UPDATE: Yarra Ranges Council has just announced its updated advocacy priorities during a crucial meeting on November 25, 2023. This yearly agenda outlines essential items the council aims to present to state and federal governments, highlighting urgent community needs.
Councillor Jim Child emphasized the importance of their advocacy efforts, stating, “We’ve been down this path in regards to advocacy priorities in the past and we have been successful.” He pointed out the council’s notable achievements since the last federal election and stressed the urgency of preparing for the upcoming state election in 2024.
The council is prioritizing several key projects over the next two years, including:
– Strengthening youth services
– Funding for 10 safer crossings
– Advocating for ‘funding fairness’ for local communities
– Developing sustainable transport options
– Initiating a ‘Greenprint’ for environmental sustainability
– Securing funds to design and build a modern aquatic and leisure centre
– Expanding affordable housing initiatives
– Funding the Birrarung/Yarra River crossing on the Yarra Valley Trail
Councillor Fiona McAllister noted the critical need for a focused advocacy strategy, especially in a financial landscape where government funding is increasingly scarce. “It’s critical if we’re actually going to get money in an environment where both state and federal government are giving us less and less money every week,” she said.
The council’s advocacy list also includes specific requests such as:
– Expanding the Mental Health & Wellbeing Local, particularly in the Upper Yarra and Yarra Valley
– Upgrading dangerous crossings in locations such as Kallista, Lilydale, and Mooroolbark
– Restoring essential funding programs like the Roads for Community and the Growing Suburbs Fund
– Reviewing and upgrading bus services and continuing upgrades at Belgrave Station
– Securing $1.5 million over four years for ecological restoration projects
– Obtaining $1 million for an indoor aquatic and leisure centre, with an additional $20 million sought from state and federal governments over time
– Asking the Victorian Government to mandate affordable housing provisions during residential land rezoning
– Securing $11 million for the Birrarung/Yarra River crossing project
Councillor Tim Heenan underlined that local governments cannot navigate these challenges alone. He expressed concern about the shrinking support from higher levels of government, stating, “We can’t just stand there like a young child begging for lollies when we need tens of millions if not hundreds of millions of dollars.”
Recent successes from the council’s advocacy program include a $5.76 million allocation from the federal Thriving Suburbs Program for the Don Road Reserve pavilion in Healesville, and an additional $3 million for the Warburton Bike Park.
Heenan voiced a hopeful outlook, urging state and federal governments to recognize the vast needs of the Yarra Ranges community. “We have a very, very big shire, the fifth largest in Victoria, which means we should be looked at much more favourably by both sides of politics,” he concluded.
As the council pushes forward with these priorities, the community is urged to rally behind these initiatives. The outcomes from these advocacy efforts could significantly impact the quality of life for residents in the Yarra Ranges, making it essential for local leaders to gain necessary support from state and federal authorities.
