March 2025 Council meetings
Brimbank City Council
By Josie Vine
In the fading autumn evening light, your correspondent was dutifully heading to last month’s Brimbank meeting. To get to Brimbank council chambers you have to walk past the library.
The library’s outside walls have various nooks and crannies, where what look like mounds of blankets are bundled up against the red bricks. But you kinda know that if you lift one up, there will be a person underneath. There’s a pervasive smell, a mixture of stale beer, sweat and cigarette smoke.
And the people of Brimbank are noticing the increasing homelessness in their local community. Five of the 14 submitted public questions at this month’s meeting asked council what it was doing to help.
Three questions asked why council allowed the existence of dilapidated buildings which could be used as squats.
One asked if council would accept liability for public safety around the McKay Gardens Church, which, according to the submitted question, had been broken into “numerous times.”
“People walking their dogs have been attacked, garden beds have been set on fire and are being used as open-air toilets,” Governance and Risk Manager, Danny Bilaver said, reading the submitted question out loud.
“Can the CEO confirm, in the absence of by-laws against camping in the gardens, council is liable for any damage or injury.”
In answer, Mayor Cr Thuy Dang said for council to be liable for injury or property damage it “must be shown” that council owed a “duty of care”, that it breached that duty of care and this resulted in damage.
Mr Bilaver went on with the question’s second part, which asked if council “intended to enact” bylaws “forbidding” public camping in McKay Gardens.
Cr Dang said council’s general local laws prohibited camping on council property or public land, including McKay Gardens.
“However,” she said. “Council is aware of the distinction between camping and persons affected by homelessness.”
Cr Dang said people had “recently” been moved from the “specific area” after reports of “antisocial behaviour.”
She said local laws officers, “in partnership with” staff from the “community wellbeing area” would continue to “monitor” the gardens and “take appropriate actions”, including “liaising with external stakeholders” to “offer support services” to “those affected.”
Another submitted public question noted that people could be seen “sleeping rough” in parks and other public areas, then bluntly asked the question others danced around:
“What is the council doing to alleviate the growing problem of homelessness in Brimbank?”
Cr Dang said council was “deeply concerned” about the “rising number” of “rough sleepers” across the municipality.
“We are actively working on collaboration with homelessness service providers to ensure rough sleepers are connected with appropriate supports and treated with dignity and respect.”
She said housing and homelessness was a “key priority” in council’s Advocacy Plan, and Brimbank representatives had “engaged” with state and federal governments, as well as people from the “peak bodies” of local government “on this matter.”
Your correspondent was considering telling the four or five people hanging around outside the Library about council’s work in helping the homeless as she walked back to her car.
But somehow, your correspondent thought they might have had more pressing concerns on their minds.
Maribyrnong City Council
By Ruby Fox
It was a rather sombre evening at the Maribyrnong Council chamber for the March meeting, with people waiting in earnest for a certain topic to arise.
The Mayor and Councillors discussed the Sarah Carter Memorial. “Council recognises the invaluable contribution of former counselor Sarah Carter, a loyal, passionate and fearless advocate for the Maribyrnong community,” said Mayor Cr Pradeep Tiwaree.
Former Mayor and Councillor, Sarah Carter, made an “invaluable impact” on her community throughout her 16 years on council. Her focus on the arts, culture and gender equity led to great changes including the “Gender Equity 2030 Strategy, guiding the council’s efforts to achieve gender equality and prevent gender violence and support victims and survivors.”
The councillors all nodded in agreement as Mayor Tiwaree continued. It is an “enormous loss to our community. The outpouring of grief has shown the high regard in which she was held by those she worked so hard to support.”
Council has established an online memorial page to capture community tributes, which were compiled onto a book, and given to former councillor Carter’s mother at the meeting.
In addition council will be naming a contemplative seat at Blacksmiths Footscray Wharf after her, creating a new gender equity award in her name, and displaying her mayoral robes within Maribyrnong’s council chamber.
The room became extra quiet as Sarah Carter’s mother took to the mic. “It is a great relief that Sarah will not be forgotten for the work that she contributed to this city of Maribyrnong,” she said.
Next up council discussed forthcoming events including Easter activities and Ramadan.
Ramadan is “a significant time for many people in Maribyrnong,” said Council CEO Celia Haddock, with “the most recent census telling us that 3,600 residents in Maribyrnong are Muslim.”
Councillors then discussed the Municipal Association of Victoria and how “council is finding it increasingly difficult to balance [their] budget and provide services [they] know our growing community expects and needs.”
Council asked them to “focus on issues like gambling reform, increase state funding for essential services such as the state emergency service and expansion of the electric bus fleet and also community infrastructure,” said Cr Pereyra.
Security and safety was then in the spotlight, as crime has become “a growing concern for Maribyrnong residents,” said Cr Semra. “Data from the Crime Statistics Agency Victoria highlight that Maribyrnong has higher than average crime rates, specifically in theft, property damage and drug related offences, with Footscray among the western suburbs most affected by public order issues” and “addressing these issues requires a proactive approach.”
Practical measures such as improved lighting, CCTV, and better street maintenance are all on the table, as are early intervention programs and harm reduction initiatives that “tackle the root causes of crime,” said Semra.
Wyndham City Council
By Jack Sutton
Numerous officer reports and an unusually low number of petitions made for an interesting March meeting this month, with a welcoming crowd of about 25 Wyndham residents in attendance.
The meeting began with a presentation of the Future Wyndham Community Panel, outlining the Wyndham 2050 Community Vision along with its key priorities and recommendations for the future.
New council members, Cr King and Cr Singh, were particularly grateful for the work put into the report by their colleagues, as it helped them understand the ongoing plans for Wyndham City moving forward.
Besides a few questions proposed to them by Cr Gilligan, they were met with a round of applause and the chamber had a certain vibe to it, one that can only be described as hopeful. A breath of fresh air in comparison to the usual arguments that almost always occur.
Unfortunately, the positive atmosphere was short-lived. The next significant topic of discussion regarded a request sent to the Minister of Planning to construct a government primary school at 279 Woods Road, Truganina, instead of developing the proposed residential area.
Cr Gilligan spoke passionately about creating a learning space for future generations of children.
Cr Gilligan began by turning his body more towards the gallery to address both the residents and the councillors and he said “The Government no longer denies that there is a demand” and “over 250 kids will not have a school place if they give the land to resident housing”.
Despite the bell being rung, signalling the end of his allocated speaking minutes, Cr Gilligan finished his speech and said, “The minister must not sign this, and I will do everything in my power to make sure it doesn’t happen.”
Update on CEOs
By Josie Vine
You may remember last month’s Rates, Roads and Rubbish, where your correspondent reported on the complexities of getting council Chief Executive Officers to speak publicly.
The CEOs of Brimbank, Maribyrnong and Hobsons Bay had politely declined interviews for Rates Roads and Rubbish.
Wyndham CEO, Stephen Wall, however, had agreed to answer emailed questions.
Well, we heard back from Mr Wall’s staff a week before deadline. The email message said he would be happy to answer the questions, but it may take a few more days.
Fair enough.
But right on deadline, when the much-anticipated email dropped into your correspondent’s inbox, only three of the questions had been answered.
The rest, we were informed, would be answered by Wyndham’s Chief of Staff over the next week.
(Chief of Staff? Who knew council CEOs had Chiefs of Staff? Certainly not your correspondent, and she’s been covering local government since Jeff Kennett sacked all Victoria’s councillors and brought in commissioners back in the ‘90s!).
We were told faithfully that the answers to the emailed questions would be forthcoming before our May edition.
Stay tuned …
Hobsons Bay Council
By Josie Vine
HBCC voting blocs halt several motions including Kororoit Creek shared trail funding.
Your correspondent has attended four Hobsons Bay Council meetings since new councillors were voted in last October.
Up until now, things have been very sedate, with almost every tabled motion passed through the chamber unanimously.
But the last meeting was a little different. No, it wasn’t quite the gun-slingin’ of councillor groups past (who can forget the argy-bargy over Cr Peter Hemphill’s Leave of Absence last September!), but there were certainly a few sparks.
Three motions were narrowly voted down, with councillors divided evenly into two solid blocs and Mayor Cr Daira Kellander abstaining.
It all started with Council’s official response to the State Government’s Infrastructure Plan for Hobson’s Bay.
Cr Rayane Hawli moved the motion to request officers to prepare a report on appropriate Hobsons Bay feedback on the draft 30-year infrastructure strategy.
She said that council’s integrated transport strategy had not changed since 2017, and the State’s new Infrastructure Plan gave council an opportunity to “build on the momentum” of the report.
“This motion is about councillors being actively involved and setting the agenda, not just sitting back and waiting for a finished strategy to be handed to them,” she said.
“So I urge my fellow councillors to take the productive and proactive approach and focus on getting on with our jobs, and not obstructing change because of personal political agendas.”
But the seemingly innocuous motion was met by – if not a wall, then at least a small fence – of opposition.
Cr Michael Disbury said there was “no obligation” for “any council” to identify projects that “fit in” with the State Government’s 30-year infrastructure strategy.
He said of the 43 State Government recommendations – including one to put tolls on freeways during off-peak travel – “very few” fell into the responsibility of local government.
“I don’t have a lot of faith in the state government delivering on these recommendations,” he said. “So, I’m actually quite against this one.”
Debate finished with Crs Disbury, Kristin Bishop and Lisa Bentley voting against the motion and Crs Hawli, Diana Grima and Paddy Keys-Macpherson voting for it. Despite the evenly split vote, with Cr Kellander abstaining, the motion was lost.
And so it carried on to the next motion to speed up the Kororoit Creek shared trail development, after the Federal Government agreed to contribute $5 million to the estimated $15.5 million project for stages four and five.
Again – five million bucks! – who wouldn’t vote for it!
But Cr Disbury said the money may reduce the current three-year timeframe for the trail’s development, meaning it may take precedence over other council infrastructure projects.
He said council had already budgeted for stages four and five.
“Isn’t this just jumping the queue? What projects will be delayed because of that decision.”
Cr Hawli said the community had been lobbying for the trail for at least a decade.
“By carrying this motion, Council will show that it is serious about backing our community’s priorities, working with local community groups and with other levels of government to deliver real outcomes for Hobsons Bay.”
The motion was voted down – again, split three-and-three, with Cr Kellander abstaining.
And the same happened with the State Government’s Plan for Victoria, which included establishing 22,500 new homes in Hobsons Bay City Council by 2051.
Stay tuned …
