Posts Tagged ‘governance’
Energy, Transport, Housing & Summer Reading for the PM: Grattan Podcasts
Posted in Opinion, Research by Kate Archdeacon on December 22nd, 2011
Source: Grattan Institute
Australia’s energy future was considered in a seminar series that Grattan Institute ran jointly this year with the Melbourne Energy Institute. Webcasts are available for the final two seminars on the future of solar power and transport.
Grattan’s report Getting the housing we want was launched on November 21 by Cities Program Director Jane-Frances Kelly in conversation with former Victorian Premier, John Brumby. Transcripts and recordings of the launch are available, as is the report.
Every year Grattan Institute produces its Summer Reading List for the Prime Minister. The list contains books and articles that we found stimulating and a pleasure to read, and that we believe the PM, or indeed any Australian, should read over the break. Watch the launch or download the reading list.
www.grattan.edu.au
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Melbourne’s Urban Forest: Eco-City Forum
Posted in Events by Kate Archdeacon on November 29th, 2011
| 30 November , 2011 | ||
| 6:30 pm | to | 8:30 pm |
Extract from the CoM Urban Forest Infographic
The City of Melbourne has released the first draft Urban Forest Strategy for community consultation. It responds to the large changes that are currently affecting our city’s tree population in the wake of climate change and urban growth. Within 20 years, Melbourne expects to lose 44 per cent of its trees. The draft Urban Forest Strategy seeks to manage this change and protect against future vulnerability and risk.
Have your say on how best to manage these changes in our municipality into the future by attending an Eco-City forum on the strategy.
Wednesday November 30, 6:30 to 8:30pm
Melbourne Town Hall
This is a free event.
www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/Environment/UrbanForest/
Download the Urban Forest Infographic or the Draft Strategy
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Melbourne’s Food Policy: Get Involved
Posted in Events, Movements, Seeking by Kate Archdeacon on November 4th, 2011
| 16 November , 2011 | ||
| 6:00 pm | to | 8:30 pm |
| 17 November , 2011 | ||
| 9:30 am | to | 12:00 pm |
You have the opportunity to shape the future of food in the City of Melbourne and we’d love you to get involved – we’re engaging with stakeholders, industry organisations and the community. The Food Policy discussion paper is now available. The closing date for feedback is COB Friday 9 December, 2011.
Food Forums:
City of Melbourne will be holding food conversations in November. The following two dates are confirmed, check back for further details of any subsequent sessions:
- Industry / Stakeholder Food Conversation
- Date: Thursday 17 November Time: 9.30am – 12pm (Morning Tea provided)
- Venue: Melbourne Town Hall – Supper Room, 120 Swanston Street, Melbourne
- RSVP to: health
@melbourne.vic.gov.au - Community / Residents Conversation
- Date: Wednesday 16 November Time: 6pm – 8.30pm (light refreshments provided)
- Venue: Visy Park (Carlton Football Club) – George Harris Function Room, Royal Parade, Carlton North
- RSVP to: health
@melbourne.vic.gov.au
What does food mean to you? Keep your eye out for our reply paid postcard at City of Melbourne libraries, community centres and recreation centres. Complete the card and return it to us by 30 November for your chance to win an iPad2!
Extract from the Food Policy Discussion Paper:
Melbourne is world-renowned for the quality of its food and its liveability, and we want it to stay that way.
We want to make sure that everyone in Melbourne can enjoy good food, now and reliably into the future. For many of us, Melbourne’s food is a cause for celebration – we have ready access to a wide variety of high-quality foods all year-round, which we enjoy at home and in a diverse and thriving scene of cafes, restaurants, bars and other outlets. These and other related businesses are an important part of our local economy, providing diverse jobs, opportunities and enterprise.
For others, there are real challenges in consistently being able to get the food they need. Limited choices often combined with poor physical or economic access undermines health and contributes to food insecurity. Those of us who do have ready access to the foods we want also often eat in ways that undermine our health.
It is increasingly apparent that food systems and the health of the natural systems that support them (our land, water and atmosphere) are unsustainable. The need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, adapt to a changing climate and reduce oil vulnerability in the food system, are pressing. These issues are emerging as important global concerns. Cities around the world are recognising the important role they can play in leading and catalysing change towards healthy, sustainable, fair and resilient food systems.
The community has articulated a vision for Melbourne as a “bold, inspirational and sustainable city” – this discussion paper starts the conversation about what this means for food.
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Find out more on the City of Melbourne website.
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Support renewable energy in Bendigo: Thursday 29th
Posted in Events, Movements by Kate Archdeacon on September 26th, 2011
| 29 September , 2011 | ||
| 12:30 pm | to | 1:30 pm |
Source: Mt Alexander Sustainability Group Inc (MASG)
Photo: Launch of Mt Barker Community Wind Farm in Western Australia
Help us hand over an invitation to the Premier Mr. Baillieu to come to Castlemaine for a public presentation of the Mount Alexander Sustainability Group (MASG) community wind power project.
The Coalition government recently BANNED COMMUNITY WIND FARMS from the Mount Alexander Shire and City of Bendigo east of the Calder freeway and gave us NO REASON WHY. At the same time the Coalition government has announced the biggest expansion of COAL AND GAS MINING & EXPLORATION IN DECADES and is supporting a NEW PRIVATELY OWNED COAL POWER STATION with $50 M taxpayers’ money. We want to invite the Premier to Castlemaine so that he understands the social, environmental and financial benefits of community-owned wind power and supports renewable energy.
Show your support for community owned renewable energy this Thursday the 29th of September at 12.30pm at the Bendigo office of the Premier Level 1 56-60 King Street Bendigo
If you can’t make it send a message to the Premier Ted Baillieu and let him know how you feel 9651 5000 or ted.baillieu@parliament.vic.gov.au and ring or email Damian Drum, 5443-6277 damian.drum@parliament.vic.gov.au our Upper House member and Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Development. Tell them you want a wind industry in Victoria, that the wind industry is good for regional economies, farmers and Councils and the environment and you support a Community wind farm in the Mt Alexander Shire and want the blanket ban reversed.
For more information contact Dean on 0448 327 791 or dc@masg.org.
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Food-sensitive Planning and Urban Design: Forum
Posted in Events, Research by Kate Archdeacon on September 22nd, 2011
| 5 October , 2011 | ||
| 1:45 pm | to | 5:00 pm |
The Heart Foundation invites you to a forum to learn more about the resource: Food-sensitive planning and urban design: A conceptual framework for achieving a sustainable and healthy food system.
Guest speakers:
- Associate Professor Trevor Budge (AM), La Trobe University
- Jenny Donovan, Inclusive Design
- Dr. Lukar Thornton, Deakin University
- Kirsten Larsen, Victorian Eco-Innovation Lab (VEIL), Melbourne University
‘Food-sensitive planning and urban design (FSPUD) does not simply assert that we have a problem in our cities, but sets out to identify new ways of tackling issues, providing a suite of ideas and innovations that cities should now embrace.’ (Trevor Budge, foreword to FSPUD).
This forum will be of interest to planners, architects, urban designers, engineers, public health professionals, policy makers, community members and elected representatives. It will explore the critical need to consider food in urban land use and development, and how that might be achieved.
1:45 – 5:00pm, Thursday 6 October 2011
Darebin Arts and Entertainment Centre, Cnr Bell Street and St. Georges Road, Preston
Admission: free
RSVP: acceptances only by 5pm Friday 30 September 2011 to cvhvic@heartfoundation.org.au
Places are limited – booking essential
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A Tax Won’t Fix Climate Change: Wheeler Centre Debate
Posted in Events by Kate Archdeacon on September 13th, 2011
| 15 September , 2011 | ||
| 6:30 pm | to | 8:30 pm |
It’s a debate with a decidedly apocalyptic ring: stand by while the dynamics of life on earth change irrevocably, or try to take action that may slow or halt the process – and in so doing possibly compromise our way of life. It’s a debate that challenges fundamental assumptions about evidence, responsibility and governance. And it’s a debate coming soon to the Melbourne Town Hall. Few issues of recent times have divided Australia as much as how we should respond to climate change. The Gillard government’s proposed carbon tax is the most controversial policy proposal in at least a decade. Proponents struggle to convince the public of the link between a new, broad-based tax and climate change mitigation, while opponents recite their mantra: “A tax won’t fix climate change”.
This September, the carbon tax debate comes home to roost. The next Intelligence Squared debate will tackle the scaremongering, dispel the fictions and, one can only hope, end the confusion. Come and hear panelists from both sides of the divide: politicians, scientists, academics and stakeholders make their case and plead their cause.
6:30PM – 8:30PM, Thursday 15 September
Melbourne Town Hall
>>Event bookings
>>More information
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Urban Infrastructure: Towards a Sustainable Economy?
Posted in Events by unaavic on August 26th, 2011
| 14 September , 2011 | ||
| 5:45 pm | to | 7:45 pm |
UNAA Earth Summit Series 2011: Urban Infrastructure: Towards a Sustainable Economy?
In the lead up to the next United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in June 2012, the UNAA Victoria Earth Summit Series examines Victoria’s transition to a green economy in the context of the two themes of Rio+20: a green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication; and the institutional framework for sustainable development. The upcoming UNAA Victoria Earth Summit event will discuss Victoria’s urban infrastructure and Melbourne’s progress towards becoming a sustainable city.
Guest Speaker: Professor Rob Adams
Architect and urban designer, Rob Adams has been at the nerve centre of the revitalisation of the City of Melbourne and surrounds and numerous redevelopments and flagship buildings bear his mark and influence. Acquiring perspectives in urban design from Africa and the UK Rob moved on to adopt Australia in the early eighties. A Professorial Fellow at The University of Melbourne since 2004 and lecturer in demand at RMIT, Rob’s passion is now turning toward the liveability of Victoria while addressing its growth.
Forum Discussion
Rob Gell will facilitate a discussion following Rob’s presentation and will invite contributions from members of the audience. The issues of sustainable development and infrastructure as they relate to transport, Melbourne’s CBD, metropolitan areas, regional Victoria and rural areas will be explored in this stimulating and thought provoking forum.
5.45pm, Wednesday 14 September, 2011
Allens Arthur Robinson
530 Collins St, Melbourne
RSVP Essential. For more information and RSVP form please visit the UNAA Victoria website or contact us on: (03) 9670 7878 or events@unaavictoria.org.au
Updates posted on Facebook and Twitter @unaavic
Australian Stormwater Harvesting Guidelines
Posted in Movements, Research by Kate Archdeacon on August 22nd, 2011
Source: Clearwater
Are you undertaking a stormwater harvesting project or water augmentation project that requires you to consider water treatment?
Clearwater has prepared a simple diagram to help you familiarise yourself with the relevant national guidelines available on our website. There are no specific laws that dictate what stormwater can be used for or what quality standards stormwater must meet, however responsible parties have a duty of care to make sure their scheme will not place people or the environment at risk. Guidance on how to meet duty of care is provided in the Australian Guidelines for Water Recycling: Stormwater Harvest and Reuse (Phase 2). The Australian Guidelines provide guidance on water standards for various reuse and recycling scenarios, and were prepared in two phases.
Phase 1 – Managing Health and Environmental Risks (2006) which provides a framework for the management of recycled water. Phase 2 – A set of three guidelines providing more detail on:
- 1. Augmentation of Drinking Water Supplies (2008)
- 2. Managed Aquifer Recharge (2009)
- 3. Stormwater Harvesting and Reuse (2009)
Underpinning the Water Recycling Guidelines are the 2004 Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (currently being reviewed). This document provides the water supply industry with guidance on what constitutes good drinking water quality and are referred to both phases of the Australian Guidelines for Water recycling.
http://www.clearwater.asn.au/content/relevant-national-guidelines-stormwater-harvesting
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Garnaut Climate Change Review Update 2011: Live Webcast
Posted in Events, Research by Kate Archdeacon on June 7th, 2011
| 16 June , 2011 | ||
| 6:30 pm | to | 7:30 pm |
In November 2010, Professor Ross Garnaut was commissioned to provide an update to the 2008 Climate Change Review for the Australian Government and community. Since then, the Garnaut Climate Change Review Update 2011 has released a series of papers addressing developments across a range of areas including climate change science and impacts, international mitigation progress, carbon pricing, land, innovation, and the electricity sector. Professor Garnaut will deliver his final report to the Prime Minister on 31 May 2011. At this forum, he will discuss the key findings of his update and present his recommendations for action on climate change in the national interest. For further information see www.garnautreview.org.au.
Thursday June 16, 6:30 – 7:30pm
This public lecture is presented to you by the University of Melbourne, the Faculty of Business and Economics, the Melbourne Energy Institute and the Melbourne Sustainability Society Institute.
The lecture is full – Please REGISTER to receive webcast link information.
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Local Council Transport Strategies: Open for Comment
Posted in Movements, Research, Seeking by Kate Archdeacon on June 2nd, 2011
Via Victoria Walks
Image: Looking Glass via flickr CC
City of Melbourne, City of Port Phillip and Hume City Council all have transport strategies open for residents’ input – if you live there, make sure you have a say!
City of Melbourne Transport Strategy Update:
Moving People and Freight 2006 – 2020 is the City of Melbourne’s transport strategy. On 10 May, Council’s Future Melbourne Committee endorsed the draft update.
The five key directions of the draft update are:
- Improve inner Melbourne’s public transport to allow us to conveniently go anywhere anytime;
- Manage inner Melbourne’s roads to produce the best transport result;
- Create pedestrian friendly high-mobility public transport streets for inner Melbourne;
- Make Melbourne a cycling city;
- Foster innovative, low-impact freight and delivery in central Melbourne.
Council is now seeking the community’s views on the draft update and will present the results of community consultation with a final draft of the updated strategy to the Future Melbourne Committee in September. Download and read the draft Transport Strategy Update 2011 from the City of Melbourne website
Creating Transport Choices : Hume Integrated Land Use & Transport Strategy
Hume is a municipality that has a convenient, equitable and sustainable transport system that offers a range of transport choices for residents, workers, visitors and businesses. Employment and industry are supported by high quality and direct transport routes that link vibrant activity centres and communities, where housing, jobs and key attractions can be accessed by walking, cycling or public transport.
The Draft Strategy is a response to this vision and covers public transport, walking, cycling, traffic and parking management initiatives in order to provide improved transport options for Hume residents, and reduce car dependence. It aims to create more accessible, liveable and sustainable communities, giving residents full access to jobs, education, and shopping and community facilities by expanding the range of transport choices and modes.
You can view the full strategy or the summary document. Six key themes have emerged each supported by a key objective to help achieve the overall vision. Please visit each of the themes below [on the website] for an overview, and comment on the Strategic Policy Directions.
A City Where You Can Live Car Free? Sustainable Transport in the City of Port Phillip
Council has a vision for Port Phillip to be a connected and liveable city where residents, visitors and workers can live and travel car free by improving the convenience, safety, accessibility and range of sustainable travel choices across our City. Council has developed a suite of new sustainable transport documents focused on achieving this vision. These take the form of a draft Sustainable Transport Strategy, and new draft Walk and Bike Plans. Their development follows community consultation on walking and bike riding in 2010. We are now seeking your feedback on these documents.
- Sustainable Transport Strategy – provides a unifying vision for sustainable transport and guides decision making in the City of Port Phillip
- Bike Plan – sets out strategies and actions to improve bike riding in the City of Port Phillip over the timeframe 2011-2020
- Walk Plan – sets out strategies and actions to improve bike riding in the City of Port Phillip over the timeframe 2011-2020
The strategy and plans will help Council and the community take action on climate change by encouraging the use of sustainable transport modes that minimise energy use. The Walk and Bike Plans also set our aims to enhance liveability by improving our streets and public spaces for walking and cycling. Have Your Say The consultation period for the documents will take place from 21 May to 20 June 2011. During this time there is a range of opportunities to tell us what you think.
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