Councillor column – 24 March 2023

Published on 05 April 2023

Hello to all readers on Wadawurrung Country from me, Fleur Hewitt, your Deputy Mayor, and Councillor responsible for the Governance and Finance Portfolio.

In the governance space, we are cracking on with a number of key projects, including the next iteration of our long-term Coastal and Marine Management Plan (CMMP), our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) with Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation (WTOAC) and improving community engagement, not to mention the 2023/2024 Budget process. 

As the chair of the Project Steering Committee for the Coastal and Marine Management Plan (CMMP), I can assure you that the Committee is deeply committed to listening to stakeholder aspirations for our marine and coastal environment and developing a robust set of realistic actions, prioritised, and supported by a thorough costing process. The Committee, like Council, recognises that we need to do far more to protect and enhance our coast and to ensure its resilience and sustainable use, while acknowledging and respecting Wadawurrung connections to Country and the need to enable the Wadawurrung to exercise their rights and interests in the spirit of koling wada ngal (let’s walk together).

Engagement in projects like the CMMP is crucial to community endorsement and successful implementation. Building on the two rounds of consultation undertaken to date, we are embarking on further, more targeted, consultation activities in the lead-up to revising the draft CMMP. To this end, last Friday we ran two sessions meeting with members from the Point Lonsdale Civic Association and the Queenscliffe Community Association and then from key environmental groups including the Swan Bay Environment Association, Queenscliff Climate Action Network, Queenscliff Environment Forum, Friends of Hooded Plover and Bellarine & Birdlife Australia. Representatives from these groups continued to offer up their community and technical expertise and raise valuable questions and identify key areas of improvement for the CMMP. I would personally like to thank them, and all others in the Borough who take steps to safeguard our coast, its biodiversity, and environmental values, for their ongoing dedication, advocacy, and volunteer activities.

Council is also committed to supporting Wadawurrung cultural understanding, trust, and respect, and embedding cultural competence within our organisation. We are grateful to the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation (WTOAC), and in particular Corrina Eccles, for their continuing partnership in this process and are pleased to have held the first of seven sessions for the development of a Reflect RAP, which will be done in consultation with Reconciliation Australia.

Specific projects aside, we continue to take steps to provide more opportunities to listen to our community, facilitate constructive discussions, and to provide regular, transparent, and timely updates on our activities. We have again kicked off our Councillor listening posts, with the next one scheduled for 10 am on Saturday 22 April 2023 at the Point Lonsdale Main Street viewing platform. I would encourage you and others to come along to discuss any matters of interest or concern, insights and opportunities for the Borough.

As for the dollars, we are in the middle of putting together the draft 2023/24 Budget. We are proud of our ongoing debt-free status but remain vigilant with spending, especially in the face of ever-increasing costs and legislative responsibilities. We are continuing to work through such considerations in preparation for the draft Budget to be presented at the April Ordinary Council meeting which will, subject to its endorsement, then be put out to you, our community, for feedback.

This week Mayor Tolhurst is off to Canberra with the G21 Delegation of Mayors and CEOs meeting with the Federal Government to advocate for essential projects in our region, while back in the Borough I have the privilege of launching both the 2023 Queenscliffe Literary Festival and the Sacrededge Festival.

In the next column, you will hear from my colleague Cr Michael Grout, who holds responsibility for Council’s Planning & Infrastructure portfolio.

As always, please feel free to reach out to me and/or any of the Councillors.

Nyatne baa Gobata

(thank you and take care)