Brimbank City Council had some big wins at the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) National General Assembly event in Canberra last week.
Brimbank Mayor, Cr Bruce Lancashire, and five Brimbank Councillors attended the conference to advocate for issues impacting Brimbank at a national level.
The Assembly provided a crucial opportunity for Council to influence ALGA’s Federal Government advocacy on Brimbank priorities.
Four motions were tabled by Council at the conference, and all four were approved.
The motions were focussed on:
- Financial Assistance Grants for councils
- a policy framework for a compensation scheme for airport impacted communities
- support of constitutional recognition for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders through a Voice to Parliament, and
- a ban on gambling advertising, particularly when live sports events are being broadcast.
Brimbank was in great company at the conference with more than 1000 attendees including local government leaders, delegates and elected representatives, making it the largest event in ALGA’s history.
Quotes to be attributed to Brimbank Mayor, Cr Bruce Lancashire:
“Last week in Canberra provided Council with a platform to highlight how Brimbank’s priorities are of national importance at one the largest and most influential local government conferences in the country.
“We were thrilled to receive the full support of the Assembly for the four motions raised by Council including Financial Assistance Grants, airport impacted communities, a Voice to Parliament, and restrictions on gambling advertising.
“I’m extremely proud to have moved a motion to acknowledge the Australian Government’s support of constitutional recognition for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through a Voice to Parliament.
“Through the Uluru Statement of the Heart, Aboriginal leaders proposed a way forward in allowing their perspective to be heard when designing laws and programs affecting them.
“Later this year, Australians will have their say in a referendum about whether to change the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice.
“The Canberra event also gave us the opportunity to meet a number of senators, ministers and shadow ministers to put forward our advocacy priorities on behalf of the Brimbank community”.