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    Your Voice – December 2024

    Date:

    A new festival in the West takes off, helping to grow our circular economy

    At the end of October, local grassroots organisations banded together to build the inaugural Green West Fest, a celebration of sustainable living and community in the Western Suburbs.

    Powered by Green Collect, the Green West Fest hosted various activities, including a fashion parade led by Style with Soul and food stalls from local favourites like Akea.

    Events like this demonstrate just how important community gatherings can be. The goal is in 2025 and beyond to see more events that bring together Braybrook and surrounding suburbs, and allow diverse communities to meet and connect.

    Green Collect, a not-for-profit social enterprise, specialises in finding environmental solutions for diverse secondhand goods. Come visit their retail stores in Braybrook and Yarraville and discover more opportunities to connect, and explore the growing circular economy in the West.

    Maddison Verduci

    In response to our November story about the Sunshine Station rebuild

    Sunshine Station is already a vital transport hub for Melbourne’s West, and because of sustained and unprecedented population growth, it urgently needs to be expanded to become a ‘Super Hub’ to unlock transport, housing, employment, and other essential services for the region.  

    If history teaches us anything, it’s that costs rise over time, and the price of inaction only grows. If we don’t build infrastructure now, when will we? The airport rail is slated for completion in 2033, two years after the runway – so what are we waiting for in the meantime? The rail must be built – ideally before, or at the very least, in time for the runway’s opening.

    As the newly elected Mayor of Brimbank, I’m committed to ensuring our community is empowered with as much choice as the more affluent hubs of Melbourne, starting with improved transport infrastructure. 

    Private vehicle access and the Skybus alone are insufficient to get to and from the airport. We need diverse, accessible, and affordable options that reduce our reliance on cars and promote active transport.

    This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity, and if we don’t act now, we risk losing out on crucial development potential. The plans are already clear, the need undeniable, why delay the inevitable benefits? 

    Mayor of Brimbank
    Cr Thuy Dang

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