Priorities identified for state lobbying

Developer contribution schemes, flood overlays and kindergarten reform are all on the agenda of Baw Baw Shire Council advocacy plans at a state level.

Increased funding to councils and management of community facilities on Crown Land also will be requested for discussion

Councillors unanimously approved five key issues to be submitted to the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) State Council’s May meeting.

Cr Tricia Jones will push for the MAV to advocate for these issues on council’s behalf in future meetings with the state government.

She said this would be the first time Baw Baw had offered a motion at the MAV conference.

With Baw Baw experiencing significant growth rates, our councillors are calling on the state government to increase council funding by doubling the “Growing Suburbs Fund” to $100 million from the 2024/25 budget. An urgent review on developer contribution schemes in light of rising property and construction costs also is being sought.

Following on from many council meeting discussions, Baw Baw will request the state government to proactively manage community facilities - recreation grounds, education, drainage and roads - located on Crown Land, including regular maintenance and upgrades.

Council believes this motion would “hold government agencies to account” over funding and maintenance of non-council infrastructure.

Baw Baw will argue the “Kindergarten - Best Start, Best Life” reform has significantly impacted Victorian councils. It is calling for the state government to detail how it plans to fund and deliver infrastructure to enable four-year-old kinder to increase to 30 hours per week and three-year-old kinder to 15 hours.

After abandoning flood overlay plans due to concerns over outdated mapping and public outcry, council will ask the state government to take on planning, design and delivery of flood overlays across the state.

Cr Jones said she was looking forward to presenting the five motions at the meeting in May.

“I hope we are successful in getting all of these over the line by having our peers vote for our motions as well,” she said.

Cr Keith Cook said the motions were well thought out and considered.

“Shires like ours rely on state government support,” he said. “And the state government need to take responsibility for people over all Victoria, including peri-urban areas and rural areas.”

“I wish Cr Jones all the best when you go down to talk to the MAV,” Cr Cook said.

Cr Darren Wallace said five topical motions had been put forward.

“Hopefully the MAV as a collective, we can get some of these important motions up and make the state government listen,” Cr Wallace said.

“I wish Cr Jones all the very best and advocate hard,” he said.