Category: Port Phillip
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Committed to furthering Fishermans Bend
Despite much fanfare, Fishermans Bend continues to languish. The State Government remains non-committal on its previous promises the extend tram routes, while remaining silent on plans for Melbourne Metro 2. Without the necessary public transport investment Fishermans Bend will continue to languish. Infrastructure Victoria, the State Government’s statutory authority on infrastructure planning identified the need…
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Improving Community Safety through the Port Phillip West Ward’s Safety Forum
Community safety has been one of the top issues that has been raised with me throughout this campaign. I live on Nott Street, just behind Bay Street, which is my local shopping and retail precinct. I have seen firsthand the ongoing deterioration of shops, safety and the streetscapes and how this is affecting our local…
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Campaigning for Council: How is it done?
Conducting a council campaign is not easy – it requires time and resources to ensure you can reach and engage the community . Fortunately, there are rules and standards that help make this fair for everyone including candidates and voters. There are less 4,500 households in Montague Ward and while I have knocked on many…
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Inside Montague Ward and a Council Campaign
Inside Montague Ward Montague is the largest of the Port Phillip council wards covering 4 sq km compared to an average of 2.4, largely due to expected future population growth in Fishermans Bend. Montague Ward, as the smallest of the wards in terms of elector population, has less than 5,000 households even when incorporating non-resident…
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It all begins with Good Governance
Over the past term of Council, we have seen the ongoing saga of missed rubbish collections, numerous cost blowouts and project delays. The cause of these issues is poor Council Governance. It is the role of elected Councillors to set a cohesive vision through the Council Plan, which sets the direction for the term of…
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TWiSK: Don’t let councils become party political fiefdoms
One of the key roles of local government is to advocate for services and infrastructure from other levels of government that are required to foster vibrant and liveable communities. A key example of this is the public transport infrastructure that is desperately required to spur progression of Fishermans Bend. This Week in St Kilda (TWiSK)…
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Alex Makin is committed to a Better Bay Street
It is clear that Bay Street needs attention from Council and there are practical steps that can be taken: Bay Street is my local shopping strip, as I live just around the corner in Nott Street and am the only candidate in Montague that lives within the ward. As a local resident I am committed…
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TWiSK: A forum on arts policy attracted 22 candidates last week
This Week in St Kilda (TWiSK) serves as a local media outlet covering not just St Kilda, but the entire Port Phillip Council. This week TWiSK reported on the Arts Forum hosted by the City of Port Phillip Arts Collective (COPPAC). Despite 22 candidates in attendance and the critical role of the arts to the…
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TWiSK: Community should keep Council grounded – not political manoeuvring
This Week in St Kidla (TWiSK) included an opinion piece I wrote outlined my previous experiences on Maroondah City Council, as one of Victoria’s youngest independent Mayors and the importance of community. One of the worst aspects of Council is the political maneuvering that begins during campaign and continue into the term of Council. Local…
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Why am I standing? Because I’m the only local candidate in Montague
I am the only candidate that lives locally in Montague Ward. Local government exists to represent local communities, only a Councillor that lives in the ward can genuinely represent the community they serve. Back in 2010, I was one of Victoria’s youngest politically independent Mayors when I served as a Councillor for the City of…