp our street view is now devoid of
the many trees bushes and native shrubs
that once
existed and as we all know this has been
replaced by barren streetcape of
imposing an ugly steel railway
infrastructure a bike path along Derby
will just add to this visual pollution
soil severely affect our street amenity
and thwart revegitation
promises it will also mean opening up
the southern end of our street to Neerim
Road and allow extra people into and
along our quiet street increasing the
security risk and degrading our
amenity I supported the Queens Avenue
residents in their bid to save the trees
opposite their homes and their street
car parking by not voting for the two
options but when I walk along Queens
Avenue at night time it is excellent
street lighting is much wider than Derby
and has two existing bike lanes it is
therefore safer and is part of the most
direct bike route from Glen Huntley to
Caulfield Station
the local bike user ?
recommends Queens Avenue the community
group Streets Alive also recommends
Queens Avenue the cycling organization
bicycle network commented on their
website to a Queens Avenue news article
that the bike path should meet their
criteria of
safety convenience directness and
attractiveness all elements that Derby
clearly does not
satisfy Queens Avenue has always been
identified by the state government as a
location for the strategic bike path and
it was also identified months ago by
lxrp as well and that is where it
should go more funds for a better
solution must be found for Queens Avenue
one that doesn't remove the trees and
resident street parking so my question
is in conclusion when councils
are presented with the next round of bike
path
options will you please end our current
nightmare by rejecting Derby and just
proceed with a promised robust tree
plantings and
revegetation ??
thank
you thanks Ray can I now call
Tom Lawson
thank you Mayor and councilors for
the opportunity to speak since the
last council meeting when I posed a
question regarding the conflict of
interest regarding
my wife has been
approached and confronted
at the last
meeting I did not mention the
counselor's name address as I had no
idea who they
were you
Council I think are ignorant to the
fact of how divisive this issue has
become in our area many in Derby Crescents
supported the Queen's Avenue campaign
yet feel we have been thrown under the
bus our Derby presents visual amenities
have been aggressively altered since
works were commenced by the Alex
?? have made a habit of
lying to us during the course of this
project and appear to be hiding
information again we have been told that
any widening of The Verge along the
Racecourse side of Queens Avenue
couldn't happen due to a transition
water main this water main is in fact
closer to the centre of Queens Avenue
and is only close to the curb and
channel between the numbers 30 and 38
Queens Avenue so they have lied to you or
you have lied to
us we have a road surface we have a road
surface in our street now that pulls
water where the cut and cover cut and
cover methods were used by the Alex for
the relocation of signalling and power
cones we still have a dust ball opposite
our house with no idea or confidence
with what council or the Alex ? will
propose we have weeds growing close to 3ft
high with zero effort of any basic
maintenance from Council or the
Alex
we have an external body coming into our
area and telling us that we need a bike
path down our street where I can
guarantee that as a cyclist who has
ridden every bike path in Melbourne and
I'm not
exaggerating that any cyclist will find
will be quite happy to make their
way down the laneway behind Lloyds
Avenue and onto Lemington Cresent to
connect with the lxrp trail or if they
are making their way to the city quite
happily right along Queens Avenue where
there is an allocated bike path
already or even near road down onto Camp
Road and by Glen Eira road to make your
way into town hence a bike path is not
needed in our
street does council recognize that all
we want in Derby Crescent is our visual
amenities reated that the Queens Avenue
crew have been able to successfully
retain along their road
and my second question is
who I have also
been informed was the former spikes
person for the save Queens Avenue trees
group be recusing themselves from any
decision making in regards to the bike
path in Caulfield East as I believe there
would have to be an element of
self-interest in their decision- making
thank
you thanks Tom our last speaker is
Laura
Riski
we can answer the question if you
like Mr McDonald will provide an
answer thanks Tom and through the
mayor obviously I can't answer the
the question in relation to the council
are but in relation to the question has
Council been or aware of the desire of
replanting
absolutely we have been working with
lxrp since the council decision in
February and we've been very consistent
in our messaging as we work through
potential viable options that's all
options and when we discuss Derby the
the issue of replanting revegetation
revitalization of the street has been
very clear in the message that
officers have been providing to the
executives and the and the off other
officers that the
lxrp and thank you
Mayor yeah I'm just going to answer
that thank you like I said
previously in item three The Local
Government Act actually considers
conflict of interest if there are
certain requirements in respect to
conflict of interest and all counselors
have to declare conflict of interest
either uh material or a general conflict
of interest so uh that is part of uh
what we do when uh we participate in
decision making so uh that's a
requirement as for the Local Government
Act Laura do you want to come to the
microphone thank you my name is Laura
risk I'm from Derby Cresent as well
uh I just thank you for giving me the
opportunity to speak today at the Derby
Cresent feedback session on the 14th of
March we're advise that council is
committed to revegetation of our street
uh Mitch mcferson advised my husband and
I that uh they were also looking at a
cluster of tree planting near the road
in the pocket oh sorry right near the
road uh on the pocket between Moody
Avenue and Moody Street and tanham
streets which would mean removing two or
three car
spaces due to the tree
canopy if that is true you couldn't
possibly have a bike path there could
you so what is the truth and what are
the PR ities and intentions trees and
vegetation or a bike path in Derby
Crescent because you can't possibly have
both if you're going to be planting
trees clearly this is what we were told
a cluster of trees right along the
curb on right next to the road and you
have a canopy and you have to remove two
or three car spaces then surely you
can't have a bike path so I feel like
we're due for some facts some honesty
and some transparency now cuz we're not
getting that
we know that the lxrp is not
committed to resurfacing the road which
they initially stated they would do and
council is well aware that the state of
the roads the footpath and the
Landscaping is in a high state of
disrepair given we cannot rely on the
lxrp will Council be completing this
work to bring it to an acceptable
standard and when cuz we're not being
told when we're getting told that you're
talking and you're speaking to Alex R
but nothing is happening and we're not
being told anything there are no there
is no
information so when is what I would
like to know Derby Crescent has been
seriously neglected for far too
long thank
you thank you Laura and Mr McDonald
would you'd like to
respond thanks Lauren for the mayor
in terms of the replanting and
obviously
comments from the the feedback session
because obviously I was there
all the options to re replant
Revitalize derby are all on the table
in our discussions with the lxrp how we
do that the best way obviously there
was concept I'm not sure if the
residents were was had seen them
early days when alexp were you know
preparing those bre Landscaping plans
obviously time s gone by since those
plans were developed so there is
certainly more work happening and and
how that can happen the best way
possible and certainly that mury Street
area has been cited as as a location
that could accommodate a considerable
replanting of you know decent sized
trees what that looks like as I said
earlier we're still working through
those options it is an lxrp project so
council is Limited in some degree of
what the final designs will look like
and even when they will be given to
us we do know there are some weeks away
but we don't know the exact date in
terms of the maintenance
aspects it is still within the project
area the project hasn't finished
there is a defect liability period which
is very similar to all capital projects
practical completion is proposed for may
post that period or post that point
the lxrp have to rectify all defects
that have been collected and
identified by the council before all the
work started Council officers did a
pre-inspection to identify existing
conditions of all our assets so we know
if they've been damaged and what needs
to be done to bring them up to a a
renewal state so we'll be going through
that process it does take a little bit
of time whether lxrp do that or council
do that hasn't been decided but the lxrp
will be paying for it if Council ends
up doing the works but from our
perspective and under the agreement that
we have with the state it has to be
fixed I think that covers your point
Thank you m sorry can I just clarify one
of the comments so with the tree canopy
you were going to put a cluster of along
the road how could you possi have
a as well as the canop
trees thanks Laura I'm happy to follow
up through the May as I said earlier
there's no final design option or
concept being completed so what the tree
looks like and if you say if it's a
canopy of trees
you wouldn't be able to do that
option so you're correct but that isn't
on the table or I haven't seen that
proposal in the design that I would be
able to share to with the resident yet
because it hasn't been provided to
council thank
you I'd just like to add uh on behalf of
all my counselor colleagues U we
acknowledge that this is a very
challenging time for you all and
we're very appreciative of you giving
ask your feedback and uh uh we will
en ensure that we continue conversations
uh with the lxrp and take your concerns
uh into account in all those
negotiations and we will keep you
informed as we go through the
process
no no I'm sorry uh we have a
process where you've got to follow
put the question down and then we follow
the public participation so you can
send us an email on your query very
quick
question yeah sorry about that it's just
the process I will now move a
procedural motion to bring item 10.5
which is written public questions on
tonight's agenda forward to be heard at
this stage of the meeting do I uh
councelor McGee do you have a second
Council mode all those in
favor that motion is carried unanimously
before we commence this section of
the meeting I would like to advise that
as per governance rules there's 15
minutes allocated to the reading of
written public questions to council
tonight we have 30 questions that we
have received and these will be
responded to in the order in which they
have been received all questions read
and answered will be published in this
evening's council meeting minutes
acting CEO I will now hand over to you
to commence the reading of the written
public
questions thank you mayor uh the first
question uh is from Laura risk and
the second question is also from Laura
and I'll read them separately on the 1st
of April an article in the age indicated
that the lxrp is now looking at a shared
use bike path on Darby Cresent instead
of Queens Road if a separated bike path
is no longer required why isn't Queens
Road being kept as a preferred option uh
Mr McDonald will you
respond thank you lawyer you first
question and my responses through the
mayor look since the decision of council
at the meeting in February not to
support either of the two options for
Queens Avenue proposed by the lxrp
council officers had been meeting weekly
in an attempt to achieve the best
outcome for the community at this stage
Council continues to work with the lxrp
to develop viable options Council
will determine and communicate its third
option to the lxrp following the
completion of a further Community
engagement
process uh second question from Laura uh
if there is in fact no conflict of
interest can Council clearly uh and
factually advise residents the exact
reason the attention has been diverted
away from exploring alternative options
in Queens Road to Derby Cresent and how
Derby Cresent even came to be considered
and Mr McDonald will
respond and thanks if your second
question you know following council's
decision not to support the two previous
options at Queens it made its decision
due to concerns about significant
tree loss The Limited engagement with
the community by the L xip and the need
to under for those options to undergo
further design
assessments thank you the next question
is from Tom Lawson and Tom also has
two questions it has now been 3 weeks
since the last council meeting according
to an article in the age on the 1st of
the 4th 24 the lxra conducted a survey
where 60% of whomever they surveyed
supported a bike path in the area as per
that article it is apparent that the
glena council LED say the Queens Avenue
group has had a win and a bike path on
Queens Avenue is no longer an option
being considered when will the rate
paying residents of Derby Crescent be
stopped being treated like mushrooms and
shown some light in Clarity on glenara
city council uh and the Alex's plan
plans for Derby Cresent and Mr McDonald
will
respond and thank you Tom as I said
earlier Council officers have been
meeting weekly with the lxrp in a an
attempt to achieve the best outcome for
the Derby Street Derby Crescent
residents but at this stage we we
haven't finalized a viable option
with the lxrp and coun will
communicate its preferred option
following the completion of further
engagement
process the next question from Tom when
will our voices be heard given that 100%
of Derby Crescent residents are opposed
to any option at this stage due to the
complete lack of consultation and
transparency and our visual amenities be
reinstated and Mr McDonald will
respond thank you Tom for your your
second question Council has provid Ed
feedback to the lxrp that any proposal
must incorporate a ro reust robust
replanting and reg regeneration strategy
for Derby
Crescent council is supportive of a
community engagement process that aligns
with our community engagement policy
being completed and following this
process it is envisaged that Council
would be in a position to determine the
and communicate its preferred option to
the
lxrp our next question is from Matthew
yulin I'm submitting this question on
behalf of the Melbourne zero movement an
ambitious Melbourne wide movement of
more than 7,000 people United in the
fight to end rough sleeping by 2030 my
first of two questions is does council
know how many people are sleeping rough
across the LGA and Mr morus will
respond thank you Matthew for your
question uh my response through the May
the Australian homelessness Atlas
2021 Cent census prepared by the center
for social impact uh in May
2023 shows zero rough sleepers in our
municipality through the 2021 census
561 people were homeless in
glenara uh and these were defined by the
Bureau of Statistics as persons living
in improvised dwellings temps or
sleeping out as well as those in
supported
accommodation uh or living in boarding
house persons in temporary lodgings and
persons living in severely crowded
dwellings thank
you uh Matthew second question in
addition to question five what are
council's official plans to Monitor and
reduce this nber over the coming years
and Mr morus will
reply thank you again for your second
question Matthew I currently refer to
support services such as uh launch
housing and star Health uh we do
continue to Advocate to the state
government for increased provision of
Social and affordable housing uh in the
city of glenara to address the issue of
homelessness thank you our next question
is from Trevor Pitkin uh with the
revised options for the Strategic
cycling path to be released by lxrp
sometime soon will Council consider
seeking responses only from those
residents who are potentially directly
affected namely Queens Avenue and Darby
Cresent as opposed to anyone who lives
in Glenn IRA and Mr mcdonal will respond
and thank you Trevor council is
supportive of a community engagement
process that aligns with our community
engagement policy that process will see
feedback being sought from the directly
affected residents along Derby Cresent
and queens Avenue and from the broader
glenara
community and Trevor's next question
regarding the process of gathering and
Reporting responses from directly
affected residents associated with the
next
lxrp strateg ially important cycling
path options does council intend to put
these options to a formal vote of
counselors to present the lxrp to the
lxrp or will it simply advise the
results of the survey and Mr mcdonal
will respond
again I thank you Trev for your second
question any proposed works for a
strategic cycling Corridor still
requires further analysis by both the
lxrp and Council Council officers have
been meeting weekly with the lxrp in
attempt to achieve the best outcome for
the community council is supportive of a
community engagement process that aligns
with our community engagement policy
being completed and following this
Council will determine and communicate
its preferred option to the
lxrp our next question is from Richard
Nash leaving the lxrp project aside what
actions the council enacting to maintain
and or ensure the safety of pedestrians
wanting to use the Moody Street
underpass recently when when using the
underpass I was clearly I was nearly
struck by a cyclist who failed to
Dismount my wife and I sometimes with
our young grandchildren use this
underpass often walking to carigi or
visiting the local coffee shop and worry
for the safety of pedestrians and
cyclists alike and Mr McDonald will
respond thank you Richard council is
aware that the mury street underpass has
signage advising cyclists to Dismount
when passing through the
underpass however in your question
council's Traffic Engineers will review
the location to determine if any further
safety enhancements can be put in
place thank you our next question is
from Ray ears there have been growing
tension and conflict between Queens
Avenue and Derby Cresent residence
groups over the proposed lxrp bike path
while this tension has grown largely out
of Al xrp's poorly conceived concepts
for queens and they're about turn on
Derby as an option the councilors have
an opportunity as our Representatives to
bring the divided Caulfield East
Community back together what is being
done by councilors to help facilitate
this now and what may be proposed in the
future and Mr McDonald will
respond thank you Ray Council
officers as I mentioned earlier have
been meeting weekly with the lxrp in an
attempt to achieve the best outcome for
the community and at this stage we
continue to work with them to develop
the the best viable option council is
hopeful that when the LX
P present the final design options they
will have Incorporated the feedback
previously provided and this will assist
in relieving the community intention
attention mentioned in your
question and Ray second question
regarding the options of a proposed bike
path along Derby Cresent or Queens
Avenue given that bike LS already exist
along Queens Avenue it would appear that
the Queens Avenue group would have been
accepting of a strategic bike path along
their street providing the trees and
Street car car parking were maintained
the Derby residents group do not want
any more loss of amenity on their street
and have clearly and unanimously
rejected Derby as an option for the bike
path therefore will Council pledge their
support to both groups and strongly
Advocate to lxrp and the minister for a
better engineered solution for a bike
path along Queens Avenue and Mr McDonald
will
respond thank you Ray if you a followup
question the Council made the
decision in February not to support
the options and we also wrote to the
lxrp and the minister of Transport
advising of that their infrastructure
advocating to reconsider these options
and request lxrp to work with the
council and the community to achieve the
best possible option since then as I
mentioned earlier we have been meeting
weekly and we we keep meeting at this
stage we continue to work with the lxrp
to develop and finalize that a viable op
option my next question is from Caroline
eckl on page 95 of the ordinary council
meeting minutes uh titled Caulfield North
and McKinnon have been identified as the
next two suburbs to be reviewed in
Brackets glenara Heritage review work
program in 2022
23 has the Heritage review of McKinnon
properties of local significance
commenced and Miss zis will
respond thank you Carolyn and through
the May Council completed and adopted
the Glenn Ira Heritage review of
McKinnon 2023 in July of 2023 the
amendment to include new identified
places and precincts within McKinnon
into the Heritage a of the glenara
planning scheme was submitted to the
Department of Transport and planning in
the same month council is still awaiting
a response to begin the plan scheme
amendment process to formalize the
inclusion of identified places and
precincts into the Heritage overlay of
the planning scheme once the amendment
is authorized to begin public exhibition
will commence a copy of the McKinnon
Heritage review can be found on
council's website
though our next question is from
Carolina again did any not for-profit
organizations take over the financial
governance of the three Early Learning
Centers kindergartens that Council
decided to close and Mr morus will
respond uh thank Thank You Caroline for
your question no not no not
for-profit organizations have taken over
the financial governance of council's
three Early Learning Centers uh Council
made the decision to close its centers
and has not transferred the ownership or
operation to another service provider uh
Council has not made any decisions about
the future use of the Early Learning
Center facilities council is currently
assessing potential use of the
facilities in accordance with the
council's property
strategy our next two questions are from
Ian Sparrow the first question
revegetation of Derby Crescent there has been
no progress to date on the revegetation
of the Railway Verge along Derby Cresent
which remains a scarred eyesa and
depressing for residents since the last
council meeting on the 19th of March
2024 what further discussions has the
council had with the lxrp about the
timing for commencement of The
revegetation Works along Derby Cresent
and Mr McDonald will respond
thank you Ian look as I mentioned
earlier your Council has been meeting
weekly since the council decision and
since the last meeting in March with the
lxrp to develop viable options at this
stage no viable option has been
presented this includes information
in terms of revegetation long Derby your
Council understands that lxrp is still
several weeks away from finalizing any
design plans and hence commencing any
revegetation works there's no final decision
has been made on the preferred design
option and Ian second question Queens
Avenue bike path under what
circstances would Council be willing
to provide some funding should there be
a shortfall with L xrp's allocated
budget due to a new design for the Queen
Avenue bike path being developed and
agreed on and Mr McDonald will
respond thank you Ian for your second
question the Glenn Huntley level
crossing removal project and the
associated commitment to provide a
strategic cycling connection as part of
that project is a state government
funded project Council currently has no
provision within its annual capital
budget to contribute any shortfall in
the funding should that situation
arise our next questions from rosemary
SP Rosemary Sparrow given that Council
has been made well aware by the
residents and others at Derby Crescent is
an unsuitable location for the lxrp bike
path but Council still publicly states
it is under consideration for example
the article last Tuesday in the age 2nd
of April 2024 what are the impediments
preventing Council from publicly
announcing now that Derby Cresent option
has been rejected and will no longer be
considered and Mr mcdonal will
respond thank you Rosemary uh the
Strategic sing Corridor is an lxrp
project which still requires further
analysis by both the lxrp and
Council as I did mention Council
officers have been meeting weekly in in
order to determine a viable option
and council is supportive of a community
engagement process that aligns with our
community engagement policy being
completed and following this Council
will determine and communicate its
preferred option to the
lxrp and that concludes our written
public question to allocation man thank
you acting CEO we'll move on to item
four point one which is the confirmation
of minutes of meeting or meetings do I
have a
mov councelor SM do I have second
councelor M Council
SM uh thank you Madame mayor nothing
really to add other than there are
record of our meetings and councilor
McGee does anyone wish to speak against
that motion no other speakers on the
motion I will put that to the vote all
those in favor that's carried
unanimously we're moving on to item
five which is the reception and reading
of petitions and Joint letters we
have received a petition to consider
implementing an
lgbtiqa plus action plan for Glenn Ira
city council as provided for in the
agenda papers so uh this recommendation
is that Council receives and notes
petition and refers it to relevant
offices do I have a motion councelor
McGee do I have a second councelor
peniku councelor McGee Madame me thank
you Madame may as councilors would know
and I say most councils throughout
Victoria rainbow local government the
organization is calling on all councils
to put together a
lgbtiqa plus action plan so this is
this petition is noted and received and
as referred we will refer this petition
to the relevant officers for
consideration including a response to
the submitters Madam mayor Glen council
is very proudly has a pride Advisory
Group and that rainbow Pride Advisory
Group does a lot of terrific work within
Council we already I believe a very
well established an
lgbtiqa action plan and it'll be uh in
future council meeting when officers
come back with the uh any advice they
may have on this and that the councils
will have another opportunity to speak
about the work that we have done how we
treat not just the
LGBT iqa plus Community but how we
treat and inv involve ourselves with all
those that live within the city of
glenara and The Wider Victorian
Community we've done some terrific
work over the years our rainbow Pride
Advisory Group and we see that each year
with the uh the pride March in St Kilda
we see that on the steps here at at the
council chambers and we see that
throughout all the work we do we take
into consideration All Peoples all
peoples that work here visit here and
reside within the city glenara I'm
more than happy to recommend this
petition be accepted and look forward
to the officer consideration thank you
thank you councelor MC councel
peniku
uh thank you mayor and I concur with
all the remarks made by councelor
McGee I just thought I might add for
the benefit of the community that that
our rainbow Pride Advisory Group
makes recommendations to council about
our plans our strategies programs
services and policies in so far as they
impact on the
lgbtiqa plus community members uh and
this includes advocacy on those issues
on behalf of the Comm Community
responding to strategic Council and
other sector issues and opportunities
and policy development and it also
provides feedback to officers and staff
and also provides feedback and
encourages our involvement that is
council's involvement in all Community
engagement activities to ensure the
conus the inclusion of
lgbtiqa plus v voices and we do
commemorate and celebrate all the
appropriate days and and do other things
in support of that community and so I'm
very supportive of seconding the motion
put forward by councel McGee forward to
what the rainbow prior advisory BR
come back to us with thank you councelor
penu does anyone wish to speak
against that motion any other speakers
on that
motion would the M like to s up I just
to say that you know just to
acknowledge and and commend the
rainbow local government the
organization itself for the terrific
work they do in promoting the LG tpq IQ
plus community and uh we certainly look
forward to further engagement with them
in the future and again just acknowledge
the great work they do thank you thank
you I will now put that to the vote all
those in favor that's carried
unanimously we now move on to item six
are there any c who wish to submit a
report to the meeting
today councelor
atopos please proceed thanks mayor I
did attend two uh Metropol transport
For meetings both March and April
the March meeting uh we uh had Metro
trains present to us which was a very
interesting presentation because I did
speak to us about patronage and how
that's actually changed postco uh we
weend travel seems to be up uh weekday
travel seems to be all over the shop uh
some Peaks are uh going through the roof
and other Peaks have dropped off quite a
bit so it was quite interesting to see
some of the data that they were showing
us and how they're going to be using
that especially once the new Metro
tunnel is open which does uh uh go
through the large portion of our
municipality not the tunnel itself but
uh the cranon p line once that
opens uh how they're going to use that
information
for their scheduling moving forward they
did also talk about uh upgrading of
tracks and how they're using technology
to detect or early detect some
deterioration and or upgrades that's
required so in keeping with some things
that council do in terms of moving into
that technology space I think it's quite
interesting information to have uh I
will also make mention for those uh that
do live in that Queens Avenue uh area
and Orby pris area who us hearing of the
screeching around the corner I have
reached out uh to uh the executive at
the MTF so I can get the contact at
Metro train so they can address the
screeching of the trains that are going
around that corner so I'm hoping that
I'll get some of that information and
share that knowledge and hopefully get
some feedback for them uh they did also
uh the mpf have a meeting with Matthew
guy who is the uh Shadow transport
for the opposition I suppose he is a
keen cyclist which was very interesting
to find out and he's very interested in
the hathorn tooncast brout that's needs
to obviously go through a very populated
area like Hawthorne so it's going to be
quite interesting to see how he can make
that happen uh he was very responsive to
The For uh and looked to work with us
uh which is really nice that we have
people within uh Parliament actually
speaking with authorities like the not
really authorities but fors like the
Metro a metropolitan transport For
to to understand exactly what the whole
state or what the Metropolitan parts of
Victorian actually require so it's great
to have that year and you know it's
going to be two or so years away from
election but you need to start early so
you can start getting some of these
ideas in into the opposition's head
and B and borar did uh present in April
make it quick so I don't go for too long
uh we did have another presentation
uh around
uh Rider driver
pedestrian uh safety around construction
sites and especially this was mainly
focused on our major construction sites
uh but their their ultimate goal was to
achieve zero deaths by 2050 effectively
which would be amazing uh we've
probably seen instances where large
trucks entering and exiting uh side
uh do not have good sight lines do not
have the right equipment installed onto
their uh trucks or whatever it may be
and and do cause some Havoc out there on
the streets and is a tragedy when
when anyone is harmed or and or loses
their life so retrofitting is the first
step and then eventually getting to a
stage where Nationwide ultimately is
their goal uh it will be a requirement
for you know minim standards so
reflective uh equipment on on trucks
beeping equipment and all the other
important things that we would expect so
that's something that we can see rolled
out uh in our municipality considering
some of the construction that will go
ahead the last thing I'll mention is uh
that we did have uh opening position for
Ambassador cycling Ambassador within the
MTF so I did put my hand up to take on
that role so I'll be the cycling
Ambassador for the remainder of this
term at least andless I get reelected in
October
thanks thank you and congratulations on
that so uh we'll move on to item seven
which is the reports from committees and
records of assemblies so we have uh
reports on seven advisory committee
meetings and can I have a
move Council picu and is there a
second Council SM Council
penq I think thank you m as you've
mentioned there are minutes from Seven
advisory committees meetings at this
uh meeting of the council which is uh
which I know the most nber I think
I've ever seen being put forward to a
particular council meeting so I'm going
to just uh limit my comments because I'm
sure other members other councilors will
have things to say about committees they
members of I'll just limit mine to the
meeting on the 28th of February of the
Strategic
transport advisory committee otherwise
known as stack and that committee uh
was the first meeting of the new
membership of the committee and uh also
councilors uh Smo and Jang were in
attendance and uh the committee
basically focused on the refresh of
the integrated transport strategy which
is which is an item for later on in this
meeting and some of the issues
that I thought I would note for the
community that were raised by the
members of the Strategic transport
advisory committee were balancing
interests that is you know the interests
for Road users and other other you
know foot paaths and cycling track
users such as speeds Traffic caling
Safety traffic flow efficiency
functional function of arterial roads
and local streets parking immediate
needs of users and businesses different
users of the same road space including
tramps buses electric bus depos and
local Street access they also raised
broader influences such as Housing
Development and design including
allowances for EV charging noting state
government is looking to re to review
Pro Provisions for EV charging and
identified some emerging Trends such as
ebikes and E Scooters there are
growing use and the convenience of
them but also the safety aspects for
them both for the users and other Road
users or footpath users sorry
including the risk of safety of and
Street cluttering for example where
scooters are often just abandoned a
blocking foot paths with potential
problems for all other users and
internal capability at that is need for
stronger data collection and management
by the council that was the feedback
that they gave and as we know the the
the uh it strategy refreshes in another
item coming up and uh we'll be getting
some more information from the community
as well thank you thank you councilor
penu councelor
Smo nothing to
add any other speakers on
Council
pel thank you mayor I just want to
report on the gar business and economic
advisory
meetings uh I say meetings because we
actually had
two within the
Fortnight the minutes I'll take is
read the organizational restructure was
updated to the members all current city
economic econom
programs will carry over to the new de
department and be renewed as part of the
development of the New Economic
Development action
plan after a briefing with the
Consultants SGS economics and planning
it was agreed that a special
brainstorming meeting be held the next
week so officers as officers advised
that this group could make a a valuable
contribution to the review of the draft
Economic Development action
plan uh the following week the 29th of
February the brainstorming meeting was
held uh we came up with a working Vision
the that Gara has a thriving and
sustainable local business economy
working together to support growth pride
and investment Mak it a great place to
work shop and
visit the three proposed themes one
connected and supported places to work
and do business two vibrant and thriving
places for our community and investors
through build our understanding and
informed evidencebased
practices I want to thank all the
officers who are now led by Sharon syes
and Harley maratus and Tess gar AAR n
and of course the committee of all the
uh residents that are involved and
councilors areopolis and mayor K thank
you thank you councelor parol does
anyone wish to speak against that motion
any other speakers on that
motion no other
speakers does the M want to s
up nothing to it I might put that to the
vote all those in favor that's carried
unanimously records of assemblies
this is noting the records of assemblies
do I have a
mover
counselor klac and may I have a second
counselor atopis councelor
K I'd like to move them as written thank
you and councelor
anopolis I don't think anyone else
wishes to speak on that so we will put
that to the vote all those in favor
that's unanimously carried uh we'll move
now to 8.1 which is the financial
management uh report do I have a
mov councelor peniku and second
councelor smood as printed councilor
penq yes
you may speak to your motion thank
you mayor I move the that the
financial management report be adopted
this financial management report is
for the period ending the 29th of the 2
20 2024 of course we don't get all that
many 29th of the second the
the forecast Surplus for uh is of is for
8.73 million which will be invested in
capital works and debt Redemption
rates and charges make up interesting
facts are rates and charges make up 68%
of our revenue and employee costs and
materials and services make up 80% of
our expenditure and our borrowing costs
are less than 1% and may as I say every
time I move the financial report it
is full of very interesting information
for the community as to know what our
finances are where they're coming from
where they're going to and what
financial position we are in and there's
way too much detail to to put forward
in uh this short amount of time but I C
certainly do encourage members of the
committee if they're interested to read
the report thank you councilor
SM uh thank you Madame mayor and thank
you Council peniku Council penu
didn't go into detail but I'll take the
opportunity to focus on one of my
passion areas which is our open space
for those who haven't listened into a
council meeting before whether you're in
the chamber or online Council can uh
expand our open space through the
collection of open space Levy which is
uh a contribution made by developers
when they subdivide land and we can
also use obviously rates and other
income to complement that uh the council
the rates that are charged have changed
over time and Council now actually has
uh 88.3% of the site value which was uh
effective as of March 2023 which is a
big increase on some of the past
rates that have been charged in the area
uh known as Caulfield Village uh uh up
near the race course in Caulfield station
the rate at that time uh was 5% and
uh and the Smith Street precinct was 4%
East Village uh which is on East
Boundary Road had a oh lost track of
what it is I think it was 4% so things
have improved in terms of making sure
that we get more public open space as
the density is increasing to offset the
loss of private open space start of this
term coun is committed to spending
all of the open space Livy that we had
at the time
$6.9 million on acquiring new land for
public open space over the 4-year term
which is heading towards its end in
October and of that we've spent $23
million to date so we're hoping for one
last purchase of some land to create new
open space in a gap area for our
community which would be an
additional $4 million of that but after
all of that we are going to be leaving
the next Council term with over 7 $1
million to spend on open space and I
hope they do that whether I am here or
not I think it's really important
that we recognize the importance to
People's Health and wellbeing uh to have
open space and as well obviously to the
environment and a whole range of other
things so it's a it's good to see
that even though building has uh turned
down a bit as the costs have gone up
developers are not actually I think
there's about 20% of planning
applications that have been approved but
have not been built in the last few
years it it uh we're still collecting
these levies and they'll be used for the
benefit of the entire Community thank
you Madame thank thank you counil does
anyone wish to speak against that motion
any other speakers on that
motion would the M like to s
up no I might put that to the vote all
those in favor that's carried
unanimously item 8.2 is the integrated
transport strategy
refresh and uh do I have a move for that
councelor
penu and is a second councel
atopos Council
penu thank you mayor the this item
the intergraded transport strategy
refresh is to for us to agree to
release or endorse the draft for the
purpose of community consultation and to
request a further report on the
outcomes of consultation and a final
it refresh
2024 this
the the integrated transport strategy
was first adopted in
2018 and this is a refresh of that it
the uh strategy aims to Advocate and
plan for active and sustainable
transport while recognizing the ongoing
need for continued car use which which
shouldn't remain unchecked as roads are
already suggested the vision goals and
principles in the strategy generally are
unchanged with a new Strate with a new
safety principle added a range of
projects programs advocacy will be
developed following the community
consultation phase
there are quite the the the item
contains not only the officer's report
but also the draft refresh
the uh actions review the the strategy
survey smary and the engagement
smary report so there's a lot of
information here for the uh Community to
look at there interest there
interesting information such as the
modes of Transport that people would
like to see used more often 54% would
like to see bicycles used more often 30%
trains used more often 20% buses used
more often than 24% transs are used more
often often and it's interesting too
that 81% of people who move around in
glena do so because they're shopping
61% because they're exercising 56% for
work and others 50% for visiting friends
and
family the following principles are
very important to the survey
participants 54% indicated car
Alternatives can improve health in the
environment 46% indicated that Contin
growth of car use will contribute to F
further traffic congestion and parking
concerns and 43% indicated that
transport is for for all people so a
range of options are needed to suit Our
lives our busy lives also walkable
activity centers was the top priority
for transport in neighborhood and local
streets with 50% of participants ranking
at first and it was also the first
priority when ranking was weighted
against Alternatives anyway I could go
on presenting the results of the of
the survey but uh they're there for
everybody uh who's interested to read
and I do encourage members of the
community who are interested in
transport options in Glenn Ira to to
make submissions about the draft in
integrated transport strategy refresh uh
so that we know what the community
feels on this subject thank you thank
you councilor penu councilor
atopis uh thank you there and look I I
totally agree with what council penu has
shared so far and I think it's important
uh even the heading of this from its
Inception was always about integration
it's about accepting uh the situation
that we have and probably that we
potentially would move forward into and
identifying ways that we can integrate
the modes of all the different modes of
Transport that people will use now and
into the future as well as some
Vision about you know investment and
Improvement in infrastructure I know
Council McGee has constantly brought up
uh his wish to have transs down
eastbound Dre Road as an example so it
does have a mixture of things in there
from things that we can control like you
know changing the road environment so
that it's safer safeer walking and or a
cyclist or whatever that may be to
advocating to other levels of government
who would obviously do a project of that
nature so uh it is important that uh
the goal that we aim for while it may
not be achieved within the time frame
that we're searching for that we keep
trying to achieve it because uh without
that in place we really not just sort of
aiming for nothing and we have no
nothing to compare it to uh from when we
started so it's important that we start
taking those steps to Improvement it's
always hard as we saw from earlier in
the meeting with a final link on on a
bike on a strategic bike path to other
other infrastructure that we're looking
at within glena to achieve these goals
but this will help us work with
Community because about to go to
consultation and an understanding on
what we need to achieve and how we're
going to do it and start picking off
some of these projects and whilst we've
had unsuccessful projects come up in
glenara there's been other successful
ones like the Ros down rail trail
and I believe uh we looking at doing
some work along the uh frankon line as
you head towards morav so I look forward
to some of these things actually hitting
the ground thank you Council atop anyone
wish to speak against that motion
councilor
esakov yes thank you Madame mayor that's
very loud I'm kind of speaking
against it but not entirely because
obviously I will allow it to go to
consultation in its current form but in
speaking against the strategy nearly six
years ago when it was first adopted and
that was after several years of
discussion and debate around the table
prior to that uh many of the issues I
raised then are still valid today uh
firstly and most importantly we had a
very small response uh apart from
interest groups to this strategy during
its consultation period which was always
an issue the strategy Focus was
mainly on cycling but as many members of
our community are unable to cycle full
stop uh let alone to their workplace or
to do their shopping as we heard before
81% of people use their cars to do their
shopping uh to take children to school
to pick up their children from school to
take them to after school activities
that are may even be outside the
municipality uh travel to medical
appointments Dental appointments to
visit friends and family just to name a
few of the reasons that uh those
traveling in glena the reasons why they
travel uh walking is great but it's
certainly for local activity only and
people need to have the time required to
be able to use that mode of Transport
our leagues and it wouldn't suit
those who are time poor or need to
travel further than locally out of our
municipality that leaves the convenience
of a car or the less convenient public
transport system which would be too
difficult for many people especially if
they are time poor or the location they
need to travel is indirect uh I believe
along with 63% of respondents to our
recent travel survey council's focus
should be on the advocacy to the state
government for a better public transport
system it needs to be a clean system it
needs to be more regular it needs to be
more reliable it needs to have better
access and they're all things that would
encourage people to use it when it's
possible to do so I also raised concerns
in 2018 about removing or reducing car
parking from our activity centers the
most successful shopping centers in
local municipalities in Metro Melbourne
have convenient and ample parking
throughout their centers as they must to
attract and retain customers parking at
one end which was a thought bubble back
then I don't know if it still is of
consolidation of parking at one end of a
shopping center uh is not successful
it hasn't proven successful anywhere
that I have been able to uh Google at
all
uh where was I uh that won't work and we
need to keep plenty of parking on the
street especially for those who need it
most uh we also need to advocate for
parking both bike parking and car
parking at our Railway stations to
encourage more public transport travel
by the general community and importantly
through uh thorough consultation on all
elements and actions within this
strategy is imperative especially given
the limited feedback to the strategy in
the first place the incom and Road safe
bik cycling Corridor is an example of
this in recent
years some things have changed over the
last five and a half would you like
extension of a minute just another 30
seconds I think one minute
councelor
councelor oh I put that to the vot all
those in favor that's sced unanimously
thank you some things have changed as
has been mentioned covid arrived people
began working from home therefore less
car commutes you would think for a time
we weren't allowed to move outside of 5
kilometer bubble around us from our
homes uh there have been technology
changes and there's been the emergence
of uh E Scooters dare I say on roads and
for paths sometimes as I said things
have changed a little but our recent
travel survey which attracted 480
responses still shows the Reliance on
car travel is the most frequent mode
used and the top four reasons for travel
as councilor penuse already said are
shopping exercising working and visiting
friends and family uh so what mode
people would like to use
uh more often doesn't change the fact
that cars are still the most important
and most used mode of Transport 50% of
respondents want to see walkable
activity centers as as do I uh activity
centers that have safe Pavements to walk
on clean P Pavements and uncluttered
Pavements I will support as I said this
refresh going out for consultation but
still hold the same concerns I had
nearly six years ago and look forward to
seeing a large response from all
sections of the community uh and
encourage the broader Community to take
the time to read it it's it's big it's a
big piece of work and to really
understand what this strategy is
suggesting as the name of it doesn't
really reflect its content as the incom
and straight residents found out some
years back thank you any other
speakers on that motion
CM uh thank you Madame mayor and I will
try my best not to repeat any of the
comments that my fellow counselors have
made we the 2023 travel survey I
think it's worth noting what sort of
information that it gave us the survey
itself as Council esof has said had some
400 plus people respond which is
actually on the largest side of of input
that we've had I think it is
important to not though that it is not a
u representative sample for the
community when you look at some of
the frequent modes of Transport data
relative to larger scale studies but
and uh also when you are looking at the
graphs in there you've got to be very
careful to look at the actual
percentages if you're just comparing how
far across things are between one graph
and another the scales are actually
different but putting all that aside
I think that that graph has given us
some really important information four
years ago 5 years ago previous
Council came up with the integrated
transport strategy that was endorsed and
what this current refresh is saying is
we don't need to go back and reinvent
everything but we're probably going to
put our emphasis on slightly different
areas so in terms of the main reasons of
travel uh in the feedback we had from
the 2023 travel survey it really said
that a lot of the reasons people are
traveling are to do with and some of
this is due to change because of Co and
remote working from home is about
travel within our municipality so the
emphasis is not necessarily on large
corridors that help people get through
glena but about how we get to our shops
how we get around exercise ing how we
visit family and friends who might live
nearby uh and so when you actually look
at the way that the refresh has been
constructed it's really looking about
efficient movement about getting to the
places that we value such as our shops
such as our Parks uh and making sure
that it is safer so there are a nber
of uh lower hanging fruit which is
much more uh feasible for the council to
deliver that have already started
happening in this term such as the Rosel
rail trail uh that counselor anopolis
has mentioned there's been work
looking at how we can make it safer
around schools since our young people
are our most vulnerable Road users or
transport users uh and also we know that
a lot of the uh congestion during
morning peak hour is actually about
parents getting kids to school by car so
if we can make it safer for more of them
to walk or ride then we're having the
double benefit of a healthier more
environmentally friendly way for young
people to get to school and less cars
on the road congesting it for those who
actually really do need to be driving at
that time and then also about a
sustainable approach and the report very
clearly states uh that our population is
growing we're expecting to be almost at
190,000 by 2036 so 12 years away uh and
we can't just keep on adding the same
proportion of cars to the road so
there's a lot that's changed because of
Co and I think uh it's really uh will be
useful and I hope we get a very big
response assing this report gets
endorsed to go out to the community for
feedback to really think about the
recommendations in this refresh because
they are uh more nuanced and different
from what was in the previous strategy I
think more achievable as well thank you
Madame May thank you con SM any other
speakers does the U Move of on the
smer councilor
penq thank you mayor just briefly and
I think uh councilor's aop Council
esakov and councilor smoo for their
comments and uh between us we've managed
to cover a bit of the bit of the ground
that's in the report and it's in the
survey Etc I agree with Council
esakov that we need to be advocating for
more public transport and indeed uh as
Council esof pointed out there are some
45% of people saying they're moving uh
they're using cars but there's a great
nber of people who are saying they'd
rather be using public transport
buses trams and or trains and and then
there's a great nber of people who'd
like to uh use cycling but let's just
get back to what it is it's an
integrated transport strategy
integrating all forms of transport and
and it's focusing on a network where
everyone is safe and feel safe so safety
is one of the added principles that
has been identified and so adds adds
an extra impetus to the way we look at
it and what hopefully will will
become our new adopted strategy
following the community
consultation so I just uh wanted
to pick up a comment that that uh
councilor an thanopoulos U made
regarding councilor McGee's advocacy
for Light Rail and I believe it's
North Road that I've heard councelor
McGee talking about where he wants to
see a light rail love it love
it just thought I'd add that so look
a lot of work has been put into this by
by the officers uh and listening to
you know looking at reviewing it from
their own point of view listening to
what other people have had to say
including the members of the Strategic
transport advisory committee and now
we'll be listening to The Wider
community and I think really we're going
to end up with with a a strategy that
we can work towards to make whatever
uh transport mode that you that people
are choosing to use and are more able to
use because we might make changes to
the to the community that they are safer
more convenient and more accessible
thank you councilor peniku I will now
put that to the vote all those in favor
that's carried
unanimously we're moving on to draft
gambling policy for Community engagement
uh can I have a over councelor
isakov second councelor kle councelor
isakov
yeah thanks Madame mayor I guess the
first question some might ask is why
council is spending time developing a
gambling
policy Council actually does have a
statutory responsibility to uphold the
community's health and well-being and
minimize harm from gambling under the
public health and well-being act 2008
and the gambling regulation act
2003 in addition Council has
responsibilities under the planning and
environment act 1987 to provide for the
fair orderly economic and sustainable
use and development of land and to
secure a pleasant efficient and safe
environment as the paper says gambling
is a legal activity and many people are
able to enjoy a flutter and use it as a
form of entertainment uh with no
detrimental impact unfortunately though
there are others whose lives are turned
upside down and inside out who develop
an addiction and they suffer the dieon
consequences of that impacting their
families and often friends and
friendships as well obviously this
differs for different people under
different
circstances in glena for the 2223 year
it was estimated that $163 million was
lost on gambling $70 million to gaming
Machines of which we have
$652 over nine
venues that equates to
193,000 a day or 553 per person per each
year per adult I hope I got that right
certainly the 553 is right the draft
policy provides a framework to guide
council's position in reducing and
preventing gambling harm in the
community it covers electronic gaming
machines casino games online gambling
lotteries and race betting sports
betting and such it does how recognize
that things like Raffles Bingo and
tipping competitions offer benefits to
the community from social interaction to
fundraising for local causes Charities
Etc and as such are not covered in the
draft policy council's received valuable
insights and priorities from a range of
both internal and external stakeholders
and Community views through our
community voice panel and has found that
there are five key areas where Council
can play a role and is taking a public
health approach to preventing and
reducing gambling harm and is
underpinned by a harm minimization
framework that focuses on key risk and
protective factors uh Community
engagement on this draft policy will run
for a 3-week period And I as always look
forward to hearing views from the
community that can help shape this final
policy thank you thank you councilor
esakov councelor kle
back thank you Madame mayor look I
don't think councelor esakov has left
me much to say thank you very much for
your comments I want to commend
the policy to the counselors and the
public and encourage people to read it
and comment and provide feedback I
was going to talk about the five key
areas but that's been done but I'm
pleased to see that the policy
articulates council's awareness of the
harm associated with gambling and
commits to embedding a harm minimization
strategy that provides scope for
Fairly broad advocacy as the need
arises and I do know that Council does
need to have a policy under the
Victorian under recent changes the
Victorian gaming casino Control
Commission it does provide us with
additional uh clout when it comes to
examining issues of harm in our
community and how we might regulate or
assist the community in dealing with
those thank you thank you does anyone
wish to speak against that motion any
other speakers on the motion councilor
mck Madame mayor being someone who spent
a considerable amount of time on the
board of an organization who rented and
operated gaming machines I seen
firsthand the amount of work that the
organizations go through to one identify
people with at harm from gambling to
identify the regular users to
intervene point out to people that uh
that may be in danger may be
overstepping and it's hard very hard for
an organization to actually impose on
themselves other than a ban or
restricting the uh entrance to a club
but there is so much work done by those
that administer the clubs and the
organizations to actually seek help and
and refer people to others that can help
there's a lot that goes on gambling is
not a an illegal thing like a lot of
people I love a punt I love a you
know some people would play tacel Lotto
I don't do gaming machines but J I love
it when the horses take off and and
always know which one's going to win
it's never the one eye back but there is
a lot of fun to it there's a lot of
social inclusion in it a lot
of comaraderie within groups I'm part
of a a poker club have been for 25 years
we play the third Friday every month and
we've hav we've almost not missed a a
Friday night in that 25 years and it's
great fun it's great fun to communicate
to chat to talk to sometimes win
sometimes break even sometimes lose
we need the policy legislative forse we
need the policy but I I do hear often
about the sins of gambling some
people have a problem with gambling a
lot of people don't thank you thank you
any other speakers on that motion I
might put that to the vot then all
those in
favor oh
sorry I might ask Council isov to s
up
thank you I thought I'd missed my boat
then I really just wanted to add one
more thing I think uh part of this
should be advocacy to whichever
Department in whether it's state or
federal I'm not sure but gambling
advertising on television is a massive
problem it's all night all day and I I
remember hearing some years back that it
wasn't going to be in the early hours
while children were awake and up and
watching but it is and and we're we're
normalizing gambling to those children
that they should bet on football games
they should you know they should bet on
everything that moves and I think that's
a really really bad thing that we allow
or that someone allowed uh advertising
for gambling so rampantly so I think
that should be a really big advoc
advocacy point for Council to take on as
well thank you thank you Council isakov
I'll now put that to the vote all those
in favor and that's carried
unanimously uh moving on to 8.4 which is
the draft Economic Development action
plan
2426 do I have a move counil uh parasol
as
printed
yes can I have a second councilor atopis
councelor
parasol thank you madam mayor
the draft uh Community engagement plan
is up to the community now to get
involved the themes focus on connecting
businesses with one another and with
Council supporting home homebased
business and hybrid ways of
working activating and promoting
activity centers in collaboration with
Traders
associations and
support the landlords within the
community so we have a positive
positioning in
Gara even though council's direct impact
on the local economy is limited it plays
an important and strategic role in
creating a supportive
environment and vibrant places to enable
businesses both homebased which has
become a very increasing
Trend and within our community centers
activity
centers uh there's been many
achievements that Council has done with
the community in the last four years
from whether it's supporting during Co
smoke free zones fors with Traders
associations parklets Etc so I really
hope that the community will get
involved in this community engagement
which starts tomorrow the 10th of April
and finishes on the 8th of May thank you
thank you councelor parisol councelor
atopis thank you uh I'm just going to
click to the right page before I start
but uh theme two I've been on about this
for a little while now but theme two and
I'm glad there's a bunch of different
avenues that we're approaching this from
but them to says investment in vibrant
and th thriving places for our community
I know we're about to go to
consultation so I want to hear from the
community so I just want to put that on
a table I'm looking forward to hearing
from them but I can assure you are here
we have heard it multiple times in many
different ways shapes and forms that
that is a big concern for our
communities when they see our shopping
centers uh a place apparently in other
items tonight where they travel to they
love to go to they can see that they
are tired they can see that they need
work uh the actual biggest issue I think
we have ultimately is in investment
really the funds to actually get them
to a standard really aren't there it's
going to take a while for us to build up
that that that money quite frankly
but nonetheless at least we're getting
some of these things on the table
they've got we've got some strategies
some ideas in place uh where we can
actually start seeing uh directive
through the budgetary process to
actually seeing some of these things on
the ground maybe a bit slow to start and
we we start with some loow hanging fruit
but as things progress we'll start
seeing some a bigger scale outcomes uh I
I think it's important and I've raised
this with counselors and I'll keep
reminding it as things like this come up
when I have an opportunity that these
are open spaces for people as well I
know it's not a beautiful park for for
some people but you know when you are
living in highly densed areas uh you
know you may not want to hang out in
your small little living room room
that's connected to your Lounge room you
may actually just want to head out into
the street and they do become an
important Community Asset for them where
they connect with people Etc so it's
important that we look after them that
we make them grateful the people that
already there that are really close
people that want to visit from further
away or from other cities as well so I'm
great I'm grateful that this is one of
the themes I'm grateful for the other
things that we're working on I'm looking
forward to what the community uh input
will be when this goes out for
consultation thank you uh Council atopis
does anyone wish to speak against that
motion any other speakers on that motion
coun
kle uh look at just a couple of quick
points I I was really excited to discuss
and see this docent I think that
there's been very significant changes in
our community that have had far-reaching
impacts and will continue to co is
obviously one of them the shift of
working from home but you know the
housing pressure and economic pressure
that our community is experiencing is
translating into impacts in our activity
centers so and I really agree with
the comments from councelor parisol and
councelor AOS opis and particularly
that our shopping centers and activity
centers do need to be places that people
want to go because they people will
increasingly live in small homes and
they the walk to a park may not be
something they're able to do every time
they want to take a breath of fish air
or get away from Mom or Dad or whomever
it is that they live with so uh but
and what our activity centers can do for
Community to increase Economic
Development and growth and are they
providing the services that Community
increasingly need through working
from home Arrangements Etc so yeah look
I commend the report thank you very much
thank you any other
speakers
would councilor Paris all like to s up
I think everyone's been uh very on the
ball with all their comments and i' just
like to implore again on the community
to really get behind us tell us what you
do want to that we can try and do to
help businesses help the community help
the workers and help the investors to
keep making galara the best place to be
thank
you thank you I will now put that to the
vote all those in favor that's carried
unanimously uh moving on to the
governance rules public participation
policy and conduct of meetings do I
have a mover councelor MC and is that as
printed as printed and do I have a
second councelor
penq councelor
McGee Madame the report speaks for
itself pretty much I won't go through
all of it but really it it could be seen
as a a bit of tidying up and
housekeeping as we all know back in 2020
The Local Government Act was changed and
many changes came to councils and
councils are obliged to amend their
procedures and it's a good idea to get
them all done before the council
election in October this year and some
of those changes that are going to come
to us is you know as the reports is with
the election of the mayor and Deputy
Mayor and meeting procedures now we're
seeing some information Within within
the report that looks at everything
from notices of motion deciding you
know descent from the chair points of
order and providing a clear definition
of conflict of interest which is
important to everyone within the
community we're also seeing
recommendations that seeking Community
advice on or opinions on uh in
relation to Council meetings materials
posters placards and the recording of
meetings so we're going out to the
community to say the officers have
prepared this report we're putting it
out for Community consultation that will
then come back to council and then
that's the point where counselors can
actually then uh look at the what's come
back what's gone out what's come back
and then actually put a position going
forward that's acceptable to the
counselor group it's the nine counselors
who will decide on this when it finally
comes back so at this stage the
report is very detailed I call it
with the the Parker report so that
looking forward for that coming back to
us and uh we get to debate that and talk
about that and the community's wants
community's needs and what the community
think is important for us and I'll save
some small stuff to when I s up thank
you thank you councelor McGee councelor
peniku uh thank you May I'll
second the motion as well the review
of the meeting procedur local law is
required under the Act and the
governance rules of superseded the
election of the mayor and Deputy Mayor
and meeting procedures and the review of
the local laws resulted in a pro
proposal to resin the existing local law
and Implement a replacement local law
which is uh going out for consultation
titled the conduct at meetings in
Comm common seal local law which is just
a fabulous title and rolls off the
tongue very easily I shouldn't say it
is it is important but it's a funny name
the proposed local law will retain the
components not replaced by the
governance rules the governance rules
have been expanded to in in include and
clarify include additional things and
clarify some of the procedures we
already follow uh and there is also a
public participation policy so there's a
lot for the community to think about
as a councelor McGee has mentioned the
staff have done a lot of work in
preparing these docents and the local
law committee uh which includes Council
esakov and the mayor and I have spent a
lot of time going through it I am I'm
prepared to second the motion not
because I agree with everything that's
in the new governance rules uh all the
local law there are some changes that
I would like to see but I'm prepared
to let that that go out to cut the
docents as prepared there's no no
great problems with them but there are
things that I would possibly like to see
changed one example is in terms of
notices of motion the the requirement is
for three counsel is to put forward a mo
notice of motion I would say you'd only
need one counselor on a seconder other
people have different opinions be
interesting to see what the C the
community thinks about that that's just
one example so I'm prepared I'm very
happy to see it go out for public
consultation which I think is for
April and May and I will come back to
the council in June thank you thank you
councilor pinu anyone wishes to speak
against that motion councilor
atopos uh thanks mayor and I'm not
going to start just by jping straight
and speaking against it because I'd
like the opportunity to put forward an
amendment so that we can actually have
everyone's view on on this change and we
can explain it properly and explore it
properly and then if it does fail even
at this stage that's fine do you mind
me putting that yes go ahead and state
your Amendment yeah so that Council uh
part one will remain the same but with
the extra added wording at the end after
policy with the following amendment to
9.4 of the draft conduct at meetings and
common seal local law 9.4 for any person
to display a Packard or poster that
could cause offenses or injury in the
chamber or any building where Council
meet uh where where a council meeting is
being held or is about to be held so I'm
reading off the phone so is a bit small
maybe I should zoom in is about to be
held or other than outside the entrance
to the building and then only if a plard
poster or other like material does not
obstruct the entrance to building or
participation in the meeting materials
that could cause injury will not be per
permitted in the chamber nber two
we'll have approve commencement of
community consultation for the draft uh
governance rules attachment two draft
public participation policy attachment 3
under division three of part three of
The Local Government Act 2020 and
council's Community engagement policy
3 commence the sary process for
Community consultation and for notes the
submission period is 4 weeks from the
22nd of April to the 20th of May thank
you do I have a second for that
Amendment councelor
klac would the mov like to speak to his
Amendment yeah thank you uh just a
moment before you start speaking I
just like to remind all the councilors
that discussion uh further discussion at
this part of the meeting will be on the
amendment uh that has been put forward
and so restrict your commments to the
amendment that has been put fored by
councelor atopis thank you councelor
atopis you may go ahead thank you and
the reason why I want to put this
amendment forward is because I don't
really find it comfortable even going at
the consultation it's very rare for me
to actually have that position because
quite often I'm actually very happy for
it but for me this particular point is
is is for me just a step too far in
terms of changing how this place is
going to look and feel quite frankly
there is uh I'll I'll read actually
what it actually says and I may ask for
an extension of of time but because I I
only have 3 minutes uh I may need it but
what I'm what's being asked in the as
printed version is that there will be an
offense and in 9.4 effectively for any
plard or post to be in the
chamber I'm not going to go into the
reasons why I think that may be in there
uh they maybe other people can explain
that but for me I think that's a part of
the chamber part of the experience
within here that should remain exactly
the same way it should be if people
are concerned with risks to any of us or
staff or any other thing uh that may
be connected to a reason white plard
can't be in here or poster at least a
poster of paper material for example
then I think that should be addressed in
a completely different way uh
if uh because of the Restriction of
things within that area this is why I'm
exploring the reasons why it's in there
and I can only imagine that it would be
around safety it's quite easily for
people and I'm not sure if people have
brought in bags with them today but I
know that my wife quite often bring a
bag into a place and quite often she'll
have either makeup equipment or a
lipstick last I checked I reckon
they're probably more dangerous if
they'll H hled at anyone in the chamber
then a piece of paper if was scrunched
up and potentially even some of the
cardboard that holds the blackards
together so if that was the reason why
we're going down this part and having
this in here then I can't I can't really
bring myself to really understand
exactly why it needs to be in there and
therefore I don't wanted to even go out
consultation and ask the community
whether they would like to bring in a
poster to express their views or not in
here or not I actually want them to do
it and therefore it would be a bit
unreasonable for me to sit here and just
be like oh well we'll just see what the
consultation what happens in the
consultation period two other points
that I'll make which I think pretty
important on this and I ask extension
now because it may be cut halfway
through yes how many minutes of just two
minutes I should be able to finish
can I have a m councelor SM counselor
Jang all those in favor that's been
carried unanimously so we do have a 4
week period and we know that most likely
this so this type of uh consultation
probably won't actually go far and wide
we won't really understand it when this
the rubber will hit the road on a change
like this is when something egregious
happens to a group of people they come
here expecting to walk in with a bunch
of posters and it got told at the front
door but not welcome to do so and we con
L use this as a reason why we shouldn't
do some things in some of our other
strategies because we know that
apparently when H rubber hits the road
when something needs to change in front
of somebody's house that's when it's
really going to be a problem so why do
we have these strategies we need to be
more specific about these things and
that's that's a concern to me because
people aren't going to read this I mean
people didn't read I'm sure the amount
of times people come in for their first
meeting and don't even read that they
have to fill out a public participation
form we have to go there and inform them
and and and build up a relationship and
say this is how it's conducted they
don't go and read these things before
attending they get upset about something
they want to come and let us know about
it and they want to participate and this
puts an extra barrier in the way if the
if the concern is of our safety and
health the barrier should be there in
some way shape or form and not with what
people are trying to explain to us and
show to us about a position that they
may
have thanks thank you councilor at uh
atopis Council
Carle thank you Madame mayor look I
uh I obviously am coming to every issue
that's on the agenda late I'm the uh the
person the rookie counselor that's come
on in the last uh quarter of the you
know
four the four quarters of the football
game and I wasn't here when the first
discussions were held with counselors
about these changes to governance law
I'm glad I don't have to speak about the
whole law because I think it's all
mostly fantastic but the issues I have
are with the changes under 9.4 and I
think a lot of people think that they
are fairly minor but I don't I actually
think that uh this is a very close
engagement with the public that I
have come into this chamber as a
community member a nber of times with
posters and blackards and it was
inconceivable it was inconceivable to me
uh when I first read this that these
could somehow be a occupational health
and safety issue have respectfully
though I have listened to other people's
opinions about those things and I
have proposed wording around this
clause which was to be an alternative is
now being proposed as an amendment that
addresses those issues I don't
believe that the wording as it currently
sits in 9.4 addresses the occupational
health and safety concerns adequately I
believe there there are as councelor
anop anop anthopolos has already said is
uh that there are many things that can
be brought into a chamber that are
currently unrestricted that are far more
likely to be weaponized or cause injury
than a piece of paper or a plard but
I believe the wording in the amendment
addresses those issues uh and I think
that Pro prohibiting forms of expression
and protest is not in the spirit of uh
local democracy and what I believe that
we should be able to Foster and
encourage in our Council chamber I am
absolutely all for improving uh
counselor's sense of safety in this
chamber and the public sense of safety I
think those are really important
initiatives and I think there are
probably other things that we could
think of that might also improve them
but people will always disagree with
counselors they will find objections and
they will come together and wish to make
those things visible if we don't provide
the opportunity through posters and Pla
cards other thing other forms of protest
will be considered and I yeah so I
support the amendment thank you anyone
wish to speak against that councilor
schm uh thank you Madame mayor and I
thank you councelor thanop and councelor
Carle for putting uh
this amendment forward look
essentially and I think councelor Thanos
and I are taking the opposite side of
the table here because I usually want to
make all the Amendments before it goes
out to consultation what we're being
asked to vote on tonight is to actually
go out for a four-week consultation from
the 22nd of April to the 20th of May
I have a nber of things that I
probably would like to see changed
Council penuse raised one of them with
regards to notice of motion there are
some conditions around the recision
motion I'm interested in exploring
further uh descent to the chair uh and
how we handle public questions but I
think as councelor uh McGee has said
it's probably appropriate rather than us
all trying to just fiddle with specific
sections to actually go out to
engagement acknowledge the huge amount
of work that polished Parker has put to
this uh and then once we hear back from
the community really go into uh and
and and debate that to bring then the
final version to the community 4 uh a
nber of been the governance rules the
public participation policy the conduct
of meetings and the common seal local
law so there is a lot here it is
important that we get it right uh but I
think at this stage rather than just
focusing on changing one area now we
should let it go out and then when it
all the feedback from the community
comes back we we look at the different
areas that we might want to amend thank
you thank you councilor m m any other
speakers councilor
m madame May thank you Mad May
there's nothing in the amendment that is
offensive or dramatically changes the
motion it's just coming at the wrong
time it's coming at the wrong time
because this if we had already gone out
for Community consultation and the
consultation come back and this was put
up it's something I would would probably
support maybe but not tonight for
going out Community consultation and I
say that because of a few reasons one is
if Council throw their mind back to the
the ibac report operation Shandon
when that first came out and I've had
the the privilege of actually speaking
with the deputy director of ibec and the
minister in relation to operation
standed in the report and some of the
biggest concerns that uh ibck had is
with councilors changing officers
reports and doing it in what they call
uh you know in a briefing meeting or
clearly in a council meeting uh we are
endeavoring to do that tonight the
proper time for that is after the
consultation with the community the
community could see this change as
councilors have changed it that's what
they want they've already made up their
mind Council shouldn't be telling the
community our views on a community
consultation until their views have come
back to us and we get an officer
assessment on those views we get the the
views from the community we speak to the
community and then we as a group of nine
come together and decide what do we
think how do we feel about that now it
could be that that this alternate is
very reasonable and sensible and that's
what the community wants at this stage I
don't believe it's up to us to start
changing the officer's report it's
certainly not in keeping with the uh
Sentiments of ibck ibck would be very
critical of this decision tonight if it
were to get up I would say that it
should not get up and I would implore
all coun do not support the alternate
but by all means fully consider it once
it comes back from Community
consultation thank you is there anyone
else who would like to speak to this
amendment councilor
peniku thank you mayor and thank
you to the other councilors for the
points they've raised I won't be
supporting the amendment but not
necessarily for the same reasons I
don't think the first of all to start
with the reason for putting forward the
motion about display of blackards and
posts is partly occupational health and
safety it's not entirely that it's also
to make sure that that the chamber is
orderly and that people who are
charged who are in the in the chamber
charged with making decisions on
sometimes very complicated complex
issues for which they have to be
concentrating and thinking clearly are
not distracted by blackards posters
people calling out Etc in the gallery
and there are of course there's there's
provision for the mayor to intervene and
uh prevent someone or stop someone
from calling up but it can still happen
uh that's part of the reason for it
now councilors would know I was a member
of the parliament before I came to the
council and in Parliament the federal
Parliament State parliaments there's no
Pro there's no allowance for any
posters placards signs or wearing of
t-shirts hats or anything that says
anything about any issue political or
otherwise that's being discussed in the
in the Parliamentary Chambers uh and
that is for the reason of keeping the
the meeting orderly uh and so for me u i
don't see it as an attack on Democracy
because i' I'm spent 12 years operating
under that condition and I didn't find
it a problem but plenty PE people are
still allowed to still able to stand
outside the parliament with their
playards Etc and I've done so myself
on many occasions before I was in
Parliament uh in fact the first rally
I went to with a plard was when I was 14
years old protesting against the Vietnam
War and I spent a long time protesting
against Forest destruction climate
change Etc with posters uh and blackards
so many of which I've made myself so
it's not just about uh an occupational
health and safety is issue it is another
issue and in fact the point made that
we are clo we're very close at very
close quarters in fact makes that
distraction issue even more of an
issue uh more likely because you're
closer than you are when you're in a in
a parliamentary chamber but the other
reason so that's one reason the other
reason is I don't particularly I'm
not
particularly supportive of the actual
wording that's being put forward so uh
there are other councils that have that
have put in similar wording some of it I
think if if you know I'm not
totally coun P would you like a one
minute extension thank you Council
councelor Jang and all those in favor
that's carried
unanimously thank you councilors I'm
open to the idea of qualifying it I I
remain open to that but I would uh
require different wording than the
wording that's there i' I I've I've
raised the issue of the wording wording
of participation but if you look at for
example the wording in the city of Port
Phillip the wording in the greater City
greater Dany Nong they're they're a
little bit different and they pick up
other points that this wording doesn't
pick up our particular wording the
wording that's going out for Community
consultation is very similar to that of
Stonington except it doesn't mention
delegated committees which is another
issue that perhaps could be picked up so
the actual wording in the amendment I'm
not totally supportive of I think if
I was going to support a qualification
of 9.4 it wouldn't be with that total
with that wording exactly as it is now
so I won't be supporting amend thank you
councelor penu any other speakers
councelor
isakov thank you Madame mayor I agree
with the comments that have been made
around the table uh in general uh with
Council McGee's uh Viewpoint there with
councilor mood and councelor penu uh
it's uh it is a matter of an orderly
meeting it is a matter of no
distractions it is a matter of the
proximity and the fact that we have
three rows of gallery in a very tight
and closed space if we have people
holding up posters and placards as an
example uh people sitting behind can't
see what's going on in the chamber who's
speaking and they can't be a good
participant oh participant but uh it it
can't be comfortable for them to be
watching it under those conditions if
they're stuck behind someone's poster so
there's lots of uh aspects of it to take
into consideration uh because it is many
things as councilor penu said it's
partly occupational health and safety
but it's lots of other things as well so
that's all thank you thank you Council e
off any other speakers councelor
J thank you Madame mayor I
understand that today's report is just
to support this uh this draft policy to
go out for U Community consultation
but I think when people give feedback
to a policy like this they would
think this is a council drafted policy
they were not think uh this is
officers officers report or
counselor's report or council's report
so I I can accept some uh
minor minor wordings that we have
different uh view on uh and I understand
that we will have future opportunity to
uh a mandet based on the feedback uh
Community provides with provides to us
but if that is something that we
have very different views or even
opposite views I I think it's better to
amend before go out to U consultation so
the principle public participation is
that those who are affected by a
decision have a right to be involved in
the decision making process Community uh
Community being involved canot just mean
that they sit there and watch and wait
to be told the results but should be
that they can make their voices heard
and have their feedback taken into
account when decision makers are making
decisions if we allow people to
influence our opinions
or decision
before the meetings I think you can
still do that during the meeting as long
as uh as long as the what they bring
into the chamber does not pose a danger
I don't see anything wrong with quietly
displaying some text that isn't
offensive and just express it their
opinion so I would support the amendment
thank you councelor J any other speakers
councilor
parasor thank you madam mayor uh I'm
certainly in favor of the officer's
report and I won't support the amendment
I think there'll be plenty of
opportunity after Community consultation
to make any changes and I'm sure there
will be some but I don't think tonight's
the time to just make a little change in
one area thank you thank you councilor
parisol I might just say a few words
before I put this to the vote uh I'm
in favor of the report going out to
consultation
as is and I share the views uh by
shared by fellow counselors SM councelor
McGee councelor peniku councelor isakov
and so I will not repeat that I will
now put this to the vote those in favor
of the
amendment that's councelor anopolis
councelor klac and councelor Shang and
those who are not in favor of the
amendment uh would be councelor smooth
councelor McGee councelor penu councelor
parasol councelor esakov and councelor
kid now uh that amendment has been lost
so we will rese the debate on the
original motion does anyone wish to
speak on the
motion we still speak against the
account you're can continue speaking
against it yeah we we could I does
matter but I mean I'm not going to speak
against it because I think people have
got an idea of
excuse me it's unfair to talk while a
counselor's addressing the room we get
upset with the gallery so it' be nice if
everyone stays
quiet so what well I won't go over
again that exact point what what I will
just say is that it is great that we've
highlighted it so far uh because I think
uh now if we are like I'm obviously
passion about this the community doesn't
know my position we've all heard the
reasons why councilors do think that
it's important to go out for
consultation why they should be there
some have already expressed a reason why
it needs to continue some uh haven't
made a decision one thing that I will
say although that I not going to vote
for it to go out to consultation and
I've expressed already the reasons why
that between the time I'm assing it
will get up seems like the people that
voted that way will vote again I'd
imagine that I'll keep it open mind
I'll look at that feedback and you
know if that is something that is
supported and if I'm convinced that it's
something that should remain in there
then my vote will change because I think
that's an important part of the process
we're looking at what ibach expects of
our counselors once something's out
there we need to listen to that feedback
and that's important but I will just say
that for me there is the one part of all
that's here uh that really makes me feel
uncomfortable I will just finish off by
saying that there is some really good
work in there and that whilst there may
be some disagree really good working
there there might be some
disagreement on some of the other things
that we're talking about they mostly
affect us when I say ask people how we
work in the chamber the one that I
wanted to make uh that I'm mostly
feeling comfortable is how it affects
people out there and I'll be honest I
have never held up plard or a poster or
being to a rally quite frankly so it's
actually not because something that I
love to do or totally get quite frankly
but I do know and I do respect the
people that do thank you Council atopis
any other speakers on that motion counil
klac yes thank you look with the
Amendment not being successful I also
as as councelor an has also has
said support the motion to go to
community consultation I'm obviously not
going to oppose that but I think one
of the things that I neglected to say
earlier and would like to say now is
that I I think there are lots of lots
of opinions in the room and they're all
good uh but uh I do think that and
I'm on a bit of a learning curve and I
do need to go back and uh follow up on
what councilor McGee has said but I do
believe that we have a responsibility
for
leadership and what I would say about
things like governance laws is that they
are probably the least read aspect of
council business they aren't the thing
that turns you on they aren't the page
Turner and I know what we think is these
things are very important and I don't
mean to disparage them by any means I
can see how in every time I come to a
meeting I see how the proper functioning
of this chamber is how important it is
for good clear decision making and the
strength about democracy uh but I also
think that we must be cognizant of the
fact that these are the areas of
business that as councilor anth has said
mostly concern us and this aspect is how
we engage with the public and I think
it's really important to put a
leadership hat on and actually say be an
advocate for our community and how they
can continue to express their views and
opinions because they have a right to do
so thank you councelor K any other
speakers I might just say a few words on
this motion and just to put things in
perspective these u local laws and
rules are the Cornerstone of council's
governance framework and undering
effective governance they also need to
comply with the Local Government Act and
upon review uh we have identified some
areas that could be refreshed and
updated uh to provide F the clarity
that's what we've done and that's set
out in this report goes out to
community consultation who will provide
feedback and then it'll be further
considered before we finalize it uh
councelor McGee would you like to s up
Madame mayor yes I would Madame mayor
there's not one counselor around this
table who doesn't believe passionately
in what we do and the community's right
to petition Council to Lobby Council to
Advocate to council that's all a normal
part of governance now I've probably
been 180 meetings in this chamber
Council rest C probably over 200 we'
have seen some incredibly routy meetings
we've seen meetings where they've been
very confronting uh we only have to
remember the the December meeting from
last year where three councilors were
actually assaulted and that assault will
actually play out on the 18th of next
week the 18th of April at the moravan
Magistrate Court no coun should be
subjected to that I sit here tonight
even when the the the wonderful people
from Derby cron got up to leave I
straight away looked so it certainly
affected how I operate within the
council chamber and I'm someone that
would in past would have said you know
let it let it happen just roll with it
but there is opportunities for us to
discuss this when the community
consultation comes back I think it's
very very important that we don't try
and decide what the cons consultation
should look like before the community
get to see that I think it's important
that the officers have put together a
very detailed report and that report
does go out to the community as printed
now when it comes back I got no problems
with what what the amendments were I
think if we're talking about leadership
that is leadership leadership is being
able to stand up and speak about what
you believe in speak in what's important
I think I know a little bit about
what's important to my community I've
been serving them now for 16 years I
think it's pretty clear they'll let you
know what they like and what they don't
like actually more let you know what
they don't like than what they do like
so this will come back to us and we'll
we'll reframe this conversation at
another stage we've heard from
counselors that there's parts of this
that they're not particularly happy with
and I suspect there may be some changes
but there councelor penu hasn't sort of
labeled what they are uh councelor
schmood hasn't labeled what they are and
I certainly haven't labeled any that I'm
not in favor of the community have
every right to come to Council meetings
and we saw tonight the uh referring back
to the uh the people from Derby Cresent
at a small sign said I think it said
keep Derby green that's not
offensive back in 20 6 or 7 I wore a
t-shirt into this chamber that said save
East Bentley pool save our pool and I
actually found that t-shirt just the
other day well I think it's one like it
cuz this one was really small it
couldn't have been the one I was wearing
back then yeah it was it was it was
child size so it clearly couldn't have
been mine but this is an important
issue that needs to go forward but it's
an important issue for not just our
Council your time is up for Council EXT
I know that thank
you I will now put that to the vote all
those in favor are of the Motions
councelor Jang councelor smoo
councelor McGee councelor penu councelor
klac councelor parasol
councelor esakov councelor kid and those
against counselor
atopis I will now move on to item 8.6
which is the reconciliation policy
review and can I have a mve on
that councelor peniku and a
second councelor SM Council uh pen has
printed you may speak to your
motion thank you mayor the this item
uh recommends that Council endorses the
reconciliation policy as shown in the
attachment
the reconciliation policies the
report set underscores our commit
commitment to reconciliation with our a
regional entiate all under People based
on respect recognition and
acknowledgement of their unique
contribution to this nation and this is
even more important this year than it
has been
previously the objective of the Recon
of reconciliation include strengthening
relationships between First Nations
communities and the broader Australian
people along with fostering awareness of
and education Heritage and
culture the review of the policy has
been led by the Aboriginal Community
officer council's Aboriginal Community
officer and discussed with the council's
reconciliation action plan advisory
committee and no changes were
recommended to
to uh recommended by the committee to
the policy so the policy review is more
an update than a review of the actual
principles or goals in the policy and
they include an alignment with corporate
policy template including dates and
title changes an updated definition of
reconciliation as provided by
reconciliation Australia a correction to
ensure that AB the term Aboriginal and
Tate Island of peoples is used
consistently throughout the docent
adjustment to legislative compliance to
highlight specifically where the policy
demonstrates compliance with the charter
of Han Rights and responsibilities act
2006 and the gender equality act
2020 and updates the names of the
traditional owner groups thank you thank
you councilor penu counil SM uh thank
you councelor penu there is absolutely
nothing I can add to that anyone wishes
to speak against that motion
any other speakers on the motion
councilor McGee Madame May thank you
Madame may this the reconciliation
action plan that first came to council
some would be six seven8 years ago I
think it was councilor Delah Hunty while
her meril was in place that actually
brought this to council and from then
we've sort of made great strides forward
in recognizing and working with our
first Nations people but I think it's
also worth noting that
the action plan that we've got and how
we interact and how we promote ourselves
and we promote our first Nations people
a direct result to that I believe was
I was very proud that during the the
referend there last year that glenara
was one of the one of the lgas that
actually voted yes in majority as
opposed to obviously it failed but Glen
Ora voted yes and and in some respects
uh I think Council was leading the way
through that we were very clear not to
to give an opinion not to tell people
how to vote but we were certainly there
providing all the information that
people may need to make that vote and
they did listen and they voted the way
they wanted to and they voted yes thank
you councelor McGee any other speakers
on that
motion would councilor peniku like to
s
up thank you may just to thank the staff
for putting this together and to the our
original Community officer and our uh
reconciliation action plan advisory
committee and the other traditional
owner groups that assist and advise
Council on these issues
consistently thank you uh I'll now put
that to the vote all those in favor
that's carried
unanimously I might just move a
procedural motion uh to extend the
meeting till 11:00 p.m. do I have a
second counselor's Mo uh and all those
in
favor that's carried
unanimously uh
8.7 revocation of the Early Learning
Centers enrollment policy and update to
the kindergarten Central registration
policy do I have a
mover councelor esakov has printed and
do I have a
second do I have a second for the Early
Learning okay I might second that then
Council
isov
thank you Madame mayor with last
year's decision to close the three child
care centers in ganara at the end of
March this year it's no longer necessary
to retain the enrollment system policy
hence its revocation as reflected in the
recommendation here uh Council also
provides a kindergarten Central
registration scheme for participating
not for-profit kindergartens in glenara
which provides families with a
centralized process of applying for
places for 3-year-old and four-year-old
Kinder uh Council administers this
scheme in accordance with the Victorian
government's kindergarten Central
registration and enrollment scheme
funding requirements and uh kindergarten
priority of access criteria and in
accordance with council's kindergarten
Central registration scheme policy
mouthful what a mouthful uh it's now
been updated to reflect the changes uh
related to the Victorian government's
best start best life reform and to
ensure compliance with funding received
which contributes to the costs of
administering the scheme thank you thank
you Council esakov I don't have much to
add except that I support that
recommendation it improves the
efficiencies around the process uh
anyone wishing to speak against that
motion any other speakers uh would
Council isov like to s up nothing to
add I would like to put that to the V
all those in
favor that's carried
in
okay we're moving on to 8.8 and
Community grounds councelor Jang as
printed and do I have a
second councelor isov councelor Jang
thank you mayor this report is only
about one grand application the
Community grounds and awards adversary
committee denied application for
facility High Ground for the integral
Yoga Center at its meeting on the 13th
of February because the benefit to the
Glen Arab Community was questioned
following that meeting officers followed
up with the group and was provided with
further information so it was identified
that there were 90 95 out of 119 members
with GLA post C
Additionally the center's classes were
targeted at participants who are only
able to contribute partially to the
class fees due to a nber of factors
including facing social isolation
receiving ndi support attending to
support physiotherapy or occupational
therapy needs or those managing medical
issues or looking to increase their
social activity so at the following
adversary committee meeting held on the
the 5th of March the committee
reconsider the the application and
recommend that Council approve the Grant
application so I hope that councilors
can support the committee's reputation
thank you thank you councelor J Council
esakov councelor Jang has uh outlined
that quite eloquently so I don't think I
need to add anything to it thank you
thank you anyone wishing to speak
against that motion any other speakers
on the motion Council would you like
to s up no I'll put that to the vote
all those in favor that's carried
unanimously so 8.9 is citizen of the
Year Awards councelor Jang as
printed and do I have a second
councelor esakov coun Shang thank you
Madame mayor the G citizen of the
Year Awards recognize outstanding
contributions made by local residents
and Community groups who through their
commitment hard work and dedication have
significantly contributed to the gar
Community the program offers four award
categories citizen of the Year young
citizen of the Year community group of
the year and the sustainability award
this year we only received 14
nominations in total but most of them
are of very high quality the community
grants and awards committee reviewed the
nominations and were impressed by the
achievements and contribution these
groups and individuals had made the
names of nominees and awardees are now
still confidential but will be announced
publicly next month during National
volunteer week I'm looking forward to
celebrating for them at our annual GLA
Community Awards event thank you thank
you councelor Jang councilor
esakov councelor Jang has stolen my
notes nothing to add once again thank
you and uh does anyone wish to speak
against
that and are there any other speakers on
the
motion councelor Jang would you like to
s up I'll put that to the vote all
those in
favor that's carried
unanimously so item nine is urgent
business uh there's no urgent business
tonight item 10 is ordinary business or
requests for reports from a member of
council staff I don't believe there are
any requests of that nature uh 10.2 is
rights of reply I don't believe that any
rights of reply uh 10.3 is notices of
motion I don't believe there are any
notices of motion tonight 10.4 uh is
counselor questions I don't believe
there are any of those questions either
10.5 we heard earlier in the evening
and our next item is confidential items
of which there is none and so I uh
declare the meeting closed at
9:43 this evening evening thank you
counselors