The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) is the peak body representing local government at a national level.  Each year the organisation holds a National General Assembly, where Councils across the country nominate motions to influence the priorities and initiatives undertaken by ALGA.

This year Maroondah proposed three motions to be debated at the National General Assembly, covering the need for the Commonwealth Government to provide funding for infrastructure required to meet ongoing population growth, as well as support for replacing existing street lighting with energy efficient lights.  A third motion calling for funding certainty for Home and Community Care Services (HACC) has already been achieved given that the the Commonwealth Government has committed to protecting arrangements for Victoria.

Maroondah’s motions were successful and it is encouraging to see Councils across the country supporting each other in calling for the best outcomes for our community and the nation. One of the advantages of ALGA is the dialogue between local councils and the Commonwealth, with several Members of Parliament, across all political parties, speaking at the conference.

Attending the ALGA Conference in Canberra is a time demanding task and it is encouraging to see several of my colleagues recognising the importance of a strong Maroondah presence at the National Assembly and during discussions with Federal Members of Parliament.  Maroondah’s CEO Frank Dixon, as well as Councillors Michael Macdonald, Paul Macdonald, Rob Steane and Les Willmott joined me in Canberra and I thank them for their attendance.

While we were in Canberra we took the opportunity to meet the Federal Members of Parliament, which include Maroondah within their electorates and I would like to thank Mike Symon, the Member for Deakin, Kevin Andrews, the Member for Menizes and Tony Smith, the Member for Casey for their time.  In addition, we had the opportunity to speak to several Ministers and senior advisors and Canberra serves as a useful opportunity to discuss Maroondah’s priorities and the need for further collaboration and partnerships between multiple levels of Government.

All levels of government need to work together to deliver the best possible outcomes for our community and Maroondah’s presence in Canberra helped to convey the need for this partnership and collaboration.