2016 Awards for Excellence publication by LGPro VIC

2016

Awards & Recognition Year Book

Featuring the 2016 LGPro Awards for Excellence winners and finalists

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Contents MESSAGE FROM LGPRO PRESIDENT

AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE JUDGING PANELS

2016 WINNERS & FINALISTS

INNOVATIVE MANAGEMENT INITIATIVE

SERVICE DELIVERY INITIATIVE

SPECIAL PROJECTS INITIATIVE

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS INITIATIVE

COMMUNITY ASSETS & INFRASTRUCTURE INITIATIVE – $1.5 MILLION & UNDER

COMMUNITY ASSETS & INFRASTRUCTURE INITIATIVE – OVER $1.5 MILLION

SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVE

ORGANISATIONAL DIVERSITY

YOUNG ACHIEVER

2015 SALLY ISAAC MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND AWARD WINNER

2015 CUSTOMER SERVICE AWARD WINNER

2015 AGED & DISABILITY SERVICES AWARDS WINNERS

2015 EXCELLENCE IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AWARDS WINNERS

LGPRO SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS (SIGS) CONVENOR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

LGPRO EMERGING LEADERS PROGRAM (ELP)

LGPRO EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP PROGRAM (XLP)

2016 LGPRO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CALENDAR

The publication is produced by: Local Government Professionals Inc Level 3/58 Lorimer Street Docklands VIC 3008 Tel: (03) 9268 6400 Fax: (03) 9646 0469 info@lgpro.com www.lgpro.com

Proceeds from all LGPro activities are used exclusively to provide services and programs that benefit our members and the Local Government sector as a whole.

MESSAGE FROM THE

LGPRO PRESIDENT LGPro is committed to promoting and celebrating the fantastic work that individuals and teams working in the Local Government sector undertake every day. One of the ways we do this is through our Awards for Excellence which are offered over nine categories to ensure they represent the broad range of programs and activities provided by the sector. It gives me great pleasure to present the winners and finalists of our 2016 Awards for Excellence in this special publication which also lists other LGPro award winners and program graduates. Our awards continue to grow in stature and prestige and are recognised as something to strive for by people working in Local Government. We received a high number of outstanding entries in 2016 which made the judgeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s task very difficult. LGPro forms judging panels for each award category comprising practitioners who offer technical specialists skills, knowledge and experience relevant to that particular category. The deliberations and recommendations of each panel are considered by the Overarching Judging Panel for final endorsement. I would like to take this opportunity

to personally thank all of the judges and their respective organisations for allowing them the time and opportunity to be involved. I encourage you to read about our award winners and finalists in this publication which showcases a broad range of best practice initiatives which other Councils may want to adapt and provide to their communities. I believe it is a credit to the efforts of those behind these projects and programs when their work is recognised, used and acknowledged for the benefit of the broader sector. It also provides us with an opportunity to demonstrate and present the enormous ability, inventiveness and commitment of those who work in the Victorian Local Government sector to other levels of government and the broader community in significant resource constrained environments. Finally, I would like to congratulate all of the winners, finalists and those who were nominated in the 2016 Awards for Excellence for the outstanding contribution they are making to our sector and to the communities that we serve. Brendan McGrath LGPro President Chief Executive Officer Rural City of Wangaratta

LGPro is the member association and leading voice for Local Government professionals in Victoria. If you are interested in shaping the sector, furthering your career, growing your network and being recognised for your contribution to the sector, LGPro Membership will help you achieve this through: Representation & Advocacy ensuring your voice is heard Learning & Development progressing your career Networking & Peer Support sharing best practice and collaborating across the sector Awards & Recognition rewarding your contribution to Local Government For more information on membership or to join lgpro.com/lgpro-membership Contact Michelle Cox at michellec@lgpro.com or phone (03) 9268 6400

AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE

JUDGING PANELS OVERARCHING JUDGING PANEL Dennis Hovenden Chief Executive Officer Frankston City Council

Rebecca McKenzie Chief Executive Officer Mitchell Shire Council

Tony De Fazio Manager Civic Services Whitehorse City Council

Steve Burgess Customer Service Coordinator Wyndham City Council

Bill Forrest Director Advocacy Wyndham City Council

Robyn Mansfield Manager Built & Active Spaces Yarra Ranges Council

Brendan McGrath Chief Executive Officer Rural City of Wangaratta

Nalika Peiris Unit Manager Community Development & Social Policy Moreland City Council David Preiss Chief Executive Officer LGPro

CATEGORY JUDGING PANELS Innovative Management Initiative Dennis Hovenden (Chair), Frankston City Council Sharon Morrison, Greater Bendigo City Council Frank Joyce, Moreland City Council Ali Wastie, Yarra Ranges Council

Community Assets & Infrastructure over $1.5 million Brendan McGrath (Chair), Rural City of Wangaratta Philip Warner, Whitehorse City Council Pauline Gordon, Greater Bendigo City Council Alison Banks, Macedon Ranges Shire Council

Service Delivery Initiative Steve Burgess (Chair), Wyndham City Council Catherine Sherwin, Whitehorse City Council Sally Rose, Greater Shepparton City Council Peter Johnston, Macedon Ranges Shire Council

Sustainability Initiative Tony De Fazio (Chair), Whitehorse City Council Mandy Hutchinson, Gannawarra Shire Council Andrew Mason, Corangamite Shire Council Tina Beltramin, Manningham City Council

Special Projects Initiative Robyn Mansfield (Chair), Yarra Ranges Council Rebecca Hutchinson, Knox City Council Alan Clark, Rural City of Wangaratta Celia Haddock, Maribyrnong City Council

Organisational Diversity Nalika Peiris (Chair), Moreland City Council Ross Goeman, Monash City Council Lynley Dumble, Maribyrnong City Council

Community Partnerships Initiative Rebecca McKenzie (Chair), Mitchell Shire Council Portia Branton, Whitehorse City Council Lauren Gordon, Bayside City Council Scott Walker, Banyule City Council

Young Achiever David Preiss (Chair), LGPro Tammi Rose, Mitchell Shire Council Genevieve Moloney, Access Care â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Boroondara City Council Mark Florence, Indigo Shire Council John Nevins, Kingston City Council

Community Assets & Infrastructure $1.5 million & under Bill Forrest (Chair), Wyndham City Council Tanya McAlpin, Rural City of Wangaratta Gail Gatt, Latrobe City Council Keri Kenealy, Manningham City Council

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2016 WINNERS

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FOLLOWING WINNERS AND

Innovative Management Initiative Winner

•

Greater Shepparton City Council and Strathbogie Shire Council, Goulburn Valley Regional Collaborative Alliance (GVRCA)

High Commendation

•

Glenelg Shire Council & Warrnambool City Council, CONNECT Glenelg

Finalists

• • •

Wyndham City Council, Leisure Facilities Transition Team, Leisure Facilities Transition Project Brimbank City Council, Asset Services, BCC & RMIT Collaborative Partnership, Triennial Footpath Condition Audit Greater Geelong City Council, Central Geelong Marketing Team, Central Geelong Marketing (CGM)

Service Delivery Initiative Winner

•

Northern Grampians Shire Council, Infrastructure & Environment Directorate, Shared Engineering Services

Finalists

• •

Mildura Rural City Council, Flexible Learning Options (FLO) Connect Team, FLO Connect Moorabool Shire Council, Community Safety Team, Taking it to the Streets – Animal Adoption Program

Special Projects Initiative Winner

•

Warrnambool City Council, Tourism Services, Oddball Nature of a Regional Movie

Honourable Mention

•

Melton City Council, Kel Tori, Luke Shannon and Michael Tudball, Western BACE

Community Partnerships Initiative Winner

•

Glenelg Shire Council, Great South Coast Beyond the Bell Team, Great South Coast Beyond the Bell

Finalists

•

• •

Sunraysia Sustainability Network, Nardia Baker, Martin Hawson, Mark Jenkins and Robert Watson, Sunraysia Sustainability Network Project Yarra City Council, Sustainability and Strategic Transport Team, In Your Patch: Local Sustainability in Action Frankston City Council, On the right track

Community Assets & Infrastructure Initiative – $1.5 million & under Winner

•

Maroondah City Council, Parkwood Team, Parkwood Community Hub

Finalists

• •

Banyule City Council, A Safer Mall Hepburn Shire Council, Hepburn Community Services, Creswick Hub

AND FINALISTS FINALISTS IN THE 2016 LGPRO AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE

Community Assets & Infrastructure Initiative – over $1.5 million Winner

•

Maribyrnong City Council, (MCC) – Braybrook Community Hub, Braybrook Community Hub Project

Finalists

• • •

Kingston City Council, Community Buildings Team, Parkdale Family and Children’s Centre and Community Precinct Northern Grampians Shire Council, Infrastructure & Environment Directorate, The Halls Gap Tourism and Community Hub Maroondah City Council, Aquanation Team, Aquanation

Sustainability Initiative Winner

•

Pyrenees Shire Council, Project Group, Regional Bioenergy Project

Finalists

• • •

Mildura Rural City Council, Community Futures Team, Mildura Eco Village Wodonga City Council, Halve Waste Kerbside Organic Team, Kerbside 3 Bin System, Food and Garden Waste Maribyrnong City Council, Sustainability and Environment Team, Zero Carbon Maribyrnong Project

Organisational Diversity Winner

•

Greater Shepparton City Council, Women’s Charter Advisory Committee, Greater Shepparton Women’s Charter Alliance

Finalist

•

Hobsons Bay City Council, Racism. It Stops with Me team, Racism. It Stops with Me – Behind the Smile

Young Achiever Winner

•

Mel Jeffery, Maroondah City Council

Finalists (listed in alphabetical order by Council)

• • • • • • •

John Kay, Baw Baw Shire Council Nikita Frawley, Campaspe Shire Council Timothy Sinnappu, Casey City Council Holly de Krester, Casey City Council Joy Chen, Casey City Council George Ioannou, Maribyrnong City Council Tatum Newton, Rural City of Wangaratta

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Initiatives that demonstrate new ways of leading, facilitating, administering, controlling or ensuring a particular outcome is achieved and that make positive changes to the management of organisations, processes, practices or projects.

JUDGING CRITERIA • Transferability • What makes the initiative unique • Demonstrated leadership • Effectiveness of the initiative • Achievements of the project versus its intention

WINNER Greater Shepparton City Council and Strathbogie Shire Council, Goulburn Valley Regional Collaborative Alliance (GVRCA)

HIGH COMMENDATION Glenelg Shire Council & Warrnambool City Council CONNECT Glenelg

FINALISTS Wyndham City Council, Leisure Facilities Transition Team Leisure Facilities Transition Project Brimbank City Council, Asset Services, BCC & RMIT Collaborative Partnership Triennial Footpath Condition Audit Greater Geelong City Council, Central Geelong Marketing Team Central Geelong Marketing (CGM)

WINNER INNOVATIVE MANAGEMENT INITIATIVE

GREATER SHEPPARTON CITY COUNCIL & STRATHBOGIE SHIRE COUNCIL

GOULBURN VALLEY REGIONAL COLLABORATIVE ALLIANCE (GVRCA) In mid-2012, neighbouring municipalities in northern Victoria, Greater Shepparton City Council and Strathbogie Shire Council recognised that sharing services and resources offered a way to address many of the issues facing them and the wider Local Government sector, including financial pressures and community expectations. The Councils entered into a collaborative arrangement as a pilot supported by seeded funding from the Municipal Association of Victoria. They determined a governance framework that would give them the best chance to deliver their required outcomes and in March 2013, a Statement of Intent was signed to establish the Goulburn Valley Regional Collaborative Alliance (GVRCA). During 2014/15, after one year of project delivery, the pilot is beginning to realise tangible benefits to both Councils and their communities with $1.96 million in actual savings achieved. The purpose of the alliance is to drive reform and lead change to ultimately support sustainable futures in the north eastern region of Victoria. The role of the alliance is to foster a culture of teamwork, innovation and best practice to increase Council efficiencies and deliver superior services for the GVRCA. A Business Plan articulates the GVRCA collaboration which aims to: • Improve economies of scale within the market for key goods and services • Identify efficiencies and cost savings within their respective organisations through the adoption of one central, best practice system • Improve economies of scale for their communities • Provide career and development opportunities for staff in regional centres

• Build communities whose needs are being appropriately serviced by state-of-the-art technology and infrastructure Considerable understanding and goodwill was required to form the alliance. Identifying and agreeing on political, financial, legal and resource issues was achieved after considerable discussion and outcomes and these are identified in the Statement of Intent and Strategic Alliance Agreement. In a joint statement the Chief Executive Officers of both Councils said: “As rural and regional Councils, collaboration offers us a mechanism through which to manage declining grant allocations and maximise opportunities to achieve cost savings through improved purchasing power and shared functions, while retaining our independence.” “We are fully committed to the future success of the alliance and are keen to build on the range of services that are shared between our respective regions for the improvement of services, efficiencies and costs for our communities.” The Management Structure, Statement of Intent, Strategic Alliance Agreement and Business Plan have been developed to allow the organisation to grow, and the vision for the alliance is to generate a level of turnover that will fund a future full time General Manager. The project has been designed to grow and accommodate more Council participants from north east Victoria. In its first “Performance Report 13-15”, further Victorian Councils were invited to join the alliance which is driving reform and leading change through innovation, fostering team work between alliance partners and developing a culture of best practice to support sustainable futures.

HIGH COMMENDATION INNOVATIVE MANAGEMENT INITIATIVE

GLENELG SHIRE COUNCIL & WARRNAMBOOL CITY COUNCIL

CONNECT GLENELG CONNECT Glenelg is a new online meeting place that makes it easy for the community to share information, ideas, events, opportunities and to get to know each other better. It is the first of its kind in Australia.

• Community directory

Working at the grass roots level, Glenelg Shire Council in partnership with Warrnambool City Council, led the development of the CONNECT initiative – an interactive website and Facebook group aimed at strengthening relationships and linking people within the emergency and broader community sector to support the community to take a more active role in local emergency management.

• Information hub for regular emergency updates

Glenelg Shire is considered to be a high-risk area for natural and man-made disasters. In recent years it has experienced fire and flood, telecommunications and hazardous material spillage events that have significantly impacted on the community; highlighting the need to establish a mechanism to better utilise local resources. The CONNECT idea originated when Glenelg Shire Council recognised the need for a stronger and more resilient community in times of emergency, as part of its Municipal Emergency Management Plan. The Shire successfully applied to the State Government’s Resilient Community Program for funding to develop the system that has built community capacity to prepare for, withstand and recover from all types of hazards. While essentially being developed with community resilience in mind, it was soon realised that the project design ideally incorporated purposes other than recovery in order to be used regularly, ready to go anytime and fully functional. The distinguishing features of the website aspect of the project include a:

• Registry of community resources • Volunteer opportunity bank • Community portal to match ‘needs’ with ‘haves’ • ‘What’s On’ Calendar for information on events and meetings The CONNECT Project Team worked collaboratively with the community and local experts to achieve the best outcome. Warrnambool City Council IT staff custom built the website incorporating ongoing key stakeholder input. The resulting site exceeded expectations and far surpassed that of the ‘off the shelf’ website platform given the tailor made features. In its first two months in operation the project delivered on all outcome measures in the project plan with more than 300 community groups, clubs and organisations registered and active on the website. The Facebook group had also engaged 425 individuals/groups who connected with others to find and share information about day-to-day events, as well as disaster preparedness and recovery. CONNECT demonstrates the Councils’ strong leadership and proactive approach towards potential future emergency and disaster events. Through CONNECT Glenelg, every resident can truly communicate with one another, share resources, opportunities, support one another and thrive. The CONNECT project is also structured for transferability. A Memorandum of Understanding and Operations Plan outlining implementation processes has been developed to support other Local Government Authorities to connect in the future. Already there are plans to extend the project into Moyne, Corangamite and Southern Grampians Shires and interest has also been expressed by metropolitan Councils.

FINALIST INNOVATIVE MANAGEMENT INITIATIVE

WYNDHAM CITY COUNCIL, LEISURE FACILITIES TRANSITION TEAM

LEISURE FACILITIES TRANSITION PROJECT In April 2014, Wyndham City resolved to develop a wholly owned subsidiary company, Western Leisure Services (WLS), to run the City’s three existing leisure centres and any future planned centres. Wyndham City was in a unique position to consider a new approach to the ongoing management model for leisure facilities, given the redevelopment of two facilities and with contract management arrangements coming to an end. Council defined the following four key objectives for the management model: • Community outcomes • Alignment to Wyndham City • Effective operations and asset management • Measured WLS against the above The model retains strong Council control and alignment with community needs and works for the benefit of the community, not a profit-driven company. Wyndham City is the sole shareholder and 100% owner of WLS, and the owner of the facilities. The model is financially sustainable with WLS likely to break even ahead of initial financial projections. Operating surplus is returned to asset renewal, reducing the future rate burden. WLS is accountable to Council for a range of targets on safety, customer service and risk and Council maintains a governance relationship through a formal constitution for the Board, through an Executive Team member as part of the Board and with retaining responsibility to appoint and dismiss Board members.

The operational relationship is maintained via a Management Services Agreement that sets out operational requirements and requires WLS to develop a Strategic Plan, Business Plan and budget and provide financial reports and quarterly reports with performance against KPIs. Improved community health outcomes are achieved through high attendance, demonstrated via 174,362 visits in the first three months, and high membership levels – currently at 3,165 Learn to Swim members and 3,105 other members. Via WLS, Council can offer a broad range of swimming, gym, court use and community engagement programs as well as a healthy eating approach and programs designed for disadvantaged groups. Pricing is benchmarked and relative to the SEIFA index for Wyndham and networked memberships across three facilities offer a unique package and creates a projected audience of more than 1.2 million visits annually, which Council can cross promote services to. The WynActive brand is owned by Council and develops positive recognition of Council’s brand, demonstrating Council is providing high quality services to the community using a cash-generating and financially responsible model. A project plan that required significant cross-organisational tasks had to be achieved, including HR, IT, communications, risk and recreation. It was delivered in under a year resulting in a business ready to operate two newly redeveloped facilities which now employ more than 300 and with a turnover of more than $9 million.

FINALIST INNOVATIVE MANAGEMENT INITIATIVE

BRIMBANK CITY COUNCIL, ASSET SERVICES, BCC & RMIT COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIP

TRIENNIAL FOOTPATH CONDITION AUDIT An innovative partnership between Brimbank City Council and RMIT University saw final year civil engineering students map and analyse the condition of Brimbank’s 1,600 kilometres of footpaths. Chair of Brimbank Administrators, John Watson said the partnership gave students valuable industry experience as they worked with Council, while gaining credit towards their studies. “Throughout the project, Council staff trained, supervised, supported and guided students.” “They gained practical experience, working alongside experienced Council staff and using world-class industry systems, while assuring that Brimbank gained a reliable picture of the state of our footpaths,” he said. The Council’s Footpath Survey is undertaken every three years and the information collected is used to prepare future maintenance and capital works programs. Two groups of 10 students from RMIT University’s Bachelor of Engineering (Civil and Infrastructure) degree each undertook a six-week placement with Council. The first group of students completed their placement from June to August, while the second group finished in December 2015. RMIT Deputy Head of School, Civil Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Professor Sujeeva Setunge said: “This partnership is an outcome of a continuing research collaboration between RMIT Civil Engineering and Brimbank City Council and the efforts of the Industry Placement Coordinator of the School of Civil Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Vanita Amin; and the academic in charge of Civil Engineering industry placements, Dr Sri Venkatesan.

The RMIT Bachelor of Engineering (Civil and Infrastructure) is the largest program at RMIT with over 1,000 students enrolled over the four years. The students are offered many similar opportunities for engagement in work integrated learning programs, maintaining RMIT’s commitment for training work ready graduates. Professor Setunge said the RMIT students and staff are excited about this new initiative and look forward to an on-going long term partnership. For the students, the placements offered a unique learning opportunity to gain hands-on field experience. One student described it as “an incredibly valuable experience towards my studies and future employment”, while another said “it was such a great experience and I’m so glad I took part in this project. Everyone has been so kind and friendly. I can’t thank you enough.” Moving forward, RMIT University and Brimbank will be establishing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to commit to a certain number of placements each year. Working with the RMIT students is a win-win for everybody. Council gains because surveying footpaths is important work that has to be done, and for the students it advances their careers by giving them practical training experience. It also attracts future talent by promoting the Local Government sector as the employer of choice to graduate university students. In many ways this is a first for Local Government and serves as a template for other Councils across Victoria to consider.

FINALIST INNOVATIVE MANAGEMENT INITIATIVE

GREATER GEELONG CITY COUNCIL, CENTRAL GEELONG MARKETING TEAM

CENTRAL GEELONG MARKETING (CGM) Central Geelong Marketing (CGM) is an innovative management approach to deliver a coordinated program including professional development, networking, training, events delivery, consolidated advertising, marketing and promotions which is funded by a special rate. As an S86 Committee of Council, the program is unique in Victoria where a place marketing initiative is embedded within Council and working in alliance with Place Management. The outcome has seen more than 200 initiatives delivered annually with five flagship activities attended by 97,830 people in 2014/15 generating $15.87 million in Total Economic Output. The program is focused on delivering economic benefit to Central Geelong business and property owners through a program to encourage increased engagement and visitation to the area. Measuring impact and benefits has been a key feature of the program and has allowed CGM to demonstrate effectiveness to stakeholders and increase return on investment. CGM’s innovative approach sees a business funded consolidated place marketing program embedded within Council and working in an alliance with Council’s Place Management unit this has delivered a program that has received national recognition. The number of commercial properties in Central Geelong has grown from 1,149 to 1,507 during the life of the special rate and this strong continued growth has occurred during a global financial crisis and challenging and disruptive times for retail and the small business sector. Business and property owners contribute in a sustainable and equitable way towards the ongoing success of the City in which they operate and their efforts have been supported through the alliance with Council’s Place Management approach.

This is an innovative model and demonstrates to other Councils an alternative high functioning approach to funding for trader associations and place marketing and management initiatives. This approach can be replicated by other Councils and also can inform future discussions with the State and Federal Government about the potential for a Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) type approach in Australia to follow such innovation overseas. The return on investment of CGM programs through its flagship activities from 2011/2015 was $19 for every $1 contributed via the special rate with over 2,046 activities delivered bringing a Total Economic Output of $53.45 million with 328,025 participants. The Central Geelong Marketing program is an innovative approach to a trader property owner funded consolidated place marketing program embedded within Council and working in an alliance with Council’s Place Management unit. This model is demonstrating leadership in this space in Australia and provides an insight into the future where public and private partnerships can provide significant benefits in town centres. In the UK, Europe and US Business Improvement Districts Programs are far in advance to what is being delivered currently in Australia. This is partly due to the need for legislative changes to allow for such models to exist. The CGM model is recognised nationally as a leader in this industry and provides measurement, a sustainable collective future for businesses, builds resilience for small businesses and generates economic benefit which creates jobs.

Initiatives that demonstrate best practice, or the pursuit of excellence, in the delivery of a service to the community or a specified target market, that is able to be continued on an ongoing basis.

JUDGING CRITERIA • • • • • • •

Demonstrated delivery outcomes and benefits Effectiveness of the initiative Uniqueness or defining features Measurable outcomes Cost benefit and financial sustainability Effectiveness for specific client/target group(s) Impact on target group

WINNER Northern Grampians Shire Council, Infrastructure & Environment Directorate Shared Engineering Services

FINALISTS Mildura Rural City Council, Flexible Learning Options (FLO) Connect Team FLO Connect Moorabool Shire Council, Community Safety Team Taking it to the Streets – Animal Adoption Program

15 15

WINNER SERVICE DELIVERY INITIATIVE

NORTHERN GRAMPIANS SHIRE COUNCIL, INFRASTRUCTURE & ENVIRONMENT DIRECTORATE

SHARED ENGINEERING SERVICES With huge issues attracting and retaining engineering staff, Hindmarsh and West Wimmera Shire Councils in remote western Victoria were struggling to afford costly consultants to do the design work they needed. Then Northern Grampians Shire Council (NGSC) came up with a solution and since all three Councils haven’t looked back. The Northern Grampians Shared Engineering Services project now provides its own experienced design engineers for a fraction of the cost of consultants, with services supplied on an as-needed basis. With huge cost savings and the added benefit of greater staff satisfaction, the project has been a win-win for all three Councils. Northern Grampians Chief Executive Officer, Justine Linley said her Council saw the project as a way of helping their counterparts at Hindmarsh and West Wimmera overcome staff shortages, but it also offered a great learning experience for their engineering staff who are now exposed to different work environments.

“The biggest barrier to achieving success has been managing staff members’ workloads while servicing the other Councils to the highest level, but we have managed to do this through improved time management and administrative support.” Mrs Linley said an MoU between the three Shires sustains the project and procedures and review structures have been established to ensure the project is financially sustainable. It is also sustained through the cost structure, which will continue to be affordable to the two smaller Councils and achievable resource-wise to NGSC. “This project could be adapted by any other region and service that is experiencing staff shortages. NGSC is already using a similar model with Environmental Health Services and we can see a benefit to using it in planning and building too,” she said.

“The project not only overcomes staff shortages but it saves everyone money. Our Council saves on staff costs as the fees it charges the two Councils help subsidise our engineering positions,” she said.

This project is innovative as it:

Mrs Linley said it was rare to see Council staff working across Council borders but this project encouraged it. “While sharing services between Councils does happen elsewhere in Victoria, we are not aware of any other shared engineering project.”

• Saves all three Councils money by avoiding costly consultants’ fees and subsidising NGSC’s engineering staff positions

A lot of rural Councils use consultants to undertake their engineering design work but it is much more cost effective to conduct the work in-house with staff who have the Local Government and on-ground knowledge required.

“The project is innovative because it uses our finances extremely wisely, ensuring residents and ratepayers are provided with a value-for-money service,” Mrs Linley explained.

• Provides a solution to a common problem with rural, regional and remote Councils – staff shortages, staff retention and the ability to attract experienced employees

• Is a win-win for all three Councils involved • Provides the West Wimmera, Hindmarsh and Northern Grampians communities with a value-for-money service • Allows West Wimmera and Hindmarsh to continue providing vital infrastructure without an inflated price tag

FINALIST SERVICE DELIVERY INITIATIVE

MILDURA RURAL CITY COUNCIL, FLEXIBLE LEARNING OPTIONS (FLO) CONNECT TEAM

FLO CONNECT Mildura, situated in the state’s far north west, has one of the lowest rates of Year 12 completions in Victoria, with just 35.5% compared to the Victorian average of 56.6%. Over 30% of young people (350 students) are not currently participating in any paid employment, education or training. Flexible Learning Options (FLO) Connect is a youth reengagement centre, jointly funded by Red Cliffs Secondary College and the Mildura Rural City Council. The project targets disengaged youth aged 12-18 years who have not attended school for three months or more and cannot re-commence their education or employment pathway within a traditional setting. The project helps young people tackle the participation and retention issues from the ‘inside out’. It grew out of the 2012/13 Youth Partnerships Project, which sought to improve retention rates of vulnerable students at school, through the provision of flexible learning options at six local secondary schools. It began in 2014 as a valuable new addition to the Northern Mallee Victoria education system, to deliver accredited flexible learning options within a community based re-engagement setting. The delivery costs of the tailored, individualised programs are alleviated by community partner’s provision of in kind activities and programs, which contribute to student programs and skills acquisition, to meet accredited program assessment requirements. Since funding ceased, various targeted funding initiatives, including grant funding streams have been explored to resource case management services. FLO Connect is now jointly funded by the Education Department (Red Cliffs Secondary CollegeRCSC) and Mildura Rural City Council and long term funding remains challenging.

The project is a result of, and is supported by, a strong community partnership between Mildura Rural City Council, the Victorian Department of Education, Red Cliffs Secondary College and Northern Mallee Local Learning and Employment Network (NMLLEN). More than 15 local service providers/agencies are also involved, including the recently opened Mildura ‘Headspace’. In its first 12 months, FLO Connect achieved well above its initial goals. The initial target was to re-engage 35 long term disconnected youth, but demand for the program quickly grew to 65 student enrolments. These enrolments included eight students who had been disengaged from school for over 12 months, 12 students who were in Out of Home Care and eight Indigenous students. Notably, 94% of these students had less than Year 9 education levels, with 78% of participants aged 15-17 years. The project recognises that to achieve long term results, providers need to collaborate to offer ‘wrap-around’ support for each young person while simultaneously focusing on meeting student’s individual needs in the areas of relationships, living and learning, in order for them to navigate their way through the complexities of accessing available services, whilst offering a more targeted and efficient service. By successfully re-engaging young people, the community is benefiting from improved rates of: engagement, connectedness and wellbeing, retention and school completions, further training and employment, youth participation and productivity and reduced rates and associated costs of: physical and mental health issues, disconnection, crimes and long-term poverty.

FINALIST SERVICE DELIVERY INITIATIVE

MOORABOOL SHIRE COUNCIL, COMMUNITY SAFETY TEAM

TAKING IT TO THE STREETS – ANIMAL ADOPTION PROGRAM Moorabool Shire Council runs its own domestic animal pound which is registered as a domestic animal business and operates in accordance with the Domestic Animals Act 1994. The pound provides a safe haven for lost, abandoned and surrendered animals within the Shire, as well a very successful animal adoption program. This service is coordinated by Council’s Community Safety Unit. Community Safety Officers, who are responsible for overseeing the day to day running of the domestic animal pound, identified the need to raise the profile of the domestic animal pound, increase adoptions and reach and target a greater audience to do this.

“It’s very rewarding to work out there in our community providing residents with information about responsible pet ownership and changing the general perception of what it is we actually do,” he said.

What better way than to take the animal adoption program to the streets and engage with the community in the heart of the main towns within the Shire.

There are challenges associated with running the program but, through appropriate planning, dedication, communication and scheduling, this program has continued to run successfully for several years with minimal impact on resourcing.

The Taking it to the Streets – Animal Adoption Program has enabled Council officers to establish a strong rapport with the community, raise the profile of their domestic animal pound and target a broader audience in the hope of finding suitable homes for pound animals.

Moorabool Shire is the only Council in Victoria that has taken this proactive and positive approach to promoting and encouraging responsible pet ownership and educating the community that community safety is more than an enforcement role.

The results have been encouraging, reducing the over population of domestic pets with greater numbers of desexed pets being adopted by people in the community, thereby reducing the euthanasia rate of impounded animals.

The program has enabled staff in Council’s Community Safety Unit to develop a rapport with the community and educate them on the importance of responsible pet ownership, raise the profile of their domestic animal pound and increase animal adoptions giving pound pets a second chance at life.

The program also has a very successful Facebook page which has over 3,300 ‘likes’ and is utilised to post information about impounded animals, animals available for adoption and responsible pet ownership.

Community Safety Officer, Shannon Walsh said “By taking it to the street, we’ve been able to engage with our residents, those who might not have access to social media or find visiting an animal pound too emotional and traumatic. Being out on the street I was so surprised to hear some residents say that they didn’t know that Council had an animal pound or thought that the dog catcher would just put to sleep unclaimed stray animals”.

These are exceptional and one-off initiatives. They must assist the community and be over and above Council’s day-to-day activities.

JUDGING CRITERIA • • • • • •

Demonstrated delivery What makes the initiative exceptional or special Measurable outcomes Cost benefit Effectiveness for specific client/target group(s) Outcomes in terms of benefit

WINNER Warrnambool City Council, Tourism Services Oddball Nature of a Regional Movie

HONOURABLE MENTION Melton City Council, Kel Tori, Luke Shannon and Michael Tudball Western BACE

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WINNER SPECIAL PROJECTS INITIATIVE

WARRNAMBOOL CITY COUNCIL, TOURISM SERVICES

ODDBALL NATURE OF A REGIONAL MOVIE In 2013, it was announced that the movie Oddball was to commence production. The movie is based on the true story of the maremma dogs which protect a Little Penguin colony on Middle Island, off Warrnambool. Warrnambool City Council seized an opportunity to help with the production of the film which tells an amazing story that was not well known outside the region and as a result the movie has brought with it an unprecedented promotion of Warrnambool and the Middle Island Maremma Project so that Warrnambool is now regarded as the “home of Oddball”. Council sought to capitalise on the $7 million movie to maximise the tourism, environmental and community outcomes for their region. These aims were split over production, promotion and launch phases of the movie’s development. The movie generated enormous community engagement. Local people feature in the film, the economic impact includes a lift in tourism and the securing for the short to medium term of funding of the maremma project through sponsorship, donations and merchandising. Council developed an “Oddball Bed Bank” with local tourism operators donating bed nights to help the production company extend the shooting days in Warrnambool. This resulted in two-and-a-half weeks of filming in Warrnambool. Council was also involved in the promotional plan for the film’s launch. Outcomes included a 20-minute story on Channel 7’s Sunday Night show which reached 1.6 million viewers. ‘Meet the Maremmas’ sessions were offered in Warrnambool during the movie launch to provide people with an outlet for their immediate interest in the story behind the movie. About 2000 people took part in these.

Council also developed the Oddball Club, an email database to update the community on the progress of the movie. More than 100 movie extras were also drawn from the club. The local community was asked participate in a Penguin Box Building Day that was filmed by Channel 7. A total of 24 boxes were built. Warrnambool City Council seized on the opportunity to ensure Warrnambool was central to the story told in the movie. Although Oddball is based on a true Warrnambool story, it could have been adapted to be filmed anywhere. The willingness of the community and Council to embrace the movie production was noted by Oddball director Stuart McDonald who said: “It was like we showed up and we said to the community we want to tell your story – they said, great because so do we, so how can we help?” Council harnessed the excitement in the community to develop possibly the largest promotion ever of Warrnambool. This promotion was across all areas of Council and community. Whilst Oddball is not the first movie to be based on a regional Australian story, it does showcase how Local Government can seize an opportunity to maximise the benefits to both community and visitor economy through a strategic all of Council approach. It has resulted in an immediate impact of people seeing the movie and coming to Warrnambool to see the true story.

HONOURABLE MENTION SPECIAL PROJECTS INITIATIVE

MELTON CITY COUNCIL, KEL TORI, LUKE SHANNON AND MICHAEL TUDBALL

WESTERN BACE The Western Business Accelerator & Centre for Excellence (Western BACE) is an innovative project that delivered a 6-star green star sustainable facility in a significant growth centre within the City of Melton. It has also provided a direct link into local employment, emerging and new business growth whilst addressing a skill shortage within the local workforce. In addition, a sustainable business model has been developed with the establishment of a skillsbased board to govern and grow the facility. The City of Melton is within the fastest growing region in Australia and is one of Melbourne’s designated growth corridors as detailed in the Victorian Government’s Melbourne @ 5 million strategy. With an annual population growth rate at over 4.5% there is ongoing pressure to create local employment opportunities. Figures from the 2011 Census highlight the challenge that the City of Melton is facing a very significant labour force/jobs imbalance. At present 83% of residents leave the City each day to find work. The lack of local employment opportunities and the rate at which the City’s population is growing draws a stark landscape of the need to create local employment opportunities for local residents – in line with national, state and Local Government policies and strategies. As a demonstration project the Western BACE and its location within the future Toolern Metropolitan Activity Centre has served as a pivotal point of activation within the precinct.

The facility has also highlighted the need for Councils to be able provide high level and professional centred facilities for businesses to develop and meet. The high level of engagement in the initial stages with mature businesses has demonstrated the need for such a localised space. The Western BACE project team, where possible, has facilitated employment opportunities for local businesses from both the City of Melton and the broader local region. Opportunities were facilitated by sourcing local products, ensuring that the design and construction of the facility included opportunities for local business involvement, and by working collaboratively with project partners to identify programs and opportunities. Interest in the centre increased as construction was completed, and businesses have started to work in the space, including with other growth area Councils in western Melbourne. The City of Melton is working with the Western Melbourne Regional Development Authority and LeadWest to pursue the possibility of Western BACE operating as a central support facility for a range of smaller, industry-specific business accelerators across western Melbourne, enhancing the project’s impact and supporting the growth of local employment opportunities across the broader western Melbourne region. This project is a strong example whereby Councils can draw upon existing knowledge, as well as information from the community and key stakeholders, to meet local needs and gaps through the provision of cutting-edge and innovative facilities.

The attraction of people to the area through the provision of first class facilities will further promote the growth and development of this area and will build on other Council investment in infrastructure including the Bridge Road Children and Community Centre.

ROADS

FOOTPATHS & CYCLEWAYS

HOME & COMMUNITY CARE

RECREATIONAL, LEISURE & COMMUNITY FACILITIES

BUILDINGS

PARKS

LAND

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

MATERNAL & CHILD HEALTH

PLANNING APPLICATIONS

PLANT, MACHINERY & EQUIPMENT

WASTE MANAGEMENT

FOOD TESTING

LIBRARIES

ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

Local Government is vital to thriving communities

Local Government in Victoria manages approximately $73 billion of community assets and spends over $7.8 billion each year on the provision of services. Local councils will deliver important infrastructure projects for Victorian communities totalling $8.9 billion over the next four years (2015-16 to 2018-19). Local Government Victoria (LGV) continues to work cooperatively with Victoria’s 79 councils to ensure Victorians enjoy the services and facilities provided by responsive and accountable local government. Find out more: www.delwp.vic.gov.au

LGV programs and initiatives include: • Improved performance reporting • Municipal emergency management • Reducing red tape • Shared service and collaborative procurement • Simplified funding • Legislative reform • Enhanced public libraries

Initiatives that demonstrate a commitment to working with and/or in the community to achieve positive outcomes.

JUDGING CRITERIA • Impact on broader sector • Transferability • Complexity of outcomes and number of partners involved • Leadership demonstrated

WINNER Glenelg Shire Council, Great South Coast Beyond the Bell Team Great South Coast Beyond the Bell

FINALISTS Sunraysia Sustainability Network, Nardia Baker, Martin Hawson, Mark Jenkins and Robert Watson Sunraysia Sustainability Network Project Yarra City Council, Sustainability and Strategic Transport Team In Your Patch: Local Sustainability in Action Frankston City Council On the right track

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WINNER COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS INITIATIVE

GLENELG SHIRE COUNCIL, GREAT SOUTH COAST BEYOND THE BELL TEAM

GREAT SOUTH COAST BEYOND THE BELL The Great South Coast Beyond the Bell project is a revolutionary, community-driven response to a complex social issue. It recognises that the current system is failing the area’s young people, almost half of whom are not going on to attain Year 12 or equivalent. In the longer-term, Beyond the Bell seeks to mobilise an entire community across a vast geographic area to ensure all local young people are supported and encouraged to achieve their full potential. Four years in, the project has inspired a regional coalition that is now actively engaged in addressing gaps and problem areas across the life continuum, from birth through to adulthood. It has created a deeper understanding of the barriers to education attainment and how these might be addressed. The primary goal of the Beyond the Bell initiative was to bring together all tiers of government, organisations, community groups and individuals across south west Victoria to support them to work together in a Collective Impact Framework. The long-term ambition is to create a future in which all of the region’s young people are encouraged and supported to achieve their full potential. Outcomes to date include: • The project is now a priority of the Great South Coast Group, Regional Development Australia and Regional Development Victoria • The formation of six Local Action Groups, each with its own action plan based on local need and culture and development of a regional strategy • Activation of around 100 volunteers across the region • Engagement with 2,500 community members

Unlike other approaches, Beyond the Bell is not looking to government to solve the problem. Instead, it has adopted a grass roots approach underpinned by the philosophy that it takes a village to educate a child. The initiative has galvanised the community to take responsibility for addressing this complex and multifaceted issue and engaged stakeholders and partners at every related touch point in a young person’s life. This includes from maternal and child care to kindergartens, libraries, primary schools, secondary schools to the alternative and higher education providers, service clubs, health and welfare providers, as well as individuals and other groups. This work has not been easy. Traditional ways of working involving competition for control, scarce resources and skilled staff has been a barrier, as has the lack of skills in adaptive leadership, action learning and working collaboratively in a Collective Impact setting. This has entailed some difficult conversations, workshops and other tools to build the necessary trust and relationships to do this work. Beyond the Bell has engaged representatives from Local Government and the education, health and welfare sectors, including the local Aboriginal community, young people, parents, and other interested community members. There is now broad understanding of Beyond the Bell across the Great South Coast community (approximately 120,000 people), with a new spirit of collaboration in the region, fostering regional networks. Beyond the Bell has ushered in a new spirit of collaboration in the region, fostering regional networks and relationships and providing the tools and knowledge to be better able to work together.

FINALIST COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS INITIATIVE

SUNRAYSIA SUSTAINABILITY NETWORK, NARDIA BAKER, MARTIN HAWSON, MARK JENKINS AND ROBERT WATSON

SUNRAYSIA SUSTAINABILITY NETWORK PROJECT Through ongoing community and government partnerships with Sunraysia Sustainability Network (SSN), the Mildura Eco Village (MEV) project represents a vital step towards education of the community about the challenges of regional self-sufficiency. MEV is a multi-stage, long term, sustainable community precinct, situated on 11 acres of land situated next to the Mildura Landfill and Transfer Station. The facility provides community partnerships and a focus on innovation, environmental education and activities, including: • Community gardening • Waste management • Demonstrations of energy efficient construction, renewable energy and retrofitting • Water conservation and recycling for business • Sustainability training, events and festivals Through the SSN community partnership, MEV offers a unique and innovative range of sustainability, education and energy saving demonstrations and solutions, including: • A 9 Star energy-rated MEV Centre, the development of which was recognised ‘as an exemplar of sustainable design’, winning two design awards from the Victorian Building Designers Association Awards in 2013 • A unique Solar Distillation Demonstration project, featuring 70 solar powered desalination panels, producing up to 600 litres/day of distilled water from contaminated, stormwater, or saline water sources. This showcases solar distillation as a potential water recovery and reuse technique for the regions’ highest water dependent local industries • An Eco House ‘retrofit’, demonstrating the ease and value of investing in domestic retrofit options which has converted a former 0.6 star energy-rated caretaker’s cottage into a 3.8 star demonstration facility, which is now home to a

working community-use kitchen and office space for waste management personnel • A community garden, using organic gardening principles, featuring 35 garden plots available for the community Since the development of the MEV business plan, the SSN/MRCC partnership has obtained a range of funding partners, securing over $1 million grants assistance to help implement its objectives. The SSN sought to establish and nurture mutually beneficial partnerships, together with informal social events and networks, and to help guide its future development leading to much greater potential for project sustainability and community ‘buy in’. The current SSN President, Robert Watson came to Mildura just over eight years ago. After being involved in the non-profit community group Alternative Technology Association (ATA), getting involved in the SSN seemed like a natural progression. Effective working relationships is at the core of the MEV’s community engagement practice, through collaboration and agreed partnerships. SSN members show true leadership behaviours through their voluntary participation, involvement in community meetings, undertaking working bees and devoting many hours of unpaid work. These initiatives are mostly long term, offering applied learning’s, which can be easily replicated in other communities, through a shared passion and commitment to overcoming barriers. The SSN community partnership delivers a unique and innovative range of sustainability, education and energy saving demonstrations and solutions. Delivering excellence in environmental process through effective, long term planning, MEV is providing the community with the opportunity to take vital steps towards sustainability education and to better understand the challenges of regional self-sufficiency.

FINALIST COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS INITIATIVE

YARRA CITY COUNCIL, SUSTAINABILITY AND STRATEGIC TRANSPORT TEAM

IN YOUR PATCH: LOCAL SUSTAINABILITY IN ACTION Yarra Council’s In Your Patch project was a successful pilot resulting in six community partnership projects, including a highly successful solar bulk-buy, a new compost hub, and several new and enhanced gardens and compost systems. It represents a fresh approach to a long-standing aspiration of Local Government to foster effective community action for sustainability. The results have validated the strategies used which included community empowerment, peer-to-peer engagement, group capacity building and Council driven community partnerships. It successfully reached a diverse audience and enabled new collective action. In Your Patch has also provided learning that is now being integrated into the Yarra Annual Grants. The objective of the project was to increase collective action for sustainability across Yarra, using a community partnership approach with a particular focus on connecting neighbours and reaching new audiences, particularly the ‘hard to reach’. A community empowerment and partnership model was adopted where community members led the projects and were partnered by Council. The project sought ideas from the community and then provided seed funding and extensive tailored support to turn the ideas into reality. It also worked at the group (rather than individual) level to facilitate collective action using a peer-to-peer engagement approach, empowering trusted community members to engage the people around them. The project successfully reached a diverse audience and delivered the following six new community partnerships:

• A ‘sustainability suitcase’ (lending library of green gadgets, books and other resources) and compost hub at Alphington Community Centre which is now available to local residents and businesses, who are dropping off approximately 188 litres of food waste per week • A culturally and socio-economically diverse group has been trained in seedling propagation and a social enterprise model has been scoped to continue their work • A neighbour-to-neighbour community-led solar bulk buy has resulted in more than 80 households buying more than 270kW of solar panels and the donation of an 8kW system to a community organisation. These will mean estimated annual greenhouse savings of 48 tonnes of carbon dioxide • A kitchen garden and compost system for an organisation servicing at risk youth is diverting 16 kilograms of food waste weekly • Three gardens for community housing tenants have been extended and enhanced with the participation of the tenants and ongoing maintenance agreements established with appropriate resourcing The program has also increased the capacity for action of individuals, groups and organisations, bringing new volunteers, skills, partnerships and momentum. The model is intrinsically adaptable to any Local Government area and Yarra is actively sharing its learning with Councils through the LGPro Behaviour Change Network. This project provides a template for Local Government to increase collective community action. It has shown that Councils can create effective community partnerships with tangible results at low cost. Yarra CEO, Vijaya Vaidyanath said: “In Your Patch has amply demonstrated that Yarra residents can create positive change in their neighbourhoods by partnering with Council.”

FINALIST COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS INITIATIVE

FRANKSTON CITY COUNCIL

ON THE RIGHT TRACK On the right track was a partnership initiative between the Kokoda Youth Foundation and Frankston City Council promoting the spirit of the Anzacs and identifying the values engraved on pillars at the Papua New Guinea war memorial as key attributes for lifelong success. These values are: • Courage (bravery and honesty) • Endurance (strength and growth) • Mateship (loyalty and integrity) • Sacrifice (selflessness and volunteering) It provided young people aged 14-17 years with an opportunity to develop themselves, mentally, physically and emotionally by participating in endurance based learning. Participants were provided with an alternative way to express themselves in a safe and supportive environment, enhancing their ability to navigate the challenges of life. The program was a one of a kind initiative in Victoria delivered in partnership with the Kokoda Youth Foundation and the 39th Battalion. It was made up of two components; community service and endurance based activities and was a great platform for young people to develop disciplines in relation to their social, leadership, and physical skills. Through this challenge participants were able to demonstrate to their leaders, parents, schools and themselves the leadership and team building skills they developed over the course of the program’s intensive physical and personal development sessions.

By educating young people about the soldier’s harrowing experiences, they were able to develop compassion and empathise with the soldiers by ‘walking a mile in their shoes’. Participants had the opportunity to shake the hands of a number of the veterans who were part of the 39th Battalion and be present for the last post before the final hike, which was a very proud moment for the young people involved. Program participants were selected from a variety of educational and socio economic backgrounds to come together and form bonds through a common goal of endurance. One of the program’s innovative features was that the young people were able to directly relate their learning by participating in the endurance walks. While the walks were an achievement in themselves, they also helped to build the mental resilience of young people, and their ability to confront personal mental barriers that often limited achievement. This helped to connect the young people within their communities and challenge them beyond their perceived limitations. It managed to bring together a diverse group, with a range of world views and enabled collaboration between young people who would not normally cross paths. The resulting personal growth was noticed on a number of levels by parents and teachers who commented on a change in attitude, social skills, and engagement. But perhaps more importantly were the participants’ own observations, including their improved ‘confidence, self-image, trust and gaining a new circle of friends.

The program facilitated space for young people to develop such qualities as determination, personal growth, self-confidence and a feeling of mateship. It also gave the participants a chance to learn from, inspire and motivate each other to achieve a common goal.

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Initiatives that maximise benefits to the community and showcase partnerships in the development and management of community assets that are a new, one-off activity of a capital nature. This category comprises two sub-categories: • Projects $1.5 million & under • Projects over $1.5 million This section profiles projects that are $1.5 million & under.

JUDGING CRITERIA • Project outcomes • Innovative features • Cost benefits • Complexity of implementation • Leadership demonstrated • Transferability

WINNER Maroondah City Council, Parkwood Team Parkwood Community Hub

FINALISTS Banyule City Council A Safer Mall Hepburn Shire Council, Hepburn Community Services Creswick Hub

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COMMUNITY ASSETS & INFRASTRUCTURE INITIATIVE – $1.5 MILLION & UNDER

WINNER MAROONDAH CITY COUNCIL, PARKWOOD TEAM

PARKWOOD COMMUNITY HUB Parkwood Community Hub has reinvented the way in which Maroondah City Council caters for the needs of community groups. After strong lobbying from Council and the community, the former school site was retained and transformed into a community hub. Six community groups – North Ringwood Community House, Maroondah Toy Library, Ringwood Men’s Shed, Penumbra, Ringwood U3A and the Ringwood Historical Society – now call the centre home. The facility has allowed the groups to expand to meet the growing community and regional demand for their services. It has also seen them discover and understand each other’s work and come together and form partnerships to develop future community projects and program offerings. After the former Parkwood Secondary School closed in 2012, Council lobbied the Victorian Government to retain the site to develop for community use. Council’s successful bid has seen the creation of this state-of-the-art community hub catering to the needs of the six community groups, allowing them to expand their service delivery as well as providing an opportunity to partner and offer complimentary community services. The retention of the land as a community asset has also seen the creation of a space corridor linking the community facility with Council’s existing Quambee Reserve. A number of Council departments assisted in the project including leisure, assets, finance, integrated planning, engineering and building services and IT. Council worked closely with the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) to secure the site and buildings. This working relationship also assisted with the development of the creche and a grant towards the Men’s Shed.

A tenant users group has been extremely successful with all groups gaining a greater awareness of what each offers the community. This has resulted in a greater potential and willingness to form working partnerships between the individual community groups. The new facilities also resulted in the amalgamation of Croydon and Ringwood Toy Libraries as it enabled them to expand their resources and share their volunteer base to provide extended opening hours. Convincing the Victorian Government to maintain the site as a community space was one of Council’s biggest battles. Strong community support for the initiative and the fact that a number of community groups were in desperate need for larger facilities provided the ammunition Council needed to secure a commitment and lease for six years. With six groups involved in this project it was essential that Council showed strong leadership and made tough decisions when required. Council also worked closely with each of the groups, who at times had their own agendas, during the process to ensure their needs were met. Although the facility has only been operational since August 2015, Council has already started to see positive outcomes. The community groups have expanded their membership base, increased and improved the services they provide the community and have formed strong partnerships. This has included the Men’s Shed assisting the Toy Library with the maintenance of toys and the Community House and Penumbra partnering to offer Certificate 4 training opportunities An Open House event is also being organised to promote all of the services to the community.

COMMUNITY ASSETS & INFRASTRUCTURE INITIATIVE – $1.5 MILLION & UNDER

FINALIST BANYULE CITY COUNCIL

A SAFER MALL Banyule City Council’s Safer Mall project demonstrates how a place-focused approach can deliver joint wins for multiple stakeholders, and ultimately the communities they serve.

This project has demonstrated that, with careful research and risk analysis, new materials can be used that contribute to community expectations for improved spaces.

By working alongside community organisations, traders and others, and bringing together different disciplines within Council, the project delivered benefits for economic vitality, community safety and creating a sense of place.

The main obstacles encountered were funding and managing expectations. Streetscape improvements can be very expensive and a typical project at a place the size of the mall could easily reach a $2 million budget. Critical thinking was deployed to gain the best value for money and to leverage additional resources, such as bending Council’s maintenance budgets towards the project.

Its key outcome of activating an unsafe space was achieved by Council departments working together; working to continue to add value to the project throughout its delivery; and partnerships with local stakeholders. On the ground, the project delivered a range of innovative and exciting streetscape initiatives including seating, murals, a stage, rolling green landscaping, lighting and planting. The project objectives were to enhance perceptions of safety through visual enhancements, by lighting unsafe areas and using space activation (CPTED principles) at the mall, and to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour. Larger numbers of people are now visiting the mall which has been transformed into a safe, lively and vibrant centre with a welcoming environment which has deterred opportunistic crime and anti-social behaviour. The project’s innovative features are demonstrated in two principal ways. First, cross-departmental working and integration across teams, using a place management approach, fundamentally benefited the project and encouraged shared ownership of problems and solutions. Secondly, the works included the use of a number of innovative or new materials and techniques for streetscape improvements in Banyule.

The mall was the subject of a number of plans for improvements over the past decade or so and expectations within the community had been raised and unfulfilled. This project managed a balance of creating excitement, interest and involvement from the local community, while offering genuinely realistic improvements and outcomes. Overall the focus on shared outcomes has meant meaningful and practical interventions that contribute to economic development, community safety, engagement, place making and ultimately helping to restore a degree of confidence in an area that for too long had been neglected. This project, through its partnership approach, has taken a significant step forward for the mall. Its legacy will be to pave the way for further work that brings stakeholders together, having demonstrated that change can happen from collaborative thinking and practical action. This project was about place making, where a place is considered holistically to achieve shared outcomes. The Safer Mall project has proved that place-making can occur for specific projects and that working across disciplines brings greater value overall.

COMMUNITY ASSETS & INFRASTRUCTURE INITIATIVE – $1.5 MILLION & UNDER

FINALIST HEPBURN SHIRE COUNCIL, HEPBURN COMMUNITY SERVICES

CRESWICK HUB The Creswick Hub project involved major refurbishment and extension of the tired, old, rabbit warren that was the former Creswick Council Office and Library building, reinventing it as a vibrant and inviting contemporary space. Combining Council’s customer service with the library has resulted in the extension of the library service from two-and-a-half to five-and-a-half days per week and removed the barriers of a single staffed library which reduces the ability to provide programs. Since reopening in August 2015 with two staff, the hub has hosted seven Children’s Book Week activities, two school holiday programs and held its first adult author talk. The hub has also experienced an increase in visitors with 2,328 attending in the first full month of operation. Council Services have also been enhanced with the introduction of a video link to the head office in Daylesford. The main objective of the Creswick Hub was to increase space, opening hours and visits and all of this has been achieved. Apart from the increase in visitors, people have tended to linger in the space as there are more places to sit, socialise, study or just be in the hub. There is free, fast WiFi which allows residents and visitors to the region to go about their online business in a comfortable setting. Young adults are using the space, where before they didn’t stay as they had nowhere to sit. This project wasn’t easy, the Council had some structural barriers to overcome as the existing condition was worse than anticipated resulting in the building not being opened up as much as what was originally intended.

All in all the project has been a huge success and boasts the following features: • Self-loan station • 24/7 automated returns chute • Centralised customer service desk • Video conferencing to Hepburn Shire’s other offices providing improved Council services to Creswick residents • Light void features and a green grow wall allow for innovative ventilation • Extendable meeting rooms for intimate private meetings as well as large gatherings and seminars • Secure outdoor reading area • Quite area for IT users • Sun filled seating areas and creative spaces and nooks throughout the hub allow for passive recreation and social gatherings • Upgrading and internalising the public toilet facilities has increased safety and quality of amenities This project demonstrates the impact a small amount of money, $750,000, can have on a community which now has a vibrant comfortable meeting place where they can come together for a number of functions under the one roof.

JUDGING CRITERIA • Project outcomes • Innovative features • Cost benefits • Complexity of implementation • Leadership demonstrated • Transferability

WINNER Maribyrnong City Council (MCC) – Braybrook Community Hub Braybrook Community Hub Project

FINALISTS Kingston City Council, Community Buildings Team Parkdale Family and Children’s Centre and Community Precinct Northern Grampians Shire Council, Infrastructure & Environment Directorate The Halls Gap Tourism and Community Hub Maroondah City Council, Aquanation Team Aquanation

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COMMUNITY ASSETS & INFRASTRUCTURE INITIATIVE – OVER $1.5 MILLION

WINNER MARIBYRNONG CITY COUNCIL (MCC) – BRAYBROOK COMMUNITY HUB

BRAYBROOK COMMUNITY HUB PROJECT The Braybrook Community Hub is a $12.6 million development completed in March 2015 as part of Maribyrnong City Council’s Revitalising Braybrook Strategy which seeks to redress the long term disadvantage of the area. The state-of-the-art facility has provided Braybrook’s first library and commissioned public art as well as meeting and training spaces, community health and social services, a community kitchen, new sports pavilion, Men’s Shed, community garden and early years centre. Wide ranging and targeted services are delivered at the hub to address the challenges and difficulties that many of the highly vulnerable community members in this area experience. Braybrook, situated 10 kilometres west of Melbourne, is one of Melbourne’s most disadvantaged suburbs. Maribyrnong City Council adopted the Revitalising Braybrook Strategy in 2011 to bring about genuine improvements to the lives of those in Braybrook and this project was a cornerstone of the strategy. The building’s design is welcoming and accessible on all sides both literally and metaphorically. Unlike the existing Community Centre there is no ‘back of house’ to the building to help improve park safety and minimise vandalism. The building promotes the idea of connectedness, expressed by a series of five wings projecting out from lofty central volumes on all sides. Each of the projecting wings are extensively glazed, screened by the warmth and tactility of recycled timber and glazed screens set two metres beyond the skin of the building for ease of maintenance and sun protection. The library facade design is complemented by a series of glazed screens strategically placed to correspond with the building orientation, angle of the sun, visual connection to/from reading areas.

The key challenge for the project was operating the existing services on site during the redevelopment. This was achieved by close and inclusive management of project stakeholders and a strong community engagement process. Another challenge was keeping the construction on track despite weather delays. Since its opening in March 2015, the hub has received favourable response from the local community. This is reflected in the high usage of all facilities between March and October 2015 including 96,681 visits to the library, 62,917 library loans, and 1,403 new library members. The Braybrook Family Learning and Literacy program has also increased from 50 to 118 children participating per week and local secondary and primary schools have regular class visits each months. Crucial to the successful operation and sustainability of the Braybrook Community Hub is a single facility governance commitment which supports the integration of the various functions and services. It also promotes practitioners working in a way that delivers collaborative community building, education, care, health and support services to families, children and individuals. The Braybrook Community Hub has not only provided a modern iconic building for the Braybrook community, it has also created a highly unique model of integrated services and programs. This will support the care, learning and recreation opportunities for the community that will carry Braybrook forward into a brighter future.

COMMUNITY ASSETS & INFRASTRUCTURE INITIATIVE – OVER $1.5 MILLION

FINALIST KINGSTON CITY COUNCIL, COMMUNITY BUILDINGS TEAM

PARKDALE FAMILY AND CHILDREN’S CENTRE AND COMMUNITY PRECINCT Kingston City Council’s $5.5 million state-of-the-art Parkdale Family and Children’s Centre has used an innovative community partnership to deliver a raft of community benefits including best-practice early-years services, quality performing arts centre, indoor sports facilities and an improved community centre. The centre features clever design elements to deliver a broad range of best-practice early-years services including kindergarten, child care, maternal and child health care and playgroups. Built at Parkdale Secondary College, the project is a successful example of the Victorian Government’s initiative to co-locate education services. A new performing arts/recreation complex was also developed, which in turn freed up valuable space at the neighbouring community centre. Originally setting out to develop a Family and Children’s Centre, the Parkdale Community Precinct project transformed into a broad-ranging partnership that achieved multiple community outcomes. The project began with plans for a much needed early years centre on the grounds of Parkdale Secondary College. Following discussions with the school and the department around the broader need for new facilities, Kingston Council agreed to partner with the parties to develop a performing arts and indoor sports centre for shared school/community use. Council worked closely with the Victorian Government to develop complex shared use agreements which resulted in a new model of shared funding, governance, usage and management for community facilities located on school land. It is now being used as a model for other projects.

Further partnership synergies were developed with neighbouring Mordialloc Community Centre which provides the day-to-day management of the performing arts/sport centre. The new facility freed up much needed space at the Mordialloc Community Centre, with Council also investing in gymnastics facilities at the community centre. The Parkdale Family and Children’s Centre delivers facilities in a ‘one-stop shop’ making it easier for local families as kindergarten, child care, maternal and child health care plus playgroups all operate from the site. The innovative design of the centre encourages nature-based play through vast outdoor learning spaces and promotes increased collaboration between the various early years professionals. Community response to the new centre has been overwhelmingly positive with enrolments at capacity and a majority of families reporting they are pleased with the centre. The new performing arts and sports centre has also met strong community need with more than 1000 participants from over 100 teams competing weekly. The complex project took around four years from conception to construction and saw many barriers overcome. The result is a community precinct that has harnessed innovative design and broad-ranging partnerships to deliver a fantastic community facility. The suite of community facilities, located on the school site, is the first of its kind in the City of Kingston. The facilities provide enormous community benefit to hundreds of families and children across a range of age groups. The project demonstrates what can be achieved through effective collaboration and shared use of limited resources.

COMMUNITY ASSETS & INFRASTRUCTURE INITIATIVE – OVER $1.5 MILLION

FINALIST NORTHERN GRAMPIANS SHIRE COUNCIL, INFRASTRUCTURE & ENVIRONMENT DIRECTORATE

THE HALLS GAP TOURISM AND COMMUNITY HUB With land between two important buildings sitting idle, Northern Grampians Shire Council had the opportunity to create something special in the heart of Halls Gap in the Grampians National Park.

Other construction issues included the forecourt drainage (overcome by over-designing new drainage), and the Village Square, which was originally a concrete finish. After community feedback this was changed to sandstone.

The Halls Gap Community and Tourism Hub was born from the desire to join the public hall with the visitor information centre to create a community nucleus that filled a void in professional meeting spaces, also providing a visually appealing building for performances, exhibitions and events.

Mrs Linley said the sustainability of the hub would be ongoing through hiring rooms and the lease with Grampians Tourism. Under the lease, Council is responsible for the building’s maintenance and has ensured this will be accommodated in future by incorporating it into its assets register.

With its bright red feature walls and beautiful sandstone Village Square, the building hosts activities including meetings, conferences, events and even weddings.

The hub has provided many benefits for the community including:

Northern Grampians Chief Executive Officer, Justine Linley said the hub aimed to use the land wisely while giving the community a multi-use building for a range of activities. Some of the innovative features are very visual with a modern architectural design with tall timber columns, curved walls, glass, red thermoplastic inserts and sandstone. “The building is designed for maximum flexibility with simultaneous use possible in all the spaces due to separate entrances. The hub also gives our peak tourism body, Grampians Tourism, a new home in the heart of town, and they will manage the spaces on behalf of Council,” Mrs Linley said. There were barriers and obstacles encountered during the project including joining two buildings with different floor levels. This was overcome with a curved foyer and an internal disabled ramp. Footing slab and roofline difficulties were overcome by the surveyor carefully setting out the slab and the poured slab being cross-checked before steelwork was ordered.

• An innovative and modern architectural design for Halls Gap • A central hub for meetings, events and activities • Using a vacant piece of land to create a valuable community asset • Giving an important tourism body, Grampians Tourism, a new, more prominent home Mrs Linley said any other organisation wishing to do something similar could definitely use Northern Grampians Shire Council’s hub model. “We have taken an underutilised piece of land between two very important community buildings and created a multi-functional space all sectors of the community can use. This approach will definitely be used in future for other projects as Council believes it has seen a really great result come from thinking outside the box,” she said.

COMMUNITY ASSETS & INFRASTRUCTURE INITIATIVE – OVER $1.5 MILLION

FINALIST MAROONDAH CITY COUNCIL, AQUANATION TEAM

AQUANATION Aquanation features a 66.5 metre 10 lane pool and diving facilities, a warm water pool, a dedicated learn to swim pool, large toddler and children’s leisure play pool, a large gym with three separate group fitness rooms, creche, café and two large waterslides. Users can access the slides via stairs inside the facility and exit into a splash deck near the water play area. With a regional catchment of more than one million people, it is expected that Aquanation will attract more than 800,000 visitors a year and will cater for people of all ages – from water play for babies and toddlers to dedicated activities for older adults. The project is a true partnership between all three levels of government, community and sporting groups and corporate partners providing a state-of-the-art aquatic and leisure centre for the community to enjoy health, social and wellness benefits. Set in the Jubilee Park in Ringwood, Aquanation complements the existing FIFA grade soccer pitch and pavilion, premier grade cricket facilities, tennis, croquet and football facilities in the sporting precinct. It is not only a regional aquatic and leisure centre, it has also brought diving in Victoria to a whole new level – featuring FINA standard diving facilities and the state’s first dry-diving training area. Aquanation opened in August 2015, and is owned and operated by Maroondah City Council. It offers a variety of different water spaces for lap swimming, swimming carnivals, club training and competition, diving, water polo, synchronised swimming and other programmed activities.

The centre’s dry diving facilities are unique in Australia. The dry diving training room enables clubs to establish a more effective training routine, and provides divers, from beginner to elite, the ability to perfect their technique in a more controlled environment. For individuals and sporting groups, Aquanation provides numerous training opportunities, such as lap swimming, warm water therapy, and gym training such as weights, cardio and circuit. There is also multipurpose space for club activities. For groups and people with disabilities, the facility is fully accessible with ramp access to all bodies of water. Specific programs for people with disabilities will be incorporated into the aquatic and dry leisure facilities. For schools, the main pool with 500 spectator seating capacity and dedicated learn to swim pool provides room for lessons, training and competitions. Aquanation was designed using best practice principles, in terms of pool engineering and construction techniques that include water and energy conservation options; environmentally sustainable design including maximising the use of natural light and ventilation and storm water harvesting; and accessible design ensuring Disability Discrimination Act compliance. It was built in partnership with the Australian Government, Victorian Government, Diving Australia, Diving Victoria, Swimming Australia and Swimming Victoria and with corporate partners: Ringwood East & Heathmont Community Bank and ConnectEast. Aquanation is the largest capital project undertaken by Maroondah City Council and is an example of one of the best aquatic and leisure facilities in the country.

Northern Grampians Shire Council where innovation is more than just a buzzword...

Ever heard of the Little Engine That Could? Small stature, big heart, and even bigger dreams.

That’s the Northern Grampians Shire Council. We pride ourselves on being innovators in the Local Government space. And we’ve got proof to back it up. We’re building the first underground physics laboratory in the Southern Hemisphere right in our backyard. We have a strong recent history of receiving awards and can now share our expertise through shared service opportunities.

And this is just the beginning. We do it all amongst majestic mountain ranges, buzzing town centres, and vibrant community cultures. No traffic lights. No parking metres. No worries. We’ve got big plans for the future of our shire and you could be part of it. Jump on board and be part of the ride. Why wouldn’t you?

To find out more about living and working in the Northern Grampians, visit us online: www.ngshire.vic.gov.au

Initiatives that demonstrate excellence in the delivery of environmentally sustainable processes or projects, which provide a new way of ensuring programs and developments meet the needs of the present without compromising future generations.

JUDGING CRITERIA • • • • •

Complexity of funding Measurable sustainability outcomes Size of project Cost benefits of the initiative Impact of the initiative

WINNER Pyrenees Shire Council, Project Group Regional Bioenergy Project

FINALISTS Mildura Rural City Council, Community Futures Team Mildura Eco Village Wodonga City Council, Halve Waste Kerbside Organic Team Kerbside 3 Bin System, Food and Garden Waste Maribyrnong City Council, Sustainability and Environment Team Zero Carbon Maribyrnong Project

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WINNER SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVE

PYRENEES SHIRE COUNCIL, PROJECT GROUP

REGIONAL BIOENERGY PROJECT An innovative project led by Pyrenees Shire Council is using waste destined for landfill to create energy, cut costs and create jobs at Beaufort Hospital.

witnessing this quiet, self contained, self feeding, automated system with little or no smoke (92% efficiency – made to strict European emission controls)“, according to the Project Manager.

The Regional Bioenergy Project led by the Shire has resulted in a commercial bioenergy demonstration plant being installed at the hospital.

Local businesses, agri-businesses and regional Councils are all now seriously considering applying this technology, with one private business already installing a bioenergy unit as a direct result of the project. This has also led to the increase in local suppliers as the word has spread.

The unit has saved $27,000 in operating costs in one year alone by replacing an LPG heating system. This money can now be used to deliver health services rather than going towards overheads. A local business supplies the waste wood product and the money that used to leave town now stays and supports the local economy. This has already expanded business and created jobs. You can actually see the system working as the demonstration unit has viewing windows and information on how much is being saved, how the system works and other environmental benefits such as reduced emissions. The project had the brief to inform people about bioenergy and its possible applications. Apart from the demonstration site this involved a feasibility study and business case to heat the Horsham Aquatic Facility using a bioenergy system. Horsham City Council is now looking at how to make this happen! In a classic example of seeing is believing, a delegation of Councillors and staff from Horsham visited Beaufort Hospital to view the bioenergy unit. “The group arrived as sceptics, expecting to see a loud furnace, billowing smoke with a singlet clad labourer stoking it up. But they left as converts after

Greenhouse emissions from the hospital have been cut by 56 tonnes per year as a result of the project; added to this is the saving in landfill; and decreased use of, and dependency on, fossil fuels. The technology used in this project can be transferred and applied to numerous sites throughout Australia, particularly in regional and rural areas where energy options are limited. Hospitals, aged care facilities, sporting and recreation facilities and public buildings could all potentially benefit from the combined economic and environmental advantages of bioenergy. This project proves unequivocally that actions to improve the environment can have substantial economic benefits. It provides an example in the “real world”, demonstrating actual benefits to the installation site as well as to the broader community. The project showcases the potential advantages of bioenergy and highlights the benefits that can be achieved including lower operating costs, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, lowering landfill use and creating greater energy security for a public health facility, regional community as well as supporting local jobs and businesses.

FINALIST SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVE

MILDURA RURAL CITY COUNCIL, COMMUNITY FUTURES TEAM

MILDURA ECO VILLAGE The Mildura Eco Village (MEV) is a multi-stage, sustainable community precinct situated on 4.5 hectares of land next to the Mildura Landfill and Transfer Station. Developed over the past nine years, through ongoing community consultation and strong collaborations with the Sunraysia Sustainability Network, the MEV represents a vital step towards educating the community about the challenges of regional self-sufficiency. The facility provides a community focus for innovation, environmental education and activities, including: • Community gardening • Waste management • Demonstrations of energy efficient construction, renewable energy and retrofitting • Water conservation and recycling for business • Sustainability training, events and festivals The MEV offers a unique and innovative range of sustainability, education and energy saving demonstrations and solutions, including: • A 9 star energy-rated Eco Centre, the development of which was recognised ‘as an exemplar of sustainable design’, winning two design awards from the Victorian Building Designers Association Awards in 2013 • A unique Solar Distillation Demonstration project, featuring 70 solar powered desalination panels, producing up to 600 litres/day of distilled water from contaminated, stormwater, or saline water sources. This showcases solar distillation as a potential water recovery and reuse technique for the region’s highest water dependent local industries • An Eco House retrofit, demonstrating the ease and value of investing in domestic retrofit options, which has converted a former 0.6 star energy-rated caretaker’s cottage into a

3.8 star demonstration facility, which is now home to a working community-use kitchen and office space for waste management personnel • A community garden, using organic gardening principles, featuring 35 garden plots available for the community Since the development of its business plan the MEV has secured a range of funding partners realising more than $1 million in grants assistance to help implement its objectives. The MEV sought to establish and nurture mutually beneficial partnerships, together with informal social events and networks, to help guide its future development, leading to much greater potential for project sustainability and community ‘buy in’. Effective working relationships are at the core of these community engagement framework principles, through collaboration and agreed partnerships. Mildura Rural City Council staff display true leadership behaviours, through their voluntary participation, involvement in community meetings, undertaking working bees and devoting many hours of unpaid work. The sustainability initiatives promoted through the MEV are mostly long term and offer applied learnings which can be easily replicated in other Councils and communities through a shared passion and commitment to overcoming barriers. The MEV will continue to deliver a unique and innovative range of sustainability, education and energy saving demonstrations and solutions. By delivering excellence in environmental processes, through thorough planning, the MEV is providing the community with the opportunity to take vital steps towards sustainability education and is helping to drive the region’s future environmental opportunities leading to a more sustainable, economic and prosperous future.

FINALIST SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVE

WODONGA CITY COUNCIL, HALVE WASTE KERBSIDE ORGANIC TEAM

KERBSIDE 3 BIN SYSTEM, FOOD AND GARDEN WASTE The Halve Waste program worked across four Councils in north east Victoria and south east NSW to educate and engage local communities about the benefits of the new three bin kerbside waste service that diverted food and garden waste from landfill, resulting in a nearly 50% reduction in household waste to landfill in less than a year. A kerbside waste collection system moving from two bins to three is not innovative as a service change alone, but Halve Waste achieved innovation by: • Conducting significant research, trials, community surveys and focus groups to develop a comprehensive barrier and benefit report based on established community based social marketing methodology • Listening to the community feedback and identifying barriers and benefits • Developing a focused education and engagement plan based on key barriers and benefits leading to high uptake of the service and effective waste separation in the home • Linking engagement and education materials directly to key findings. The printed materials directly focus on the key behaviours that lead to correct utilisation of the service such as assisting people with key waste separation questions and collection schedule changes • Innovative engagement tools including community BBQs, shopping centre displays, cooking demonstrations and training customer service staff to answer detailed questions and support residents with the changes • Green Team staff to engage with the community and at a resident level to assist with individual issues • Recognising that ‘one size doesn’t fit all’ and as a result developing specific strategies for households that need a slightly different service, such as larger households, residents with medical issues and families with nappies

The achievement of reducing household waste going to landfill by over 45% within a year across four Local Government areas is significant, prolonging the life of the local landfill, reducing methane emissions and engaging the community in further waste diversion behaviours. Other Local Government areas are increasingly investigating the provision of food and garden waste collection and the Halve Waste program has undertaken significant benefit and barrier analysis and developed a comprehensive education and engagement program that could be easily adapted in other areas. Very few Councils in Australia have adopted this system with a complete changeover of the kerbside service to collect food and garden waste (weekly collection) and simultaneously changed the collection of standard kerbside waste to landfill (fortnightly collection). When adopting these new services the community is asked to significantly change their behaviour. Councils are asking residents to do more – sort their waste into three bins and whilst there is more volume across the three bins residents have needed encouragement, support and information to adjust to the changes. Without adequate research and community consultation these behaviour changes could not have been achieved at the community level. Some negative media surrounding other Council areas who have introduced similar organic waste systems might have given rise to the Councils not wanting to introduce this system. Presenting the research, engaging with the community and demonstrating the need for the system gave these Councils the confidence to proceed.

FINALIST SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVE

MARIBYRNONG CITY COUNCIL, SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENT TEAM

ZERO CARBON MARIBYRNONG PROJECT The Zero Carbon Maribyrnong Project was initiated in 2008 when Maribyrnong City Council set goals to reduce corporate carbon emissions to zero by 2015 and to help their community to become Zero Carbon by 2020. Maribyrnong City Council achieved Zero Carbon Status in 2015 and continues to work with the community to become Zero Carbon. In addition to reducing corporate emissions to zero through energy efficiency improvements to buildings, streetlights and their fleet, Maribyrnong Council has undertaken a number of community engagement programs to encourage their diverse community to reduce their carbon emissions. The corporate aspect of the project focused on reducing carbon emissions through energy reduction and energy efficiency measures, the purchase and installation of renewable energy and the purchase of offsets. The project has also involved the community through a number of engagement programs around reducing carbon emissions, including bulk buy programs for solar panels and other sustainable appliances, the Challenge to Change program which assists householders to reduce emissions and community education programs. As Council budgets were limited, the project focused on increasing the capacity of Council staff to undertake energy efficiency audits of all buildings, in house energy monitoring and reporting and Local Voluntary Emissions Reporting to provide a low cost externally audited and transparent emissions report. Achievements of the program were: • The changeover of more than 4000 street lights to energy efficient alternatives • Energy efficiency upgrades of community buildings • Installation of more than 100 Kilowatts of solar panels on community buildings

• The Challenge to Change education program to assist residents • Education programs to encourage the diverse community to reduce their emissions including the Talking My Language, Hindi language video promoting energy efficiency in the home and the Green Ambassadors program which worked with the Vietnamese community to promote energy efficiency As a result of difficulties in funding and installing energy efficient street lights, in 2010 Maribyrnong City Council initiated an advocacy program – Give our Streets the Green Light – which resulted in more than half of Victorian Councils passing a resolution to address the barriers to street light upgrades. This contributed to the State and Federal Governments’ decisions to make commitments to fund street lighting upgrades. Council has committed to continue the Zero Carbon program into the future and has allocated resources to this program which has a number of elements that could be adopted by other Councils and organisations including: • Development of plans and targets • Monitoring and reporting of emissions • Training Council staff to audit and monitor emissions • Education programs targeting diverse communities • “Local Voluntary Emission Reporting” – a practical low cost example of achieving Zero Carbon status enabling Councils to provide robust and transparent emissions reports. Maribyrnong was one of the first Councils to set zero emissions targets in 2008 despite being one of Melbourne’s smallest Councils with limited financial resources and a diverse community. Since making this commitment Council has prioritised the reduction of corporate and community carbon emissions and has been a leader in advocating to reduce barriers to installing energy efficient street lights in Victoria.

How Councils encourage, acknowledge, support and celebrate diversity and inclusion in their own workplaces.

JUDGING CRITERIA • Demonstrated commitment to diversity • Ability to celebrate and capitalise on the contribution of people with diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives • Acting as a role model for diversity • Benefit to the broader community

WINNER Greater Shepparton City Council, Women’s Charter Advisory Committee Greater Shepparton Women’s Charter Alliance

FINALISTS Hobsons Bay City Council, Racism. It Stops with Me team Racism. It Stops with Me – Behind the Smile

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WINNER ORGANISATIONAL DIVERSITY

GREATER SHEPPARTON CITY COUNCIL, WOMEN’S CHARTER ADVISORY COMMITTEE

GREATER SHEPPARTON WOMEN’S CHARTER ALLIANCE The Greater Shepparton Women’s Charter Alliance Advisory Committee (GSWCAAC) is an Advisory Committee of the Greater Shepparton City Council which aims to support and promote women in leadership roles and at all levels of decision-making, including business or workplace positions, community groups or boards of management.

• A total of 110 people attended a free International Women’s Day event hosted by local Aboriginal leader, Robynne Nelson

Officially endorsed by Council in February 2012, the volunteer members of the GSWCAAC are guided by the three principles of gender equity, active citizenship and diversity.

• Partnering with organisations including the Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE to provide a free screening of the movie ‘Love Marriage in Kabul’, a documentary about forced marriages

Since its endorsement, the GSWCAAC has grown in its membership, capacity and activities. The committee strives to consult and engage with the community through its activities and events and aims to provide educational resources at all its events, provide opportunities for members of the community to network and to highlight the diversity of the local community in a positive way. It also advises Council on areas relating to the three principles. The GSWCAAC has built capacity and knowledge amongst its members by providing them with resources, networking and collaboration. This capacity building has enabled meaningful interaction with the wider community which has benefited the members and the community. Through its events alone the GSWCAAC reached a total of 513 people in one year. The committee’s achievements in the past year include: • Reaching membership capacity (20 people) • Increasing the number of ‘Friends’ of the GSWCAAC to 174 • Staging a ‘Women’s Voices – Know the Line’ Forum on the topic of sexual harassment

• Partnering with Council’s Cultural Development Officer, the Ethnic Council of Shepparton and District and the Shepparton Interfaith Network to bring the movie ‘The Good Lie’ to Shepparton during Refugee Week

• Partnering with 10thousandgirl to bring a free financial literacy workshop to Shepparton for women • Conducting community consultation via three surveys on the topics of gender equity, active citizenship and diversity. A total of 257 people responded to these surveys • Presenting an award to a person who made a difference to women The GSWCAAC collaborates in partnership with more than 10 organisations and groups and its work has benefited the wider community by providing welcoming and accessible events where people can network and by highlighting, celebrating and acknowledging the diversity of the Greater Shepparton area. The GSWCAAC’s work in highlighting the difficulties faced by refugees, as well as the important topics of forced marriage and sexual harassment, helps to create an awareness amongst the community of the difficulties faced by others. This awareness in turn fosters respect and empathy and leads to a more embracing and inclusive community.

FINALIST ORGANISATIONAL DIVERSITY

HOBSONS BAY CITY COUNCIL, RACISM. IT STOPS WITH ME TEAM

RACISM. IT STOPS WITH ME – BEHIND THE SMILE In October 2012, Hobsons Bay City Council became one of the first Councils in Victoria to pledge support for the Racism. It Stops With Me campaign.

cultural diversity in the municipality. The project developed a strong visual presence and demonstrated Council’s commitment to multiculturalism and leadership in stamping out racism.

In support of the campaign, Council developed and implemented a set of coordinated organisational and community actions, demonstrating the organisation’s leadership in taking proactive actions to combat racism and to promote the value of cultural diversity in the municipality and in the workplace.

An internal cross departmental working group was established at the start of the campaign to ensure whole of Council engagement from the outset. A number of departments, led by community development, worked together to achieve the outcomes, which included a partnership with the organisational development team – critical in the delivery of training and undertaking the diversity and anti-discrimination assessment; the library team – essential in hosting the Talking Difference Studio and the Behind this Smile artwork and engaging with the community; and the communications team – crucial in promoting the initiatives.

All of the initiatives implemented addressed racism experienced by culturally diverse and Aboriginal communities. A series of workshops facilitated by the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission were rolled out across Council. More than 100 people attended and participants reported an increased understanding about race based discrimination, its impacts and learned practical steps to embrace cultural diversity at an individual and organisational level. To build on that knowledge, Council undertook a workplace diversity and anti-discrimination assessment to identify organisational strengths and areas for further improvement. A plan was developed to guide future actions. To engage with the community, Council partnered with the Immigration Museum and organised the Talking Difference Portable Studio to visit Hobsons Bay. The studio provided residents with an opportunity to express their opinion about difference, identity and racism. Over three months, the studio visited four different locations, four community workshops were delivered to 84 people and a total of 153 responses were collected. To further engage with the community, during the past 12 months, Council implemented the Behind This Smile community art project which challenged cultural stereotypes and promoted

Council partnered with the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission to ensure the developed actions were evidence based and that the best possible training was rolled out across the organisation. The diversity and anti-discrimination assessment was undertaken by the Council’s Equal Employment Opportunity Consultative Committee with representation from staff across Council. The artwork developed as part of the Behind This Smile project was installed as a permanent feature on windows and walls across Council facilities not only to provoke conversation but also to create a welcoming environment for the diverse community. Through the delivery of a whole of Council, multifaceted initiative as part of the Racism. It Stops With Me Campaign, Hobsons Bay City Council has demonstrated the organisation’s exceptional leadership in taking proactive action to combat racism and to promote the value of cultural diversity in the municipality and in the workplace.

We share your commitment to excellence For over 40 years, McArthur has been committed to delivering the highest levels of service to Local Government across Victoria and Australia-wide. Like you, we share the same commitment to excellence in everything we do including: • Permanent, Temporary and Contract Recruitment • Executive Search • HR Consulting – Performance Management – Employee Engagement – Remuneration Services – Leadership Development – Organisational Development – Psychometric Assessment and Profiling McArthur is proud to be associated with such high achievers, and we congratulate all Winners and Finalists in the 2016 Awards for Excellence. With your talent and dedication, the future of Local Government is definitely in safe hands.

Nominations in the category must relate to recognisable achievements in the Local Government sector. Nominees must be up to 30 years of age, working in Local Government and have attained or achieved outstanding results.

JUDGING CRITERIA • • • •

Level of achievement Specific contribution Leadership qualities Level of commitment shown to driving change

WINNER Mel Jeffery Maroondah City Council

FINALISTS (listed in alphabetical order by Council) John Kay Baw Baw Shire Council

Joy Chen Casey City Council

Nikita Frawley Campaspe Shire Council

George Ioannou Maribyrnong City Council

Timothy Sinnappu Casey City Council

Tatum Newton Rural City of Wangaratta

Holly de Krester Casey City Council

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WINNER YOUNG ACHIEVER

MAROONDAH CITY COUNCIL

MEL JEFFERY Mel Jeffery is a passionate, skilled, engaging and intelligent woman who is affecting positive change through her passion and commitment to social justice. At 27, Mel has delivered outstanding projects for young people from refugee backgrounds, with disabilities, experiencing homelessness/ disadvantage, and LGBTIQ young people. She has made a positive impact through projects and policy development at all levels of government. Her work as Minus 18 Foundation Chair, on the Youth Affairs Council Youth Reference and Policy Advisory Groups and as a Victorian Young Member for National Youth Week saw her influence decisions at a level exceeding her role’s typical zone of influence. In her time at Maroondah as a Youth Programs Worker, Mel has impressed her colleagues and senior management with her passion, drive and commitment to make positive change in the community. Her passion for social justice is instantly recognisable and contagious. Her work and volunteer history reflect this passion and has given her an ability to achieve outstanding outcomes for vulnerable and marginalised groups. Mel strives for excellence in everything she does and her achievements continue to grow her skills, experience and networks to expand her leadership path. She is dedicated to delivering projects with passion and skill and then critically reflecting on opportunities for excellence. The results of her programs developing youth leadership, volunteering and community projects have received outstanding feedback from participants and community members. Mel executes her work to a standard that exceeds expectations and continually improves outcomes and she is proactive in seeking out new opportunities to empower Maroondah’s young people to reach their full potential.

She is a passionate advocate for LGBTIQ people both within the community and the organisation which has led to significant community-wide results. Mel is an Equal Opportunity Officer and in this role has advocated for LGBTIQ Council employees. She has independently developed and delivered training for her colleagues on LGBTIQ issues, triggering a number of actions to make Maroondah more inclusive of LGBTIQ people. Mel’s passion extends outside of her role at Council. She is the Chair of the Minus18 foundation, Australia’s largest youth led organisation for LGBTIQ young people. She joined the Board of Administration in 2013 and was elected chair soon after, again evidence of her distinctive leadership qualities and the confidence that she instils in those around her. In 2013, Mel was selected as the National Youth Week Young Member for Victoria and she sits on the National Planning Group responsible for organising Australia’s National Youth Week celebrations. Prior to this she was a member of the Youth Affairs Council of Victoria’s (YACVic – the peak body for Youth Services in Victoria) Youth Reference Group and Policy Advisory Group. Mel is a skilled networker and through her Minus18, National Youth Week and YACVic experience has built strong relationships within the State and Federal Government, community sector NGO’s and business leaders. Mel is a tenacious and articulate leader whose work is driven by a desire to make positive change. She is a passionate advocate who invests much of her own time and energy into the things she believes in.

FINALIST YOUNG ACHIEVER

BAW BAW SHIRE COUNCIL

JOHN KAY John Kay is a rising star at Baw Baw Shire. He is a critical internal service provider who consistently exceeds expectations and helps to set the tone for the organisational culture. Over the past two years John has been awarded the organisational customer service award and is continually recognised in the staff newsletter for his efforts. Baw Baw Shire nominated John for the Young Achiever Award in recognition of his terrific work ethic and his focus on delivering the highest level of customer service. An example of this was when he assisted in moving approximately 200 computers as Baw Baw Shire moved into new offices in Drouin. This included installing cabling and being the main person moving and setting up the computers. John minimised the disruption to his customers by working outside business hours where possible and keeping staff fully informed of movements. On the first morning at the Drouin offices, when staff arrived to their new desks and accommodation, every computer worked and everyone could log in to their normal systems. By ensuring that people arrived that day to find their phone and desktop computer working, just as it had the previous week in their old location, helped staff to adjust and adapt quickly to their new environment with no significant disruption. In addition to this, John participated in a program known as ‘Broadening Science Horizons’ which involved raising students’ aspirations by providing opportunities to work with mentors

on real-world research tasks and present their work to their local community. Over a school term John attended the school classes and provided support to students in a range of science projects. Despite John’s IT role being one that is primarily designed to support internal systems and processes, he leads by example and is a role model to others when it comes to customer service. One of John’s key attributes is that he is critical in supporting the delivery of services that interface with the Baw Baw community. He helps to set the tone of Council’s culture and all teams at Council wish they had someone like John in their midst. He consistently demonstrates that leadership is an attribute that you can demonstrate regardless of your role or position at work. The great thing about John being nominated for this award is to recognise that sometimes the great achievements that help shape and make communities come from those support services inside an organisation and rather than its outward facing services that make those visible and obvious changes. Council’s payroll services, accountants, rates staff and IT support staff to name a few are the ones who provide the back of house services that enable the delivery of the front of house services. John Kay is one of these people and he carries out his role in way that not only efficiently enables the organisation, but also sets a tone for culture and attitude with his can-do approach.

FINALIST YOUNG ACHIEVER

CAMPASPE SHIRE COUNCIL

NIKITA FRAWLEY Nikita has spent the majority of her working life at the Shire of Campaspe in a number of roles where she has been able to utilise her exceptional skills. She has worked in community care, recreation, waste, project management, environmental health and Council’s information communication and technology program. Commencing work at the Shire as a casual over 10 years ago, 25 year old Nikita is a committed and loyal staff member, as well as an exceptional young leader who exceeds expectations and takes on new challenges with gusto and fierce commitment. She is an employee who succeeds in whatever situation she is presented with. This is mainly due to her work ethic, highly developed skill set and a strong understanding of Council business and its various departments. Nikita joined the ICT transformation program almost two years ago as a junior business systems analyst. Her role was to assist more senior team members with business analysis and to identify opportunities for improvement across Council’s operations. She quickly demonstrated that she was more than capable of leading some key initiatives and with little guidance she successfully led Council’s first blended on/offshore project by implementing the Inspire program, a cloud based risk, incident and OH&S system, across Council. This required skills beyond her years of experience where change not only needed to be managed internally as the new system was being rolled out, but also required her to close the communication and understanding gap working across international and time zone boundaries.

The Inspire program is delivering a complete technology solution across key Councils operational areas such as, finance, asset management, payroll, human resource management, property and rating, document management, electronic services and risk management. Nikita is a key member of a small, dedicated team managing the implementation and rollout of this new technology and services in these areas. Her involvement has contributed significantly to the project’s success. Nikita’s ability to build rapport with staff members of all ages and personality profiles has meant that she has been able to lead teams to achieve successful outcomes. She is a natural leader and strong communicator and willingly participates and engages with all staff when and where required. Nikita is extremely passionate about any role that she takes on at Campaspe. She is a quick learner who is readily able to turn her hand to anything. She is a loyal, honest and dedicated employee. She uses her initiative to resolve challenges in an engaging and collaborative manner. Nikita has a wealth of experience and knowledge and has the potential to have a long and successful career in Local Government. The Shire of Campaspe is incredibly fortunate to have a person of Nikita’s calibre. Her leadership, experience and business knowledge have proven invaluable whilst working on a number of Council projects.

FINALIST YOUNG ACHIEVER

CASEY CITY COUNCIL

TIMOTHY SINNAPPU Since joining Casey in 2010 as a Design Engineer, Timothy Sinnappu has delivered and managed multi-million dollar projects, including a $2 million upgrade to Hunt Club Cricket and Football Club facilities, planning the $1.8 million synthetic soccer pitch at Gleneagles Secondary College, a $1.5 million road reconstruction at Oroya Grove and planning the $1.2 million national BMX facility at Casey Fields. This is an addition to the annual Local Area Traffic Management (LATM), drainage and Linking Paths Program which form part of his portfolio. In recognition of these achievements, Timothy was appointed Senior Civil Design Engineer in April 2014. His portfolio is expansive and includes overseeing the civil design and project management of initiatives ranging from $30,000 to $2 million. Just some of his contributions include: • Gleneagles Synthetic Soccer Pitch – currently, the City of Casey does not have any synthetic soccer fields. Timothy was involved in consulting with Council stakeholders and Gleneagles Secondary College and developing a report to illustrate the sustainability benefits of synthetic soccer fields against a natural turf field • Casey Fields National BMX Facility – BMX design is a niche market and the sporting facilities in Victoria for BMX are very limited. Timothy was involved with engaging an expert in the design of BMX tracks and is working with BMX Victoria to develop a BMX facility in Casey to facilitate local development and national events

• Oroya Grove and Valetta Street, Clyde road construction – the Clyde township is located in a rural area. To assist with services to the township Timothy is working with South East Water to install sewerage infrastructure. He is also working on the design of sealing a road and providing stormwater drainage infrastructure for the township • Mentor – not content with overseeing such an enormous portfolio, Timothy is working with Casey’s HR department to become a work experience mentor for local year 10-12 students. He is coordinating a program helping to train and offer experience to Casey’s next generation of aspiring engineers Timothy’s philosophy is to try and keep the civil design in-house as much as possible. Not only does this reduce the cost of consultant fees and overall project budgets, it’s also a major professional development opportunity for his colleagues. He educates fellow staff about the role of Civil Engineers and their design skills. Whereas many other Councils may try to outsource technical drawing and designs, Timothy encourages Casey to take on the design work internally. Timothy is one of the sector’s future leaders. His list of accomplishments, his rapid rise to a senior position and his strong commitment to assisting others – whether they are colleagues, or students – is remarkable.

FINALIST YOUNG ACHIEVER

CASEY CITY COUNCIL

HOLLY DE KRESTER Holly De Krester has led a complete revamp of Council’s key administrative processes. She has overhauled Casey’s meeting agenda process, completed a detailed review of its agenda structure, implemented a new electronic system to manage instruments of delegation and is reviewing the Meeting Procedure Local Law. Holly is the organisation’s speechwriter, leads a team of three staff and is the principal liaison with the Mayor and Councillors. These achievements are made all the more remarkable by the fact that her work at Casey is her first professional job since graduating from Deakin University. Holly started with the City of Casey in January 2014, originally in the role as Governance Support Officer. Her talents were quickly recognised and she moved into a project and policy officer role. This broader position saw her take responsibility for Council agendas, delegations and authorisations. She also completed a detailed review of the Council agenda structure. Her biggest achievement in this role was transitioning the agenda process from a largely manual process to an electronic one. This also required the development of a training program, which she oversaw with input from Casey’s administrative executives. This new approach ensures that all Council agendas are fully accessible, searchable, compliant and auditable. Holly was responsible for training and educating staff in the new process. Her work was rewarded with a move into the Councillor Support Officer role where she now has three direct reports. She is the speech writer for the Mayor and Councillors and with her team oversees civic functions, citizenship ceremonies, agendas/minutes and Councillor training and education.

In this role she has reviewed and delivered a new policy framework that achieves greater consistency across Council policies. She is currently implementing an electronic program to oversee instruments of delegation, moving away from the existing 400 page document to a fast, streamlined electronic process. Meanwhile, she is also reviewing the Meeting Procedure Local Law and investigating ways Council meetings can support digital interaction, particularly through webcasting. During her time at Casey, Holly has overseen extensive reviews of key Council processes, identifying efficiencies and improvements. These reviews include: • Agenda structure • Meeting Procedure Local Law • Policy framework • Instruments of delegation Inevitably, her work has meant significant change to previous processes. Holly has met this challenge by designing training programs specifically tailored to the needs of Council’s administrative support teams. Currently, she coordinates speech writing, civic functions, citizenship ceremonies, Council meeting agendas/minutes compilation, Ward forums and Councillor calendars, training and education. Holly’s achievements for her age are extraordinary. She is a current and future leader and her work deserves to be recognised.

FINALIST YOUNG ACHIEVER

CASEY CITY COUNCIL

JOY CHEN At just 27, Joy Chen was entrusted with a project to deliver a new Housing Strategy for the City of Casey, something that would normally be reserved for senior staff, or entire consultancies. Under normal circumstances this would be a challenging task, but it was even more so considering that Casey also happens to be Victoria’s most populous municipality and one of the state’s fastest growing growth corridors with more than 150,000 additional residents expected to move in by 2031. Joy’s extraordinary project management skills, creativity, resourcefulness and relationship building skills helped her to deliver the strategy in just eight months. The previous housing strategy was already a decade old (around the time Joy was sitting high school exams), and had become outdated after ongoing changes to Casey’s demographic profile and Victoria’s planning sector generally. To meet Casey’s increasingly urgent housing demand, Joy was tasked with developing a plan that would: • Improve housing diversity to cater for the changing demographic and increase in population • Protect existing neighbourhood character, heritage and amenity • Make sure all people have access to appropriate housing options • Ensure there is affordable housing choices in good locations • Create a sustainable pattern of growth to reduce the environmental impact of housing • Promote a high quality of design and build

Joy helped to rewrite Casey’s textbook in housing consultation. Instead of using typical methods, she engaged with residents at community events such as farmer’s markets, school holiday programs, community barbecues, drop in sessions and through Council’s consultation website, Casey Conversations. The dedicated web presence alone attracted 1,750 views, 153 surveys, 64 quick polls and two shared stories. She led from the front in working with key stakeholders and building relationships with South East Water, VicRoads and the Country Fire Authority with the confidence and assuredness normally seen in people twice her age. Many Councils would have outsourced much of this project work to a consultancy but Casey saw it as an opportunity to take a different approach and Joy led the way. Aside from a review of the previous strategy and some assistance with real estate marketing analysis, Joy project managed the entire strategy internally, drawing on the skills and experience of Casey’s existing staff. It was a major professional development opportunity and will allow the organisation to retain the knowledge required to deliver the strategy long term. During the planning stage of the project Joy met with other Councils who had recently completed housing strategies. Using their experience, Joy was able to develop a customised project plan that incorporated the key learnings and best practice approaches to develop an innovative and responsive strategy. Her initiative and willingness to step up to the challenge, while introducing new and innovative ways to approach the project was staggering. For someone so young to have delivered a project of such significance is difficult to comprehend.

FINALIST YOUNG ACHIEVER

MARIBYRNONG CITY COUNCIL

GEORGE IOANNOU George Ioannou has worked at Maribyrnong City Council since 2012. Over that time he has demonstrated a strong work ethic, high levels of integrity and a strong commitment to continuous improvement. His key achievements have been to drive change within Council in the safety arena which has resulted in a significant reduction in WorkCover claim estimates of over $1,000,000 and a reduction of WorkCover premium costs in 2015 of $500,000. George has been able to significantly improve the safety culture at Council leading the way by taking a more proactive approach to preventing and managing injuries. His leadership qualities are aligned to the Council’s organisational values of respect, integrity and courage. He is always respectful and demonstrates high levels of integrity when communicating with staff and the community. Respect, along with the other organisational values have been highlighted as a key outcome in team work plans that he has created. George has demonstrated a strong desire to driving change and continuous improvement in the teams that he has supervised at Council. His industrious work ethic and strategic planning has enabled Council to achieve some outstanding results. George’s commitment is demonstrated by his achievement of completing 100% of actions from the safety team service review. Furthermore, within the first three months in his role as Property Management Coordinator, he started a service review of his new area to identify possibilities for improvement and to create a three year action plan to achieve the best possible outcomes for Council and the community. As a qualified physiotherapist, George has brought a unique set of skills to Council and over the last two years he has driven change in the following areas:

• Review of the insurance, medical services and pre-employment providers of Council resulting in a robust tender process which identified the best providers • Designing Council’s Health and Wellbeing and Healthy Carer Programs which strategically targeted teams and departments which had the highest number of reported injuries and an increased focus on mental wellbeing • Developed a business case and gained approval from executive management to install five defibrillators across key Council sites • Review and improvement of the OHS Policy, Issue Resolution Policy, Drug and Alcohol Policy and Pre Employment Policy • Creation of new policies for manual handling and emergency management • Review and improvement of the Home Support Officers safe work procedures • Review and creation of risk assessments for high risk areas at Council • Developing a systematic approach to emergency management at Maribyrnong George’s major achievements whilst working at Council have been to: • Significantly increase the rate of hazard reporting at Council from 10% to 32% • Lead Council to a significant reduction in statistical case estimates of over $1,000,000. The significant reduction in estimates resulted in Council achieving a reduction in WorkCover premium of $500,000 in 2015. George is an asset to Maribyrnong City Council. He has managed to build and nurture relationships across all areas of Council and achieved amazing outcomes in all of his roles.

FINALIST YOUNG ACHIEVER

RURAL CITY OF WANGARATTA

TATUM NEWTON Tatum Newton’s passion for the environment and in particular waste and resource recovery has seen her excel – winning the respect of everyone at the Rural City of Wangaratta. Her work in resource recovery has led to environmental awards and an invitation to address the Keep NSW Beautiful Congress 2015 on the topic of the Local Government perspective on public place recycling. Tatum has also played a significant part in the roll out of the organics waste service in Wangaratta. Her efforts in educating the community have produced amazing results, with contamination levels at an extremely low 0.2% from the very first week of collection. These results were so impressive that the owner of the organics processing plant wrote to the CEO of Sustainability Victoria and the Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment pointing out the achievement of world best practice in such a short time. Tatum started her career with the Rural City of Wangaratta 10 years ago as a trainee arborist where she was the only female member of the 100 strong outdoor crew. After a four year stint with the tree crew her passion for the environment saw her promoted to Environmental Project Officer and then the Technical Officer Environment. In 2014, her passion to be involved in the exciting changes in the waste and resource recovery area saw her move to the position of Resource Recovery Officer where she has played a huge role in improving recycling and more recently the introduction of the green organics project.

“The education process around organics has been challenging with pockets of the community being totally opposed to the change,” Council’s Director Infrastructure Services, Alan Clark said. “Tatum’s vision, long term planning and determination has allowed her to break down these attitudes and win people over. Her work with commercial business is probably the highlight. I am not aware of any other Council that has made it compulsory for commercial food businesses to participate in the organics collection as we did.” Mr Clark said Tatum attacked this head-on and went out and educated every business on the merits of the service – not only winning over the business owners on organics waste collection, but also changing the recycling habits of many. Tatum has taken every opportunity to improve herself and to give back to the community. As well as completing her traineeship, she has completed a Diploma in Environmental Management and is currently completing her Bachelor of Business Management. Her dedication and passion were highlighted when during the first two weeks of the organics collection she was out at 5am each day inspecting the contents of thousands of organics’ bins. This was instrumental in keeping the contamination down to such low levels. Tatum is driven and absolutely committed to achieving the best possible results in waste and resource recovery. She has long term vision and then has the focus, the detailed planning and the leadership to complete projects to the highest possible standards. She is an outstanding person, employee, team player and advocate for the environment.

Fall in love . . . . .

with the Strathbogie Shire ...

The region is also known as Victoria’s thoroughbred homeland with many prestigious Melbourne Cup winners bred and trained in the Shire. The famous racehorse ‘Black Caviar’ was born at Gilgai Farm in Nagambie, and now stands immortalised in the form of a life-size bronze statue overlooking the stunning Jacobsons Outlook in Nagambie.

We are just a short drive from the city (you can get to us in as little as an hour drive), relax and enjoy your visit by starting that book you have wanted to read for such a long time. Make sure you pick up some magniﬁcent fresh produce from the local market and maybe enjoy a glass of wine from our many famous and local wineries. Our parks and rivers are pristine and will provide the perfect place for you, the kids and your furfriends to roam free.

Love the lifestyle, love the outdoors, love the location... For Further Information Contact | Mr Steve Crawcour 03 5795 0000 | steve.crawcour@strathbogie.vic.gov.au

www.strathbogie.vic.gov.au

Women’s Charter Alliance Advisory Committee

Aboriginal

Multicultural

Greater Shepparton City Council celebrates diversity in our community

Young people

CENTRAL GEELONG .com.au

Positive ageing

Accessibility

For more information visit www.greatershepparton.com.au

Council's $65 million municipal building in central Dandenong provides modern office space, a state-of-the-art regional library, cafĂŠ, community meeting rooms, outdoor civic plaza and giant digital screen.

Awards

SALLY ISAAC MEMORIAL

SCHOLARSHIP FUND AWARD

This award is in honour of Sally Elizabeth Isaac, an extraordinary woman and young leader in the Local Government sector who passed away in early 2009. Sally had an amazing capacity for developing people, engaging in policy debate and an absolute commitment to social justice in the community. Each year the award attracts an outstanding field of women aged 35 years and under who have demonstrated achievements in improving community life. The 2015 winner was Emily McKie, Game Development Officer at the Eastern Football League and Dandenong Ranges Junior Football League. Emily is a young woman committed to improving access to community sport for women, girls and young people. She is passionate about engaging young people in sport and ensuring that they all receive equal opportunity regardless of their skill level.

2015 AWARD NOMINEES

• • • • • • • •

Shalee Cameron, Administrative Support Officer, Greater Dandenong City Council Nina Collins, Engagement and Inclusion Coordinator, Yarra City Council Jacqui Hawkins, La Trobe University Student Ambassador, Wodonga City Council Jessie Lees, Senior Manager, Community Partnerships, cohealth (community health service) Sharee Logan, Children’s Services Library Officer, Boroondara City Council Tanya McAlpin, Events Coordinator, Rural City of Wangaratta Liz O’Loughlin, Clayton CANVAS Program Officer, Monash City Council Felicity Smith, Access & Inclusion Officer, Knox City Council

2015 LGPRO

CUSTOMER SERVICE AWARD

This Award is presented every second year to recognise a team or individual initiative that has improved customer service within a Council. The 2015 winner was:

CUSTOMER SERVICE TEAM BOROONDARA CITY COUNCIL, FOUR PILLARS OF ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM This program aimed to increase staff morale and engagement by adopting the four pillars of empathy, clarity, learning and engagement. In less than a year, the team’s engagement score increased by 65%, its learning score doubled from 21% to 48% and sick leave decreased by a staggering 70%.

FINALISTS:

• •

Pathway Booking Module Pilot Program, City of Port Phillip Correspondence Centralisation, Yarra Ranges Council

THE 2015 LGPRO CUSTOMER SERVICE AWARD IS PROUDLY SPONSORED BY

2015 LGPRO AGED & DISABILITY SERVICES AWARDS

WINNERS

FINALISTS

OUTSTANDING PROGRAM/PROJECT (GRANT BASED) Community Care Mental Health Project, City of Casey This project involved piloting a series of innovative service improvement interventions to increase the capacity of Casey’s Community Care services to work with HACC clients who experience mental health issues.

FINALIST:

• Banyule City Council/Deakin University HACC Biomechanics Project, Banyule City Council

OUTSTANDING PROGRAM/PROJECT (NON GRANT BASED) Footy4All, Warrnambool City Council Footy4All provides a sustainable football program for people with a disability in south west Victoria providing them with the opportunity to participate in training, play competitively and to improve their individual personal development.

FINALISTS:

• Ezitracker Innovation and Efficiency Project, Corangamite Shire Council • Moreland Seniors ‘Flash Mob’, Moreland City Council • Access Murrindindi, Murrindindi Shire Council

OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTION Jack Mulholland, Maroondah City Council As MetroAccess Officer at Maroondah City Council for the past seven years, Jack has made a real and significant difference to the lives of people with a disability, not just in Maroondah, but across the state and the country.

FINALISTS:

• Shirley Elliot, Rural City of Wangaratta • Loredana Iacobucci, Monash City Council

OUTSTANDING TEAM CONTRIBUTION HACC Project Control Group, Greater Bendigo City Council This group successfully oversaw the review of HACC services and provided advice and information for Council workshops, forums and reports on the implications of withdrawing from direct service provision.

FINALISTS:

• Aged & Community Care Intake Team, Monash City Council • Service Delivery Team, Yarra Ranges Council THE 2015 LGPRO AGED & DISABILITY SERVICES AWARDS WERE PROUDLY SPONSORED BY

2015 LGPRO EXCELLENCE IN

LOCAL GOVERNMENT AWARDS In 2015, the LGPro Corporate Planners Network collaborated with the Communications Special Interest Group to offer Excellence in Local Government Awards in the following two categories:

• Corporate and Community Planning • Communications THE WINNERS WERE:

CORPORATE & COMMUNITY PLANNING AWARD Growth Area Social Check, Cardinia Shire Council This Growth Area Social Health Survey aimed to determine the current social health status of residents living within their urban growth area. The results were unprecedented and provided the Council with invaluable data and information.

FINALISTS:

• Maroondah 2040 Community Vision, Maroondah City Council • Wallan Structure Plan, Mitchell Shire Council

COMMUNICATIONS AWARD Access Denied Campaign, Whittlesea City Council Access Denied was a high profile advocacy campaign run by the Council in the lead up to the 2014 State election that achieved many outcomes, including election commitments totalling more than $600 million for the delivery of two key projects.

FINALISTS:

• Inclusive Communications Charter, Darebin City Council • Darebin Website Redevelopment, Darebin City Council • Emergency Alerts Facebook Page, Macedon Ranges Shire Council

THE 2015 LGPRO EXCELLENCE IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AWARDS WERE PROUDLY SPONSORED BY

There are lots of reasons why itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to trust us as your preferred training company Jania Warner Managing Director

67 67

ACKNOWLEDGING OUR SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP

CONVENORS

LGPro Special Interest Groups (SIGs) provide Local Government employees working in similar fields with a valuable opportunity to network, share best practice and to learn about the latest trends and developments. This would not be possible without the commitment of our SIG Convenors who play an important role in helping us to coordinate meetings and connect people working across the sector. We thank the following SIG Covenors for their efforts. For further information on becoming a convenor or joining a SIG email sig@lgpro.com

Special Interest Group

Convenor

Council

William Coogan

Moreland City Council

Simon McCuskey

Brimbank City Council

Jenny Pemberton-Webb

Greater Dandenong City Council

Daniel Vincent-Smith

Whitehorse City Council

Aged & Disability

Corrienne Nichols

Nillumbik Shire Council

Arts & Culture

Michelle Ely

Melbourne City Council

Danelle Ayres

Whittlesea City Council

Lynn Hebblethwaite

Maroondah City Council

Tess Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Brien

Wyndham City Council

Amanda Dodd

Hume City Council

Hayley Mackie

Brimbank City Council

Simone Orscheg

Yarra Ranges Council

Cathy Willis

Manningham Council

Amanda Smith

Yarra Ranges Council

Sandra Mack

Moonee Valley City Council

Claire Songeo

Melbourne City Council

Kim Le Cerf

Melbourne City Council

Paul Gallagher

Knox City Council

Sean McManus

Whittlesea City Council

Michael Sinclair

Hume City Council

Tracey Varley

Yarra Ranges Council

Amelia Basset

Darebin City Council

Theonie Tacticos

Banyule City Council

Caroline Bell

Casey City Council

Karin Linden

Darebin City Council

Clare Murrell

Yarra City Council

Emily Physick

Whittlesea City Council

Marianne McArthur

Whitehorse City Council

Zoe Thorn

Whittlesea City Council

Activity Centres & Place Managers

Behaviour Change Network

Biodiversity Planning Network

Carbon Management Network

Communications Network

Community Development Community Safety

Consultation & Research

Corporate Planners Network

Special Interest Group

Convenor

Council

Geoff Cockram

Stonnington City Council

Marilyn Kearney

Boroondara City Council

Steve Burgess

Wyndham City Council

Jacqui Rabel

Murrindindi Shire Council

Frank Angarane

Bass Coast Shire Council

Deborah Equid

Darebin City Council

Wendy Hrynyszyn

Latrobe City Council

Bronwyn Ryan-Mercer

Darebin City Council

Libby Webster

Strathbogie Shire Council

Jo George

Whitehorse City Council

Jo Graham

Hobsons Bay City Council

Doreen Hastas

Whitehorse City Council

Georga Simmons

Moonee Valley City Council

David Wright

Maroondah City Council

Jaala Freer

Mitchell Shire Council

Rebekah Hughes

Great Geelong City Council

Suzanne Ellingsen

Nillumbik Shire Council

Richard Frazer

Casey City Council

Todd Condie

Port Phillip City Council

Jeanette Vahaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;akolo

Melbourne City Council

Virginia Boyd

Greater Shepparton City Council

Nerida Wood

Yarra Ranges Council

David Cecala

Nillumbik Shire Council

Tony Kerr

Greater Geelong City Council

Project Management Frameworks Best Practice

Chris Albon

East Gippsland Shire Council

Deborah Strutt

Darebin City Council

Property Network

Martin Kilner

Port Phillip City Council

Tom Barnes

Moreland City Council

Jacqueline Farquer

Mornington Peninsula Shire

Diana McDonald

Horsham Rural City Council

Bernard Mulholland

Stonnington City Council

Mark Verbaken

Wodonga City Council

Maddy Dowling

Melbourne City Council

Jane Lawson

Nillumbik Shire Council

Steve Fuery

Bass Coast Shire Council

Corporate Services

Customer Service

Events Network

Executive & Personal Assistant Network

Family, Youth & Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Services

Health & Wellbeing for Employees

Human Resources

Indigenous

Learning & Development

Procurement

Risk

Statutory Services Volunteering Web Network

LGPRO EMERGING LEADERS

PROGRAM (ELP)

LGPro’s Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) provides a unique year of leadership focused experiences and activities designed to develop and inspire emerging leaders in Local Government in Victoria who want to take the next step into management and senior leadership roles. Twenty four candidates from across the state are selected to participate in the program each year. Participants are selected from a mix of professions, locations, age groups and gender.

2015 ELP GRADUATES • • • • • • • • • • •

Melissa Baker, Mornington Peninsula Shire Robert Barr, Baw Baw Shire Council Paul Battaglia, Brimbank City Council Todd Brewster, Manningham City Council Danielle Butcher, Maroondah City Council Maree Cilia, Hobsons Bay City Council Julia Cushing, Moreland City Council Marcus Forster, Rural City of Wangaratta Jeannie Gill, Knox City Council Simon Harris, Bass Coast Shire Council Scott Hodges, Yarra Ranges Council

2015 ELP graduates

• • • • • • • • • •

Adam Lee, Surf Coast Shire Ben McManus, Banyule City Council Mark McMillan, Mildura Rural City Council Joanne McNeill, Port Phillip City Council Janine Rolles, Indigo Shire Council Rosemary Sheehan, Whitehorse City Council Katherine Thom, Yarra City Council April Williams, Monash City Council Jason Williams, Greater Dandenong City Council Brooke Wilson, Whittlesea City Council

2016 ELP PARTICIPANTS • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Tania Berry, Hume City Council Darren Brownscombe, Port Phillip City Council Renae Buckley, Casey City Council Ana Caicedo, Banyule City Council Tara Carter, Murrindindi Shire Council Heidi Gajic, West Wimmera Shire Council Graham Haylock, Whittlesea City Council Renee Herps, Maroondah City Council Justin Horne, Moorabool Shire Council Kathy Hyne, Knox City Council Craig Ion, Maribyrnong City Council Lisa Ippolito, Hume City Council. Vicki Klapsinos, Moreland City Council

Colin McLean, Mornington Peninsula Shire Tony Peterson, South Gippsland Shire Council Michael Shiell, Brimbank City Council Kylie Shrume, Greater Geelong City Council Adam Sledge, Maroondah City Council Sainath Tavate, Baw Baw Shire Council Angela Umback, Mildura Rural City Council Annette Waters, Bass Coast Shire Council Melanie Williams, Knox City Council Siobhan Wood, Monash City Council

Simon Woodland, Yarra Ranges Council

LGPRO EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP

PROGRAM (XLP)

The LGPro Executive Leadership Program (XLP) is designed exclusively to equip and support senior executives in Local Government, including Chief Executive Officers, Directors, senior Managers and aspiring executives.

2015 XLP GRADUATES • Alison Wastie, Yarra Ranges Council • Sally Both, Whitehorse Manningham Regional Library Corporation • Jeff Green, Whitehorse City Council • Greg Little, Northern Grampians Shire Council • Ruth Kneebone, Rural City of Wangaratta • Simon Thomas, Stonnington City Council • Bruce Myers, Swan Hill Rural Council • Antoinette Mitchell, Bass Coast Shire Council • Peter Panagakos, Monash City Council • Pauline Gordon, Greater Bendigo Council • Frank Joyce, Moreland City Council • Janice Lane, Surf Coast Shire • Katherine Oakley, Knox City Council • Fleur Cousins, Knox City Council • Oliver Vido, Greater Dandenong City Council • Alison Leighton, Mornington Peninsula Shire • Michelle Hansen, Greater Dandenong City Council • Eric Braslis, Ballarat City Council • Mandy Hutchinson, Gannawarra Shire Council • Jeff Saker, Mitchell Shire Council • Stuart Menzies, Brimbank City Council • Fred Warner, Yarra City Council

2015 XLP graduates with lead facilitator Chris Kotur.

2016 XLP PARTICIPANTS • Chris Leivers, Yarra City Council • Fiona Banks, Boroondara City Council • Fee Harrison, Monash City Council • Caroline Wallis, Strathbogie Shire Council • Elaine Wyatt, Murrindindi Shire Council • Liz Riley, Mitchell Shire Council • Robyn Stevens, Surf Coast Shire • Glenn Reddick, Warrnambool City Council • Kim Jaensch, Frankston City Council • Kath Brackett, Brimbank City Council • Ilias Kostopoulos, Whitehorse City Council • Janelle Bryce, Port Phillip City Council • Kerryn Ellis, Greater Bendigo City Council • Daniel Freer, Kingston City Council • Waudi Tahche, Cardinia Shire Council • Penny Pavlou, Stonnington City Council • Ian Ellett, Indigo Shire Council • Jaime Carroll, Rural City of Wangaratta • Lisa Davis, Port Phillip City Council • Mary-Anne Palatsides, Knox City Council • Kevin van Boxtel, Greater Dandenong City Council • Colleen White, Ararat Rural City Council • Sanjay Manivasagasivam, Northern Grampians Shire Council • Vaughan Williams, Northern Grampians Shire Council

LGProVIC

CONFERENCES/SEMINARS

IMPORTANT DATES

INFORMATION

Annual Conference

Thursday 25 February & Friday 26 February

The LGPro Annual Conference is held over two days in February. It attracts large numbers of Local Government professionals from across Victoria and features international and national speakers, plus a number of interactive sessions

Social Media Conference

Wednesday 20 April Bayview Eden, 6 Queens Rd, Melbourne

For Local Government professionals using social media as an engagement tool

HR Conference

Thursday 19 May & Friday 20 May Melbourne Park, Batman Ave, Melbourne

Targeting HR and Organisational Development/Human Resources professionals

Customer Service Conference & Awards Dinner

To be held in 2017

This Conference and Award is held biennially for staff working in Customer Service roles in Local Government

Aged & Disability Services Awards Dinner & Seminar

Thursday 8 September

A one day seminar for all Local Government staff working in the areas of Aged & Disability Services

Corporate Planners Conference

Friday 21 October

For Local Government staff working in the areas of Corporate, Community and Social Planning

AWARDS

IMPORTANT DATES

INFORMATION

Sally Isaac Memorial Scholarship Fund Award

Nominations open: Monday 18 April Nominations close: Friday 10 June

A $10,000 educational scholarship open to all women aged 35 years and under who have demonstrated achievements in improving community life

Customer Service Award

To be held in 2017

This Award is held biennially and recognises an individual or team initiative that has improved Customer Service within a Council

Aged & Disability Services Awards

Nominations open: Monday 11 July Nominations close: Monday 29 August

To celebrate the success of individuals and teams working in the Victorian Local Government Aged & Disability Services sector

Awards for Excellence

Nominations open: Monday 1 August Nominations close: Monday 10 October

Celebrating the success of individuals and teams working in Local Government in Victoria. The winners and finalists will be announced at the LGPro Annual Conference Dinner held in February

Excellence in Local Government Corporate and Community Planning Award

Nominations open: Monday 25 July Nominations close: Friday 2 September

Open to teams and individuals working in the Victorian Local Government Community Planning sector with a focus on initiatives that demonstrate excellence

FORUMS

IMPORTANT DATES

INFORMATION

CEO Forums

Thursday 17 March & Friday 18 March Thursday 18 August & Friday 19 August Thursday 13 October & Friday 14 October

Consultation Forums are held three times a year to address topical issues from a Chief Executive Officer perspective. Invitations are sent to CEOs directly

Women’s Professional Development Forum

Thursday 21 July

The Forum addresses the issues, opportunities and challenges facing women in the sector

LGPro Regional Executive Forum

Tuesday 12 July

Held in regional Victoria, these forums provide Council officers working at an executive level with an opportunity to get together to discuss issues of common interest, network and share ideas

OTHER EVENTS

IMPORTANT DATES

INFORMATION

Australasian Management Challenge

Tuesday 22 March & Wednesday 23 March

A team development program that produces real, relevant and enduring outcomes for people and teams working in Local Government

Young Professionals Series

Thursday 28 April Thursday 18 August Thursday 20 October

Events targeting, but not exclusive to Local Government professionals under 35, irrespective of their position, discipline, band, level and status

Personal Assistant’s/Executive Assistant’s Event

Friday 24 June

Specialised governance workshop exploring the roles and relationships between Councillors and Council officers followed by lunch

Women’s Network Dinner

Thursday 21 July

Networking opportunity for women working in Local Government

Member Event

Thursday 1 December

An opportunity for Members to network and farewell Chief Executive Officers leaving the sector

PROGRAM IN DEVELOPMENT • Ignite for Depot and Outdoor staff

36025 www.bulldesigngroup.com.au

OTHER EVENTS

FORUMS

AWARDS

CONFERENCES & SEMINARS

2016 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITES

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