Unruly susurrous at Hobsons Bay
By Josie Vine
Susurrous, n. A whispering, murmuring, or rustling sound. By extension, susurrous means characterized by, or full of, a soft, whispering, or rustling sound.
Your correspondent has often, quite wistfully, thought about how to insert the word ‘susurrous’ into a piece of journalism. It’s your correspondent’s favourite word. But the rules of journalism still, quite strictly, adhere to Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch’s advice: “Whenever you feel an impulse to perpetrate a piece of exceptionally fine writing, obey it — whole-heartedly — and delete it before sending your manuscript to press. Murder your darlings.“
But reporting on last month’s Hobsons Bay Council meeting, your correspondent got to use the word ‘susurrous’ … well … quite a few times, actually. Read on …
An entire standing-room only public gallery was kicked out of the last Hobsons Bay Council meeting because of its unruly susurrous.
Your correspondent left with the rest of the gallery after an outspoken member refused to leave after being ordered by acting deputy mayor, Cr Kristin Bishop.
The altercation happened during a heated susurrous-esque discussion on the notices of motion on the ‘Expression of Solidarity with the Hobsons Bay Community Regarding the Situation in the Middle East’.
Cr Lisa Bentley had just finished her comments against the motion, when a very big susurrous from the gallery interrupted discussion.
Above the susurrous a lone voice could be heard yelling “bullshit”, amid calls for security from among councillors.
The offending voice refused to leave, even after being asked by security, and Cr Bishop called an adjournment to “just bring the heat out of the moment”.
As the public gallery trouped out to gather in the foyer, council members received comments from gallery members along the lines of “I don’t feel this is democracy” and “shame on you”.
The packed foyer was full of susurrous. After an interval, we were allowed back – all except the original exile.
Cr Bishop addressed the gallery on its return, saying council “appreciated” the community attending meetings to “observe proceedings” and the “decision-making” of council.
“We would love you to be able to stay for the duration and listen to both sides of robust debate and voting,” she said. “We’ve had one clearing out and coming back, and if we do that again, we won’t be coming back, we will then close the meeting and conduct it with livestream only.”
There was a round of applause as Cr Rayane Hawli made her closing comments.
“Council has time and time again shown we are not afraid to speak out on issues beyond our immediate powers when they matter to our community,” she said. “This motion is no different.”
The motion was carried by four votes to two.
The drama of democracy continued as Cr Hawli put forward the notice of motion ‘Council’s Human Rights Obligations’ which proposed to review Hobsons Bay procurement practices.
“This motion reflects a very simple idea,” she said. “Every resident on Hobsons Bay should have the same certainty that their tax dollars, whether from rates or fees, should not be supporting the killing, torture or enslavement of others.”
But Cr Michael Disbury said he “always” approached issues from a “cost-effective” and “efficiency perspective”.
“Council should always strive for the biggest bang for buck regardless of origin,” he said.
The motion was carried four votes to two amid a very loud susurrous involving applause and whooping.
But the loss of the notice of motion, ‘Advocacy for the Situation in Palestine to the Federal Government’, brought forth less enthusiastic susurration.
Cr Bentley said council was responsible for managing and delivering services that “directly affect” its constituents, such as waste management, urban planning and community services.
“Advocacy to state and federal governments falls outside local council’s core mandate,” she said. “Local government advocacy beyond its jurisdiction can dilute their focus, divert resources, and create conflicting policy positions.”
Crs Bentley and Disbury voted against the motion, while Crs Hawli, Keys-Macpherson and Grima voted for. Acting Deputy Mayor, Cr Bishop abstained.
This left the motion a tie, meaning Cr Bishop had the deciding vote. After some deliberation, Cr Bishop voted against because she “believed” the motion “fell outside the remit” for which she was elected.
Her words were met with a stony, silent susurrus. A further adjournment was called, during which the exiled public gallery member took to the chamber floor and susurrated very loudly.
Security arrived and even Municipal Monitor, John Tanner AM got in on the act.
When it had all blown over, only a handful of people were left in the public gallery (including your correspondent).
But a faint susurrous could be heard from outside chanting “Palestine, Palestine”.
It’s snakes alive in Wyndham
By Jack Sutton
Reading the agenda for this month’s meeting, I didn’t expect much, thinking it would be a relatively short one, but I was more than happy to be proven wrong.
For the first time in quite a while, just as many motions were LOST as there were carried. Now it’s not unusual for the councillors to disagree, but for them as a collective to vote against multiple motions was strange to say the least.
A primary talking point was the continuation of the council’s free snake-catching services for residents, and whether it was still necessary or not.
Cr Jasmine Hill emphasised how much snakes are a “genuine” safety concern for the community, given the amount of wetlands in the area. Cr Robert Szatkowski followed up by informing the gallery that the service had been previously removed but has since been reintroduced.
Where the real drama started was when Cr. Maria King, who is usually comparatively quiet, presented statistics showing “77 per cent of the 942 callouts were false alarms”. With council trying to work itself back into a better financial position, the hefty $225 callout fee quickly stacks up.
Cr King said the service should still cater to publicly owned land, but did not deem it necessary for private properties. Deputy Mayor Josh Gilligan backed up Cr King’s statement calling the service a “phenomenal waste of money” and said the $3.2m that it would cost over the next 10 years is “not needed”.
A lot of facts and figures about the cost of the service were tossed around and Cr. Shannon McGuire threw in a quick “we don’t remove rats and lizards from your property, so the snakes should also be your responsibility.”
In comes Cr Larry Zhao, the quietest of all the chamber members, who decided to flip the script. Instead of focusing on the 77 per cent false alarm callouts, he spoke about the 23 per cent that were genuine and the lives the service could have potentially saved. He called it a “human issue”, not a “snake issue”.
The motion was eventually lost, and as of the first of September 2025, Wyndham City’s free snake-catching service will be ending.
Just in time for snake season!
Maribyrnong mall cops dominate proceedings
By Josie Vine
Hoo-wee! That decision to bring in private security guards to help local law officers patrol Footscray’s CBD streets has set the-cat-among-the-pigeons!
Four out of the 25 public questions read out at the last council meeting asked how the six-month trial is going to work.
And just five days previously more than 100 people – including former Maribyrnong councillor Jorge Jorquera – attended a community forum to demand a pause in the plan.
At the July meeting the decision, costing up-to $100,000, was voted in – four votes to three.
At the August meeting the decision dominated public question time.
Director of Planning and Environment Services Mike McIntosh said contracted security guards would not “exercise any new or expanded powers”.
“If our local laws teams see someone who is unwell or distressed their job is to step back, keep the situation safe and call the right support services,” he said.
“Security’s role is to support local laws officers helping them carry out their responsibilities, and so public spaces can be used safely while treating people with respect and dignity.”
Mr McIntosh said all council staff were “legally required” to “adhere” to “standard workplace” Occupational Health and Safety laws and “abide by” the Maribyrnong Social Justice Framework and the Human Rights and Responsibilities Act.
He said contracted security guards would additionally undergo an induction process including mental health first aid and de-escalation, cultural awareness, human rights and inclusive conversations training, which was “standard” for all local laws staff
He said contracted security guards would operate under guidelines that included an “empathy-led” well-being-first approach, and no new enforcement powers would be granted to “security personnel” or local law officers.
Mr McIntosh said the six-month trial would be “tracked” with quarterly “perception of safety” surveys of the community, visitors and traders. This involved a “prior to commencement” survey, a “midpoint survey” and an “endpoint survey”.
“Feedback will be regularly sought from local support services and community organisations who participate in Maribyrnong’s homelessness response group to gauge impact on vulnerable communities and opportunities to improve,” he said.
Mr McIntosh said council had already started discussions with Victoria University “to provide independent evaluation”, and a report on findings at the program’s end.
The security guard trial is part of the “Enhancing Community Safety and Wellbeing” program, which also includes improving street lighting in “high-risk areas”, supporting “community-based solutions” for drug and alcohol-related harm, increasing CCTV coverage in “key” public spaces, increasing street cleaning, graffiti control and waste management, as well as “strengthening” community engagement “initiatives”.
Maribyrnong would be the third local Victorian council to employ private security guards to help local law officers; Melbourne City Council made its $2 million CBD security guard scheme permanent after a three-month pilot in June, and Wyndham City Council voted to pay $372,000 for private security to patrol the streets of Truganina in a 12-month trial in its June meeting.
And speaking of cats-among-pigeons, the new Domestic Animal Management Plan (or DAMP as it’s affectionately acronymed) is out for its final round of community comment. If endorsed it will mean cats are under a 24/7 curfew.
Meanwhile, over at Brimbank …
By Josie Vine
State and Federal governments will be asked to fund a dedicated homelessness service in Brimbank.
The request was part of Brimbank Council’s “Homelessness Statement of Commitment” at its last meeting.
The statement also includes lobbying for funding for a “local coordination model” to bring together housing, health, mental health, and Alcohol and Other Drug services to “improve localised homelessness responses” and to address “increasing complexity” and “unmet need” in Brimbank.
Local homelessness, rough sleeping, anti-social behaviour and crime has been an increasing concern to residents, with the issues consistently raised during council meeting public question-time.
And The Westsider discussed Brimbank’s increasing homelessness in its June Rates, Roads and Rubbish column.
Cr Daniel Kruk said Brimbank had seen a “surge” in homelessness.
“Tonight, right now as I speak, there are people sleeping outside this council building,” he said. “There are people in tents sleeping in our parks and gardens, in Winter, desperately trying to keep warm, counting the days until their next meal, that is the reality in Brimbank.”
Acting Mayor, Cr Victoria Borg said council was supporting coordination with local homelessness health, support and advocacy services.
“In response to the homelessness crisis, council has undertaken a suite of actions,” she said. “Council plays a role in community safety by working in partnership with Victoria Police, other government agencies, service providers, businesses and community through the safety and well-being advisory committee.”
Cr Maria Kerr said Brimbank could not continue to “carry the weight” of growth, disadvantage and “underinvestment” without “stronger support” from State and Federal governments.
“Our advocacy priorities, whether it’s homelessness, mental health, transport or road safety, these are not luxuries, they are basic needs for our community,” she said. “Yet time and time again we see resources directed elsewhere while our residents sit and wait.”
“What we need now is for the State Government to listen and deliver.”
The Homelessness Statement of Commitment said Council did not have the power to “move on” rough sleepers and, in situations of antisocial or criminal behaviour, it could only “work” with Victoria Police, which had “the power” to intervene.
“Putting an end to the current housing and homelessness crisis will need more than just temporary fixes,” the Statement said. “It will need all involved in the prevention and management of the situation to play their part.”
The Statement said Brimbank had “experienced” a “significant increase” in homelessness, particularly rough sleeping, over the past three years, and local services were under-resourced and overburdened, and outreach provision is limited.
“This results in critical service gaps and missed opportunities to connect vulnerable individuals with housing, health care, and support services,” it said.
According to the Statement, Brimbank has a higher-than-average level of unmet housing need, with an estimated 4,800 households or more than seven percent of the community experiencing housing stress.
The Statement said Council received 267 rough sleeping requests between June 2024 and May 2025. Compared to 91 reports between the same months in 2023 and 2024, this was an almost 200 percent increase, most of which came from the Sunshine and St Albans activity centres.
“Specialist homelessness services are overwhelmed by increasing demand, limited resources, and a lack of emergency, transitional, and long-term housing,” the Statement said.
“Emergency services, including Victoria Police and Ambulance Victoria, are frequently called upon to respond to public intoxication among people experiencing homelessness—placing additional strain on emergency systems.”
