Council as we are live ladies and
gentlemen in the gallery and to those
that are joining us online thank you for
joining us for our council meeting of
Wednesday the 22nd of November 2023
councilors I'll ask that you be
upstanding for the reciting of our
councilor
declaration we the councilors of the
City of Ballarat declare that we will
carry out our duties in the best
interest of the community and through
collective leadership maintain the
higher standards of good governance
we respectfully acknowledge the Wada Wurrung and
Dja Dja Wurrung people the traditional
custodians of the land and we pay our
respects to members to elders
past present and emerging and recognize
their continuous connection to the land
and waterways and we extend that to any
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people that
may be joining us in the gallery this
evening or online tonight thank you be
seated
councilors councilors we have no
apologies is this
evening item three is any disclosure of
interests any conflict of
interests if there are none council is
any matters arising from the minutes of
the previous
meeting councilor Harris is moving
seconded councilor Johnson any
discussion councilors put the motion
those in favour the motion is
carried councilors moving to part public
question time which will start at 6:35
p.m. we have a number of questions that
have been submitted to governance as
well as I think there are a couple of
questions that uh from the gallery which
we will take at the end so um ask the
governance officer the first question is
from David Clemens who is not attending
but will be read
out thank you and through you Mr Mayor
the question is as follows the career
report 26 October 2023 of Council vote
on the decision states when voting the
recommendation had four against and four
supporting councilor Daniel Maloney was
on leave mayor Hudson said he had
contacted Council Maloney over his vote
intention which was to support the
recommendation meaning the majority were
in support and the recommendation passed
meaning the council's present excluding
the mayor voted four to three against
the motion my question is was the vote
of council Mayor Maloney obtained in
acord with Council rules a formal proxy
so that it could be formally counted or
was it not thank you Mr Clemens for your
question and I'm happy to answer that
one that uh Council we don't normally do
a formal proxy provision uh I've
exercised two casting votes during my
term as Mayor and on both occasions I've
sought advice of that Council that was
away to give me an indication of what
their thinking might be but ultimately
the decision of the casting vote does
come down and lies with the Mayor and I
accept responsibility for the casting
vote that was given moving on to the
next question is Julia Man who is not
attending we'll ask the governance
officer to read that out thank you and
sir you Mr Mayor the question is as
follows will the Ballarat Council release a
statement condemning the war crimes of
the Israeli government against
Palestinians in Gaza and call for the
Australian government to demand an
immediate ceasefire and release of all
hostages thank you Miss Man for that
question we have three levels of
government in Australia the Federal
State and Local all with very different
responsibilities Local Government's role
is to respond to issues that affect
local communities while the Federal
Government is responsible for issues
that affect all Australians at a
national level International conflicts
falls under the remit of the Federal
Government's Department of Foreign
Affairs and trade on this basis the City
of Ballarat will not be making a public
statement about the Hamas Israel
conflict as a City of Ballarat we denounce
all forms of violence of any form and
we'll continue to look to enhance
Ballarat's reputation as being a diverse
inclusive and a compassionate Community
Councior Coates uh yes Mr Mayor um with
respect I would like to just add that
that that's certainly an opinion that
local government and Council can and
does advocate on matters that are of
state and federal significance so if
individual councilors wanted to make a
statement or wanted to present a a
discussion on on those points we could
and and from a personal point of view I
I certainly do um do advocate for
ceasefire in in the instance of the
conflict that's happening at the moment
absolutely and I think that would be a
great outcome that we could see an end
to all of the violence that's happening
at the moment and everyone acting more
compassionately question
two thank you thank you Mr Mayor the
question is as follows as we are a
diverse Multicultural and multifaith
Community will the council consider
flying the Palestinian flag at half mast
in recognition of the genocide being
carried out against the Palestinian
people in
Gaza um thank you again for the the
question Miss Man and as previously
stated International conflicts fall
under the remit of the Federal
Government's Department of Foreign
Affairs on trade on this basis the City
of Ballarat will not be following the
Palestinian flag at half mast City of Ballarat
denounces violence of any form and will
continue to look to enhance our
reputation as being diverse inclusive
and a compassionate community and there
are victims certainly on all sides of
this particular conflict and it is
tragic to see it unfold and our our um
Hearts I'm sure go to everyone who's
living in that environment at the moment
and where their families are represented
as well next question is from Mr Stewart Kelly
who is not attending Mr Montgomery if
you could read that out please thank you
three Mr Mayor the question is as
follows at the September meeting of
council as the delegated planning
committee a decision regarding Heritage
overlays for five properties and one
Heritage Precinct was deferred pending
mediation with submitters and
landholders what is the current status
of this and when will this come back to
council for a decision director
Robertson three you Mr Mayor and thank
you Mr Kelly for that question the
decision regarding the five indiv
individual Heritage overlay places and
the one Heritage Precinct deferred at
the September meeting of the delegated
planning committee will return to
council for consideration at the 13
December meeting thank you and second
question Mr
Montgomery also at the September meeting
councilor McIntosh requested that an
update of the Heritage Gap study be
presented to a future council meeting
will the details of that report be made
publicly available director
Robertson through you Mr Mayor and thank
you for the second question Mr Kelly a
council briefing on the Heritage gaps re
review program is scheduled for 6th
December as requested by Council
McIntosh the program to be delivered has
also recently been presented to the
Ballarat Heritage advisory
committee um as the significant program
of work progresses it will be made
publicly available through the community
and stakeholder engagement phase thank
you thank you director Robertson the
next question is from Deb Colleen who is
not attending Mr
[Applause]
Montgomery thank you and through you Mr
Mayor the question is as follows when
did Council first become aware that
there were people sleeping in tents and
on the grandstand at white flat oval and
when did Council first take action
against sorry make to make this oval
safe for oval users director Robertson
three Mr Mayor and and Miss Colleen um
or Deb thanks for the question um
Council officers have been working with
appropriate agencies since February 2023
in relation to the situation of rough
sleeping more generally including
reports of rough sleeping at white flat
during this time Council and other
agencies have been working together
towards achieving a long-term solution
to this matter and in more recent times
it is understood that reports of
antisocial and illegal behaviors have
escalated requiring a heightened level
of response this is a complex situation
and requires a coordinated and combined
response from all in involved thank
you and a second question Mr Montgomery
uh excuse me Mr may could I just ask
sorry yes Council
McIntosh um through you Mr Mayor just to
uh follow up on Miss Colleen's question
and it's around that time frame of
response I understand it's a complex
situation and we have as a council or
group and and with directors CEO and all
had many uh conversations recently about
this um on ABC radio this morning there
was uh an interview by Steve Martin with
one of the sporting coaches or leaders
looking after the disability football
group um expressing enormous concern and
the way when I listened to that there
seemed to be a significant concern for
safy in the shorter term um I can see
here there's been about N9 months since
when um we first started being made
aware of the
challenges uh up until now and still
there's um more concerns coming each day
from the community and from the sporting
groups I'm just wondering have we got
any way of ensuring safety immediately
for the sporting groups that are using
the facility whichever groups they make
may be it was it was the disability
football group this morning on radio um
but I'm aware of the um Swordcraft group
and many others thank you councilor
McIntosh director Robertson through you
Mr Mayor and thank you for the question
Council Macintosh um Council works
really closely with the agencies and has
done so so those agency are refer to our
Victoria Police and our uniting care and
we have done so from February but I can
also say that this um extends back many
but for different or many different
reasons um the um the gentleman you
referred to actually was part of a
stakeholder group meeting yesterday um
which was also attended by Vic police
and there's an outline provided of how
we uh approach this situation and what I
would reinforce to the community is
where they observe illegal antisocial
behavior and antisocial Behavior they
should call Triple zero immediately
because that is the the the main process
for us in ensuring the safety of our
community for our community groups they
have a direct contact now with um the
local uh bat police and those Community
groups are represented at the
stakeholder meeting and um have been
given instructions as to how to follow a
process where they feel they may be
unsafe but I actually think we're making
progress in also understanding um the
challenges there and I would say that
Victoria Police have actually spent a
great deal of time particularly in the
last few weeks
um uh providing an e task force they
call it and they've been at the site
many many times and actually do attend
when Swordcraft are there uh and other
user
groups thank you director Robertson
councelor Macintosh uh through Mr Mayor
another couple of follow on questions as
well um and having listened and and as
you are aware and the CEO we've been
down down there and spoken with many of
the hundreds of uh participants that use
the oval um and the surrounding land and
many of the residents as well that are
experiencing concerns for safety and so
on back in 2018 and I know that this was
put forward to us uh at one of those
particular meetings um there was a
reference to how Council responded back
then when we were having some really
challenging and dangerous times and what
we did was we went in there fenced it
off cleaned up the grandstand made it
safe um moved the tents we're very aware
and the community are being very
respectful I believe and conscious of
ensuring the right support for the
homeless people but equally there's so
many hundreds of others that are in
danger whilst we're um accommodating the
tents for these possibly three people
and the significant uh safety concerns
that are being created so the other
question that I've had put to me is
around temporary fencing and the likes
I'm just as a follow on from Miss Ken's
questioning um what why why have we not
been able to do that when that work
seemed to work last time thank you
councilor McIntosh director Robertson to
you Mr Mayor thank you Council McIntosh
um I actually was the officer involved
in the situation in
2018 and that the issue we face at the
moment is far more complex than what we
experienced in 200 18 um the solution is
not to fence off um the grandstand at
this point in time but we are working
towards um what can be done um and we
are working with the appropriate
agencies and I reinforce that if there
is activity there that is illegal or
antisocial please call Trip 0 it is that
is the pathway for us uh and at the
moment um council is managing with other
agencies um white flat um and the issues
there and and we seek patience from the
community as we as we try to resolve
this situation thank you director
Robertson councelor Tyler thank you Mr
Mayor and
um the question is when is is um when is
it to the point where patients were worn
thin and I know you're using your words
carefully in relation to agencies and so
on but um you know putting it back onto
the community that every time something
is seen and a response has to be made
and if that's got to be every day
multiple times a day um why can't the
relevant Authority and responsible
Authority actually act and deal with it
in a certain way and I know Mr Mayor
said homelessness is not a crime but
being a public nuisance hurling abuse
things like that is a crime and it needs
to be dealt with so I don't know whether
it's through to Mr CEO but how can this
be escalated to the point where
something's done that is this is not
going on for another few months
and it's actually affecting the user
groups in that
area direct Robertson thank you Mr May
thank you um councelor Taylor
um it's a very sensitive issue and you
can see that I am using my words
carefully and it is something that I
will not discuss in a public forum even
if I'm compelled to the current
situation at white flat um I am
comfortable that police have um um uh
have stepped up is for want of a better
term but um increased surveillance of
that area and there are a number of um
components that are coming together in
order to help us resolve the situation
there thank you director Robertson the
interesting the comment from the golden
Point Cricket Club that is a user group
at the moment has said on two occasions
at the very first public meeting that
was held uh in the club rooms and then
in the broader stakeholder group that
was held here in committee room to
is that they are the current tenant user
over the summer period but have not felt
intimidated or unsafe in any of their
practices games that they've had at the
moment it's not to say that couldn't
change but their experience has been
very different to what others not
downplaying the others but this is a
current user group that has not
experienced the same level which adds to
the complexity around times days um of
been down there on three occasions where
I've spoken to the homeless people that
have been there and had a conversation
um and I've been there many times over
the last few days as well just checking
at different times how it all um is PL
panning out it is a challenging issue
for us at the moment one that does need
to be treated sensitively I think at
some
stage if we are able to find some
alternative accommodation is the time to
then be able to um use that time to go
in and make some repairs on the
grandstand um and might be a circuit
breaker too being up able to change the
location of where people are at the
moment but that trigger needs to be
found at the right time with the right
circumstances at the moment councilor
Macintosh um again through you Mr mad
just to be fair and respectful of the
local residents and of the sporting club
leaders and so on um they've made it
very clear to us that they've on many
occasions rang triple zero uh and
they've attempted to report in every
possible way and I think they're feel
feeling a little offended that they need
to be taught how to ring triple zero and
Report the issues that they're
experiencing they've also made it very
clear to us that um there are cameras
down there and they've suggested to me
and it's my understanding whether it's
correct or not you might be able to
correct me but it's my understanding
that there are cameras connected to the
police station so I would like to think
that um the professionals and experts in
this space would be able to do that work
rather than relying on the community
when it's not their job they're afraid
they don't feel safe we understand that
homelessness is not a crime and we've
never said that it is that's not our
issue we also understand that there has
been accommodation offered to them as
well so there's a number of complicated
issues here and yet we still have a
group of our community rate payers young
children sporting individuals that are
not able to partic ipate in their local
community because of possibly three
people who are also residents of our
community as well Council McIntosh who
are also residents exactly um but as we
know there are many hundreds of
residents that are being impacted by
this issue so I think that um the the
concern that I have here is that the
residents it's being put back on the
residents to dial triple Z when they've
done that many times um I understand
that's not our responsibility as a city
uh but I would like to think think that
we may be able to look at some of those
past actions that may have worked and I
think we need to be a very strong voice
I know we have been but I believe we
need to continue and maybe Elevate that
voice thank you councelor mosh councel
Johnson thank you Mr Mayor I've got a
question for director Robertson in
regard to uh your Communications with
the police and whether the move on
Powers have been discussed with them as
uh something that they move may use or
whether um the community members that
have been sleeping rough down there at
white flat have been issued with move on
notices previously understand that you
can be given a a move on uh order for 24
hours or up to 12 months if you apply to
the magistrates court has that been
something that's been discussed with you
director Robertson to you Mr May Council
Johnson I can't disclose that publicly
all I can say is that I'm very
comfortable with the actions that
Victoria Police and uniting Care are
taking at the moment uh in order to find
further accommodation for the um one
remaining occupant of white flat thank
you director Robertson councelor
Harris thanks Mr may like same I think
we've heard from other councilors I'm
not comfortable with it at all I mean
there's a criminal activity um and we
have an expectation that police and
social services or either case manage it
or prosecute uh and get resolution for
us this this is an unacceptable Dynamic
and I think it's every reason that
someone from the community is asking how
long it takes to to get it solved and
it's not an issue for our director you
know I I applaud what council's done I
think Council has done more than it that
it could be reasonably expected within
that that Dynamic but you know we can't
solve this but um yeah imagine you're a
local res been told to no wor this phone
up triple o when it happens I mean it's
it's continually an issue it hasn't been
resolved and we have an expectation that
uh we our our community should be served
better I'm similarly appalled thank you
councelor Harris um we still have some
further questions in relation to the
issue so we'll work continue to work
through those uh Mia W who I believe is
attending tonight Mia please come
forward
please feel at home and very comfortable
if you could just pull the microphone
forward a little bit for you by all
means have a seat and if you just repeat
your name tell us the suburb where you
reside and then we're happy to hear your
questions my name is Mia and I live in
sebasto thank you
m my name is Mia and I play food at
white for oval for East Point fale
football club this year we had four
teams under 12s under 14s under 16s and
Senior women's so around 50 plus women
and girls train and play at the ground
we train at night so at times that can
be a little scary in itself but during
this season there's been a lot of
aggressiveness between a few people who
have been camping at the footy ground
there's been a lot of fighting mostly
verbal but sometimes more and there can
be 10 or so people involved in yelling
while we're training the police have
been called to come down there multiple
times but they they just speak with the
people and then leave it's not fixing
the issue I feel genuinely unsafe and
scared to go to training and I know a
lot of the other girls do too one time
my friend was actually followed and she
had to hide in the toilets we just want
to play Foie and be in in a safe
environment play what is the cancel
doing about this issue thank you mayor
director
Robertson through you Mr Mayor and thank
you for the question mayor and coming in
and asking it personally um it is a
challenging situation and I do want to
reiterate that we have met with um what
we call stakeholder groups recently and
um you have representation at that group
and we've outlined um as best we can
through also with Victoria Poli in the
room and and a couple of other agencies
some processes that your um coaches or
administrators can undertake while um
down at the oval while we um continue to
resolve the issue but my my statement to
you is that we are aware of the
challenges at white flat um it we
appreciate the frustration and and the
effect it's having on the community um
we assure you we are trying to work
closely with all groups and Community
representatives and it's really
important for me to reiterate regardless
that if you do witness um illegal
activity or unsocial behav antisocial
Behavior you should call Triple 0 every
time because that is the process for us
legally to enact um um legislation that
allows us to put things in action so
that's the answer to the first question
I believe you have a second question as
well thank you me your second
question at the moment the grant a can't
be used by the general public and
Spectators Spectators because of these
issues when will it be accessible again
director Robertson through you Mr Mayor
and mayor um I appreciate the use of
white flat um grand stand is limited at
the time and we will continue to work
with relevant a agencies to resolve this
matter continue to report the antisocial
or illegal behavior um and as we work
towards the future we hope that um I
think I answer it in another question
but we are looking at opportunities for
lighting uh for increased lighting for
CCTV um surveillance and a few other
things as well which I'll be able to
report in more detail in the coming days
thank you thank you director Robertson
thank
you sorry thank you m sorry a question
for Mia thank you so much for coming and
presenting me I think it's really good
for us to hear from um people like
yourself who actually use the the
sporting ground but I just wondered if
you could tell us a few quick words
about how the girls are feeling I know
you said what is they under 12s under
14s and under
16s uh and senior women so like some
pretty young girls that just are trying
to get on play footy how are they
feeling I'm as I said pretty scared to
just go to Footy you know we all just
want to be safe and have a bit of fun at
training you know as I said it's at
nighttime so in itself scary as it is
but it just doesn't help that there's a
few people who make it scarier for the
girls and women who do train there
thanks Mia thank you for for taking the
time to come in Council McIntosh is your
question to it's not to but it's a
follow on from me thank you thank you M
councilor McIntosh um just listening to
Mia I I really have huge concerns of
this situation and I know many around
the table here do and obviously many in
the community do but that consistent
asking petrified young women to R just
ring triple zero again it's clear that
they're at a stage where they just might
not go so the triple Zer number is not
really going to achieve much if people
are afraid to be there we've heard that
from the disability football group as
well um I don't I just feel there needs
to be another way equally we've heard
from Mia around the grandstand the use
of the grand stand or the lack of
ability to use grand stand um because of
their concerns and in fact I don't think
anyone could really sensibly go and use
the grandstand I know it's a community
facility um it seems as if the people
that are there have taken it as their
property as their
home and I just think that this ring
triple zero is not getting us anywhere
it it it's almost an impossible Way
Forward because people are less and less
likely to even be there to therefore
need to ring triple zero it's it's to me
we're just going backwards in not
achieving anything we've had plenty of
time with a complex
situation to not even have
I don't know some safety there thank you
councelor McIntosh um Deb Colleen had
actually a second question which I um
jumped over to go straight to Mia so Mr
Montgomery could you read Deb Colleen's
second question thank you and three Mr
Mayor the question is as follows will
Council release correspondence in had
either from the mayor CEO and officers
to authorities and agencies regarding
the situation at white flat over
director Robertson to you Mr Mayor and
thanks for the question Miss colen city
of bat and partner agencies are bound by
privacy legislation related to
individuals our request for
correspondence can be made under Freedom
of Information with details available on
the C of bat website thank you thank you
director Robertson councilors we will
need a motion to extend public Question
Time move councelor Taylor second and
councelor Johnson all those in favour
against that's carried councelor
Maloney uh thanks Mr Mayor and as a a
continued follow on from uh from my
colleagues and and like um the other of
my colleagues have already spoken so far
tonight I'm similarly concerned about
the issue at white flat um through Mr M
to the director if possible wanted to
understand the processes involved in
getting the area fenced um so I
understand that we need to obviously
consider the social welfare of the
people involved but I guess given the um
significant impact it's having on
hundreds of others
um once the offer has been rejected for
social housing
elsewhere um it's my understanding from
the last briefing to councilors was that
the individuals had moved on but that's
clearly not the case um what processes
are involved in fencing the
area director Robertson through you Mr
Mayor thanks councilor Maloney um at
this point in time there remains one
individual at white flat um the um
through experience um we have
contemplated fencing and boarding up the
um grandstand the issue that may what
which gener generally results from that
that that will not prevent people from
accessing the site um the Victoria the
Victoria Street orphanage site is a
great example of that um and a couple of
other sites that continue to get hoarded
up but our Our rough sleepers continue
to find a way to sleep in there at this
point in time to um fence off the area
um I'm not I don't believe it will
essentially solve the situation it may
actually escalate it because um the
rough sleepers may move to underneath
the veranda of the change rooms area
there so um at this point in time I will
continue to say that um this matter has
escalated and we hope that it will
resolve um in the coming days and I will
continue to ask the community to be
patient and councilors and also to
reiterate that um if we had Victoria
Police in here at the moment they would
say the same thing the process for them
is that it has to be a legal activity
you have to call Triple Zer so that they
can make a
case thank you director Robertson
Council malani thank you just to follow
up to that so I understand officers
don't want to fence the site I get that
um is it that you can't or just choosing
not not to at the moment so I'm trying
to figure out whether a direction from
Council is required to get to that point
because um it appears as though there's
a
reluctance to fence it um I'm still not
convinced as to why not thank you
director Robertson through you Mr Mayor
I am at the discretion of my Council if
um my councilors resolve that the area
must be fenced or hoarded then I must
enact on
that
Mr cly not my preference to that
certainly um through you Mr Mayor and
thank you Council Maloney for for that
question I suppose at the moment the
process has been in trying to find
accommodation for the people that are
there um there are the the people there
are both living in the grand stand and
also in tense outside of the grand stand
so you you could you could um fence off
the grandstand but that doesn't actually
mean that the people that are rough
sleeping there won't continue to camp in
the tents at the front of of the grand
stand so the grand stand is only one
part of the issue of the rough sleepers
down there um if you recall last time
Council went down this path Council
didn't fence off the grand stand until
theyd actually found appropriate
accommodation for the rough sleepers
down there and then it was fenced off
and there was a risk last time because
people were living underneath the grand
stand and had fires going and it was
great risk of the grand stand burning
down back last time so Council worked
last time very closely with the agencies
to find alternate accommodation for the
people uh that were rough sleeping there
thank you Mr C Council Maloney thank you
Mr CEO and I'm not sure whether um three
Mr May to the CEO or to director but um
and I want to be be clear to officers as
well as my colleagues councilors that
I'm not intending to push that point
tonight in terms of seeking a resolution
defense but I am um I guess trying to
indicate that we only have one more
council meeting left this year and then
we're not back again until February so
the options for councilors to have um
provided some further Direction offices
if that's what required um only really
exists in a couple of weeks time at our
next meeting
um so can we seek another update from
officers with some really clear actions
that allow councilors to be in a
position if need be to make a further
call at the next meeting I think
community members have been left in no
man's land for way too long on this one
and to expect it to continue to February
is not
reasonable thank you councilor money and
I think there's no issue with weekly
updates at our briefings on this
particular issue at the moment in the
lead into the December meeting hopefully
that gives us a little bit time those
couple of days and I've also spoken with
the CEO about potential circuit breaker
actions as well only as most recently as
today um but need a couple of other
things to fall into line first before
we're able to go down that path
councelor Macintosh uh thanks Mr Mayor
uh I'm really standing to follow on from
Council Maloney's uh conversations and
and in effect I guess what he's saying
is foreshadowing action at the next
council meeting if we don't if we're not
able to achieve something else in the
meantime and equally requesting the
officers between now and then to do the
appropriate work to give us some options
um but I equally would like to
absolutely express my concern and
highlight an urgency for us to respond
in a bet in a better Manner and I say
that with great respect to the officers
I know that we're doing a great job as
the officers are doing a great job here
and the challenge is with other agencies
with police and and uniting care and
other support agencies as well um
equally I'm aware there's been housing
offered and there's been responses from
police what we're seeing
is safety significantly challenged we've
heard in the chamber tonight from a
young woman that is petrified about
going down to the ground along with her
other teammates and I can see that
there's still more items on the agenda
we haven't even covered off at the
moment the um significant concerns for
the Heritage grandstand whether people
want to play with words and say it's not
significant it's not whatever the
reality is it's a historic grand stand
it has significant history surrounding
from different areas of Ballarat and
it's also part of this community that's
not being able to be accessed so there's
other items that we'll hear about soon I
just want to make a very strong point
that I believe personally believe that
this is an issue that requires Urgent
Response and uh we would need to have
absolutely appropriate followup um at
the next council meeting if we haven't
seen significant action between thank
you councelor mosan I don't think any of
us think don't agree with that statement
in the urgency but I would be reluctant
for any instruction of our officers that
is potentially unlawful and without
having the due Powers contained within
legislation for them to act accordingly
and that's the shade of gray area that
we need to be in terms of what is the
role of local government in in this
particular issue councelor Harris yes Mr
I just not just to hearken back to the
crystal clear failure we have in
policing and case management that's
that's what it is uh and I'd just ask
councilors to be have some consideration
the fact if we can't build these
problems out if you know what I mean
there's a uh we've got to do everything
we've got to do everything appropriate
um to leave the housing crisis that
we're in and and the Dynamics around
people sleeping rough which is a complex
question but this is a different one the
question we've got here is um people
cannot young people can't use the
council own facility uh residents are
worried uh and I I just don't want to
dilute things anymore than it is I mean
we've got ask vipul and we've got to ask
um those providing care uh for the very
few individuals concerned to do their
job thank you councelor Harris uh the
next question is from CLA Jason who I
believe is attending tonight mron if you
could please come
forward and if you would mind just to
repeat your name and tell us the suburb
where you
and then ask your question thank you my
name is CLA Jason I live in Bat Central
and I consider myself a member of the
white flat
neighborhood I'm here with some of my
neighbors um I think my first question
has been covered to some extent so I'm
going to simplify it down to the fact
that as a neighborhood we really feel
the danger of the potential abuse
violence needlestick injuries and all
sorts of other um antisocial
activities um the the users of the
ground are very important to our safety
they really need to be there but I think
the neighborhood is being um forgotten
this is where people walk their dogs um
it's the open space for a lot of those
in the center how
are our rights to Safety in the
neighborhood Hood being
considered director
Robertson through you Mr Mayor and thank
you for the question um Mr Jefferson um
there's there's two and very challenging
points here rough sleeping in
homelessness is not illegal but then
there is
antisocial and um and illegal activities
so um so the the the broader issue of um
homelessness is for a an entire
Community concern and we have to all
work together um in order to um look at
the challenges that presents and I
continue to
reiterate anybody who does experience
because that's the the thing I am asking
you if you are yourself witnessing
illegal Behavior or antisocial Behavior
it is and and councelor Harris has
reiterated it it is a matter for
Victoria Police and that is where we are
in a great area it is our facility but I
have to act within our own legislation
and our powers and the things that you
talk about in terms of feeling unsafe
with antisocial and illegal activities
are a Victoria Police uh matter and so
we must all work closely with them so
that they have the opportunity to inact
or act when these behaviors are
occurring am I able to respond to that
uh you've got a second question M JIS
Jon I'll just do the second question
then um white Flack grandstand is quite
possibly one of Victoria's oldest
grandstands the vandalism associated
with illegal camping and antisocial
Behavior at white flat is destroying the
Heritage
fabric it has not been used for purpose
for over 6 months and neighbors are
scared to use the
precinct can the grand stand be
considered in the Heritage Gap study and
interim protection granted in the short
term to enable restoration without
destruction of Heritage fabric director
Robertson Mr Mayor and thanks for the qu
second question Mr jeon first of all um
camping is not illegal there um which I
need to make clear and that's where I
talk about being within the provisions
of um what powers we have um but more
importantly white flat grandstand is
known to our heritage team and it is
included in our heritage gaps list as
part of the broader potential Heritage
Place work uh this includes the oval
itself and the grandstands and the
planting and the Landscaping including
evidence of Earth's Earthworks and
drystone walls in there so um if there's
any positive to come out of this yes we
fully recognize the importance of the
grand
stand thank you Mr jvon councelor
McIntosh uh could I ask a question of
Miss jison please yes M
Jason my apology sorry I'm just
wondering as a resident and having been
a resident in the area for a long time
and seeing this issue before uh we know
it's been going on and off over many
years uh you've seen it responded to in
different ways from a resident
perspective do you have any ideas I
understand that you understand that
homelessness is not illegal I understand
that you actually care about the
homeless people I've heard you speak um
and I've listened to other residents as
well so I know that you're very clear
about that but that's not the question
that keeps coming to us it's about
safety it's about protection of the
facility so I'm just wondering with your
experience um as a voice on behalf of
the residents do you have any ideas any
thoughts any uh direction that you would
request of counsel
in terms of
safety
um we keep being told that we should be
ringing tri0 a number of user groups in
particular and some neighbors have
phoned tri0 and they haven't turned up
and the when asked apparently they said
that there's no um registrations of any
concerns down there that's a big problem
to me um I don't think there's an easy
answer to any of the safety but there
are cameras down there um they've been
activated apparently since the big tall
lights went up and no one knew where
they were at so they were up there but
no one was looking at them we need to be
able to see what is happening down there
and we need to really protect our users
on that ground because if they don't use
that ground then the area will become
um well just a camping ground really um
no I've got no great easy answer but um
I I think
residents do have rights as well and
they you know they should be able to use
their open space in the neighborhood and
at the moment there's a potential of
needle stick injuries the um the oil
abilities are really scared to go there
now that you know apparently the girls
don't want to leave the dressing room
and go
out
um I don't know the answer but there
there are some things that can be done
to heighten security and to watch and
then to act on it Mr thank you for your
response just to the um director
Robertson understanding the CCTV cameras
which may be down on the oval are not
connected to the late night
entertainment Precinct cameras which are
then um live at the The Dana Street
police station they are a separate group
and then also Federation University have
their own set of cameras attached to
their building director
Robertson that's correct um Mr Mayor y
thank you so the CCTV cameras that are
there are not currently able to be
responded to they're not part of a
monitored set of
Council Minos so Mr Mayor following on
from my question to miss jerison I'm
wondering then as a council are we able
to express with urgency to Victoria
Police a need if those cameras are not
able to be used to monitor we can hear
there's trouble with triple Z and so on
it doesn't seem to be working um can we
actually ask Victoria Police to do
something about the cameras and and
those cameras are owned by the city of
bat Council mtos so can we ensure that
the police have cameras that they can
monitor because that's their
expertise
the Victoria Police monitor city of
Ballarat cameras which are our
infrastructure in the late night
entertainment Precinct the ones that are
attached to the grandstand at white flat
are not part of that circuit so I'm not
sure how what we would have to do to
link them in
to the current bank of cameras that
would be some other work that would need
to be explored so my question is can we
with urgency ask Victoria Police to
explore how we can have them monitoring
those
cameras director Robertson three you Mr
May Council McIntosh um those are the
very subject of conversation so the
provision of CCTV um that Poli Victoria
Police have access to and even
opportunities for lighting of the area
that provides for better safety
mechanisms all the avenues that we can
think of we are currently looking at and
um internal teams and external teams are
working to expedite that so that we
could do we can do that that leads to a
long-term solution as well thank you
cancer hug graes sorry just to go back a
step no you're fine you're fine um to go
back a step I mean and maybe just to
show Community that the the Avenue has
been um explored I guess but the the
idea of the um heritage
interim um protection order so I mean
I've been involved where a couple of
those have come up and it's always been
I guess where there was a trigger that
happened first so like the lake lighting
um someone from the community instigated
that um when the plans went up for the
Lakes lighting to be installed um you
know it might be a case of someone wants
to do something to a property that
doesn't have a Heritage listing and then
that's what triggers someone to you know
start that process um I guess maybe just
for my understanding or for Community or
whoever like I I know you will have
looked at that thoroughly um but do we
need to you know do some more maybe we
need to I don't know put in a new
seat or something I don't know I'm just
saying can we see that as a expl as an
opportunity yep director
Robertson through you Mr Mayor councilor
har Graves thanks for the question don't
think for a minute we haven't thought of
all avenues but an interim Heritage uh
overlay um or protection is not going to
whilst it's a good idea in terms of our
gaps review and certainly it's it's
flagged with the team in terms of a a
planning amendment process it is
unlikely to have an effect for our rough
sleepers um even enacting it um having
experience this situation before
Victoria Street orphanage is a great
example has Heritage overlays has
protections that's not going to um stop
Our rough sleepers yeah thank you the
next question is from Denise Alice who I
believe is attending is that Miss Alice
if you could please come forward Miss
Ellis and if you could repeat your name
and tell us the suburb Denise Ellison
I'm a resident of Ballarat Central I
live two Street behind the oval um I can
tell you of my experience is I have seen
people cooking in the grand stand the
rough sleepers so um this isn't relevant
to my question but I would be concerned
as a council that people are cooking on
an open flame in a Heritage grandstand
and the ramifications of that if people
are injured from that that will come
down on Council it won't only be a
police matter but it will also then be a
Council matter in a council building but
my my question is what Avenues are
Council taking to remove the structures
under the Pavilion in particular the
tents what what Avenues have you not
what you have looked at or what you have
discussed but what is actually happening
in the pipelines because this has been
going on for months and months I can't
walk through the oval I've walked down
around it before on the way to walking
into valat Central and I've been
harassed shouted at cajoled I've walked
uh a dog around there uh two days ago I
walked on the Yaro Trail which has just
been done with some nice gravel after
the sewage um upgrade to walk into town
There's syringes as I'm walking past
them I would not walk across that oval
in in sandals I'm concerned for children
that are there exercising their pets
that is a noo Zone if I needed to go to
toilet there's no way I would use those
public toilets thank thank you Miss
Ellis we have direct Robson respond and
I feel unsafe y thank you we'll have
director Robertson Ed respond to your
first question and you're able to ask a
second through you Mr May thank you for
the question um Miss
Ellis if you've been out to the site
recently um in the um with the
escalating situation in the past few uh
in the past week the site has actually
been cleaned up substantially there are
a number of things removed from the site
um I think only one tent remains and a
couple of other possessions for the
occupant um and the grand stand itself
has also been tidied up and possessions
removed from that um so um that's um in
context to your question that you asked
um in terms of safety I think I've I've
echoed a few I've said that a few times
today in order of um what is a available
to council under the legal process and
essentially we actually have no legal
ability to even remove the items there
unless it comes from a process through
Victoria Police where occupants might
commit crimes and that's why I continue
to reiterate that um crimes need to be
reported and at the moment as I said
there is only one tent there and one
occupant at this time thank you director
Robert
was your second question may I just ask
a question about that though you said
you had no legal right you have done
that in the past you're not able to
participate in the debate but you can
certainly ask a second question okay my
second question is we are now the third
biggest town in
Victoria so what is Council doing about
homelessness in this
area we have grown substantially over
the past 10 years has our accommodations
behind homeless people grown along with
it what do you propose to do with the
people that are still left there or in
the future when one eventually goes and
some just take their place this is now
becoming a permanent structure for
people to stay in not temporary it's
been in operation for more than 6 months
this
time than thank you Miss Alis director
Wilson is able to answer this question
uh through you Mr Mayor and and thank
you for that question
melis uh I think it is important to note
that funding for
homelessness uh support services and um
homelessness related dwellings is a
state and federal government
program uh council's role in this space
is to Advocate to state and federal
government for increases in those
resources at the local level and and
that is what council has done and does
continue to do thank you Mr Mayor thank
you director
Wilson thank you m direct um sorry
councilor Maloney do have a director
role a different job
um I I think you Mr may I completely
agree with what the director just said
but what I will add to it is that um I
see the issue of homelessness as
something that we all have to take
responsibility for um as individuals you
know we can show compassion as much as
as we possibly can um and you know we
can also Advocate ourselves as
individuals for improvements to welfare
conditions we as councilors don't get to
sh our responsibilities either we as a
city and um as officers and as
councilors also need to approve
appropriate accommodation as well we
have a history and a bad record of
knocking back small developments in the
city and I I put that out there to even
people who who will regularly come into
this chamber to argue against multi-
development um I understand that often
on Heritage grounds and other things as
well but what it does is every time we
knock back a place that has one and
two-bedroom apartments because it
doesn't fit with our current character
we make it harder to fill um the need of
people who are singles um we know that
women in their 50s are the most likely
to become
homeless um and not everyone can afford
a four-bedroom house in Lucas in the
outer suburbs we've got to start
approving um smaller accommodation in
the CBD of Ballarat um otherwise this
continues to be a problem for
Generations um so we know it's an issue
we've got to do something about it local
government doesn't get off the hook um I
do agree with director Wilson though yes
we've got to Advocate yes the federal
and the state government certainly don't
get off the hook either they've got to
fund it Accord accordingly we've got to
approve it at a local level and even as
local residents we all need to perhaps
compromise on sometimes and compromise
and actually understand that smaller
accommodations sometimes required not
everyone can afford a four-bedroom house
thank you councelor money councelor
McIntosh uh two questions one firstly it
appears to me to be 7:29 do we need to
extend question time if you're happy to
move an extension move an extension
pleas councelor Maloney all those in
favour against that's carried thanks
Council McIntosh um through Mr Maya
follow on from uh the questions of Miss
Ellis and uh what are we doing at the
moment about homelessness or making sure
that there's um shelters available and
so on and as we've heard from Mr Wilson
it's obviously the role of other
agencies to provide those facilities
equally I also agree with Council
Maloney's um suggest that we have a
particular responsibility here as well
and I guess that's what we've been
hearing the whole night tonight you know
this is a complex issue there's many
different ways that it needs to be dealt
with but we can't Sher our own
responsibilities um I do have one
question uh about the Slate bus but I'll
just make another couple of little
points before um I uh get some feedback
about where that might be um advocating
obviously is a really important thing
that we need to be doing um we need to
be aware of our facilities and the
Heritage and and you know things like
considering Heritage protection are
really quite important I understand
we've got our gaps review happening
right now and this facility should be
considered as part of that we can't
consider absolutely every single thing
at once because um there's a lot of
stuff around our whole municipality that
needs to be protected that's currently
not however if we see something being
threatened um then maybe that's the time
for us to look at it but I also reflect
on Council Maloney's comments around um
development opportunities and and single
and double bedroomed options and so on
and I recall without saying who it was a
few years ago an agency offering to use
upper levels of shops and actually
financially support the city in doing
this and it didn't go anywhere and it
was a perfect solution in terms of
Heritage protection in fact in the
buildings beside the town hall putting
the old Verandas back on making
accessible accommodation options for
women that are homeless and and in
difficult
situations um so I don't believe that
it's our heritage and I don't think our
heritage should be blamed for the
challenges that we're having at the
moment I think that there's been options
that have been put to us and I think
that we should pick those suggestions up
from the past and have further
consideration I don't know know whether
that same agency still has that option
on the table uh but if not I think there
might be others that do and there's
certainly plenty of vacant upper levels
in our CBD that would be ideal
accommodation options for different
individuals I'm not saying these people
as we know there's been some
difficulties in um providing
accommodation options for these people
but I'd like to know um was there
any um was there any forward movement
with the likes of a sleep bus and is
that an option or not yeah I still think
the Sleep bus is a little way away
Council Macintosh from my understanding
I'm not sure if anyone else has any
update about it's not functional or um
fit for purpose at the moment but they
continue to pursue that particular
option uh as an alternative so watch it
watch this space is about all I can say
with that one um Council we still have
some questions still to work through and
then from members of the gallery as well
next next one is from Deb Ramsey who is
not attending but will be read out by Mr
Montgomery thank you and show you Mr
Mayor the question is as follows I'm
quite pleased to see that Council plans
retain male and female toilets with the
compromise of gender neutral toilets as
well everyone should be satisfied will
the council give assurance that the
signage the um will use the words male
and female on appropriate toilets to
avoid confusion about allowing men who
identify as women or vice versa into the
opposite sex toilets it would be no
compromise at all if men who identify as
women were to be allowed access to
female
toilets director
weather than you Mr Mayor and and thank
you for the question signage on public
toilets will be reflective of identified
use that is male female disability
accessible and all gender the public
toilet strategy includes a strategic
action which is number 55 in the
document to undertake work work with the
council's gender advisory committee in
regard to Future signage design building
code requirements will also be required
to be taken into consideration with
regard to location and placement of
signage the signage will provide the
expectation about the toilets intended
use thank you director wetheral um just
before Mia who is I think leaving with
Mom thank you very much for taking the
time to come in and present to us
tonight very brave for a young person so
well done and thank you
the the next question is from Kylie
ferns who is not attending but will also
be read out thank you and three Mr Mayor
the question is as follows for the sake
of correct use of toilets can Council
please clarify their definition of the
terms woman and man and female and male
director
weal than you Mr Mayor and uh thank you
for the question as per chapter four of
the public toilet strategy public
toilets are for everyone the strategy
seeks to consider diverse Community
needs especially when planning or
building a new public toilet diverse
Community needs include those with a
physical disability vision impaired
people children and young people older
people parents and carers culturally and
linguistically diverse people
lgbtqia plus people people experiencing
homelessness women and people
menstruating and people with blad and B
challenges thank you Mr Mayor thank you
director weal question two Mr
Montgomery thank you Mr Mayor the
question is as follows um is a trans
person that appears to look like a man
um to a reasonable person currently
given access to women's toilets and
change spaces director
we you Mr Mayon thanks for the second
question all people have a right to be
safe welcome respected and considered in
the city of valat toilet facilities the
public toilet strategy guides the future
provision of public toilets across the
municipality to ensure to ensure they
are clean safe and welld designed for
all a service and typology guide has
been developed as part of the strategy
to provide the city of bat with guidance
on provision and configuration uh
meaning the number of cubicles in a new
toilet um in new and upgraded toilets
the strategy does not seek to determine
who can access toilets and change spaces
thank you director wetheral uh councelor
hug Graves thank you Mr Mayor thank you
for the answer and to that question
through you to director weol if I may I
just wondered about the word currently
in there to me that question is pointing
not sort of toward the strategy
necessarily itself but just to give a
little bit of clarity about what the
situation is currently if that happened
thank you councelor HR Director
wether thank you uh for the question um
I think currently is just a point in
time I me and that's our position is
that anyone um can determine the the
toilet of their choice that suits them
um and we don't expect that to change in
fact we will be encouraging uh people to
have a broader range um and be more
inclusive in new and upgraded toilets um
as they're
constructed thank you director weal
cancel
Eddie um thank you Mr Mayor and probably
through through you to director weather
all again I still struggle a little bit
with understanding this um and I thought
I had it right after yesterday I had
some clarification but I'm getting
confused again tonight it seems to me
that and happy to be corrected in one
sense that our signage
indicates uh who the toilets are
primarily aim for
um and the strategy very much is about
planning for the future to broaden the
range of options and and to certainly
address some of our older facilities
which are very stereotype of male and
female um the the real challenge I have
here is um trying to protect that older
woman in a female toilet um from feeling
uncomfortable or threatened should
someone as to this question who who
appears to be a male I use that word in
terms of this question coming into that
toilet and I'm not sure I actually quite
understand what we're saying thank you
thank you cancer Eddie director
weal uh thank you for the
question this is is is a challenging
space um ideally we would like to get to
a point in time where we have toilet
facilities that have fixtures and
fittings that people can choose to use
that suit their needs and what I mean by
that is um a change table it might have
a broader door so people can have
wheelchair access it has a seat where
children can can sit and and get changed
um it has a number of different um
facilities because as we know we've sort
of moved away from a very binary
description
of of what a facility a toilet is um so
in we're trying to accommodate um the
the diverse needs of the community in
our new
toilets they will be um we've got three
basic types the basic um a standard and
a destination toilet and those those
sorts of toilets are fitted to their
circumstance so a basic style toilet
would be one where there's it's a local
park um and would normally have well the
typology guide recommends that it would
be a two cubicle toilet one would be uh
DDA compliant and the other one would
likely be all gender but as you move up
to a destination style toilet you would
which would be something like an Alfred
Deacon place or something potentially
we're looking to build at Lake wender
there would be four or so cubicles where
you'd have a DDA compliant a male a
female and an all-gender toilet so it's
trying to accommodate um all sorts of
people and their needs we are not going
to go and retrofit all of our toilets we
understand there's opportunities to
enhance the facilities and fixtures in
our current network of toilets and that
might and then also enhance cleaning and
so forth um and look over time at at
evolving our uh facilities to cater for
everyone's needs hope that answers your
question thank you director wetheral the
next question is from from Sha M who is
not attending and will be read out by Mr
Montgomery thank you and through you uh
Mr Mayor the question is as follows is
Clause 74.3 point6 of the Community Law
local local law 2017 inoperative as a
result of section 713 of the Local
Government Act thank you Mr M director
Robertson through you Mr Mayor and thank
you Mr M for the question the city of
bat Community local law precedes the
introduction of the Local Government Act
2020 um at the time the community local
law was developed it was developed in
accordance of with the 1989 Local
Government Act uh when city of bat
Community local law is next reviewed and
developed which won't be until
2027 it will be reviewed in accordance
with current legislation and will
therefore ensure consistency and meet
legislative requirements thank you and
question two sorry sorry hares you sorry
three you Mr Mayor would it be possible
um to get that actual clause in the
community law read out for us I'm not
exactly Clause 74.3 point6 of community
local law 2017 I don't think those words
mean I don't know what they mean to most
of us but I'm not sure for sure director
Robertson do you have that readily
available I could have it readily
available
D director Robertson whoever
has that in front of
them thank you Mr Mayor um yes happy to
um to read it out so it's the section
that talks to council buildings and
behavior in municipal buildings um so it
is Clause 74.3
point6 um so it states unless authorized
by the council or an authorized officer
or delegated officer a person must not
in a municipal building except for a
child under the age of 6 years years in
the care of responsible of a responsible
person and for a carer providing
assistance to a person with a disability
enter or use any dressing room shower
convenience or other area in a municipal
building which has been appropriated for
persons of the opposite
gender thank you Council har Graves
sorry it is confusing um and I know
we're not into the debate yet but I just
I heard the word gender in the in the
law as it's described um there was a
question earlier about the definitions
of male female woman and man
um how do we interpret that I don't
really know what that means in terms of
is it gender is it biological sex is it
yeah do we know what that means can we
have that explained at all thank you
Council Hargraves director weal Dear Mr
Mayor my read of it and I'm happy to be
corrected by others in governance um
elsewhere is it's the word opposite
gender um so that in itself
um in in my in my view means that
there's two genders where in fact we're
not inclusive of
non-binary um so a revision of the local
law
could um take on uh the third gender but
happy to to be corrected by others thank
you director we councilor hugr does
that so I would imagine this piece of
local law is very gray at the moment and
may be tested at some point that will
give some case law clarification of the
modern standards of our modern society I
think at the moment but at the moment it
would be appear very gray and unlikely
to have been been used as a provision
director Robertson I can confirm that we
have never enacted on that part of the
local law and I can also confirm that we
are currently because it does take a
long time to introduce a new community
local law but we are looking at it from
a legal perspective and certainly to be
uh non-binary um and all Associated
things that come into effect with the
new Local Government Act of
2020 yep for
sure okay
uh second question from Mr
M thank you Mr Mr Mayor the question is
as follows in light of the bins for
Block's awareness and advocacy Campaign
Will Council consider providing sanitary
disposal bins in male public toilets
which can be used by trans men who are
menstrating or men who are experienced
incontinence director
weel you Mr Mayor and thank you for the
second question the public toilet
strategy makes recommendations in
regards to the provision of sanitary
services including an action number 42
which states we seek to determine the
provision of sat sanitary disposal bins
in male public toilets on a caseby casee
basis uh we noted the provision of bins
to will also support incontinence in
male public toilets um that will be
inclusive of that Sanitary Service and
also at action number 41 we talk to uh
providing sanitary disposal bins in
female and all gender toilets thank you
Mr thank you director wetheral uh the
next question is from Miss Louise who I
believe is attending this evening please
come
forward could please repeat your name
and the subb where you reside and then
happy to hear your question uh Louise
Carrick uh from wender thank
you now my question is and
it's going to be interesting to see uh
my question is I'm pleased to note that
at least one exclusively male and one
exclusively female toilet as well as
caring for gender neutral needs are to
be provided as part of this public
facility
strategy the problem now
is I don't think anyone's brave enough
to decide what a female is and what a
male
is uh because as soon
as I want my question is will the
signage accurately reflect who each of
the facilities is designed
for taking into account the male female
Dynamic of say parent and
child thank you very much for the
question director
wetheral than you Mr Meritt thank you m
Carri for the question I I've spoke um
in my previous answer to the Strategic
Direction about um Consulting on future
signage design but also note that um as
I've also previously discussed the
future um toilet provision will be
dependent on where a new or upgraded
toilet is so the ability to have a
cubicle that's dedicated to male that's
dedicated to female that's dedicated to
disability access and dis uh dedicated
to all gender will be provided at a
destination toilet what does all gender
mean non-binary male Fe
female so they will be and for anyone to
use
um so those those destination toilets
will be the ability to
accommodate everyone's needs in separate
cubicles um they will cost we estimate
you know uh probably about
$400,000 without consideration of all
the other site works and studies that
need to need to be undertaken in a new
site because they are quite costly and
because those facilities are really to
be located in high use areas it's it's
unlikely we can fund that sort of toilet
at every public toilet location that's
why we have to look at other options to
reduce um the number of cubicles and
therefore reduce the cost but still try
and find the best solution um to
accommodating diverse needs and and as I
mentioned previously in the basic type
toilet it would be a DDA compliance so
all toilets have to under the Australian
standard offer disability access so
every toilet will have a DDA Compliant
toilet it's subsequent to that that an
all gender toilet might might be added
to the disability access toilet or
cubicle what in the same one in to the
cubicle so there's two cubicles for
example at a basic toilet so there'd be
a DDA compliant cubicle and an all
gender toilet and then uh at a a
standard type toilet where we' be
looking about three cubicles which again
cost about
$300,000 looking at a DDA compliant a
male and female again these sorry can I
just interrupt you so in the we're
entering into the debate that I'm happy
if you've got a second question but not
a backward and forward at this stage the
director has provided a response so
happy for a second question to be asked
but will not enter into a debate back
and
forward right uh my second question how
will this strategy reflect the diverse
needs of people with physical
disabilities I noticed that this is an
issue with the public facilities in the
Bridge
Mall director weal you Mr Baron thank
you for the question um as I previously
noted under the Australian standards um
every new facility must be have at least
one cubicle that's disability accessible
um so every new facility will have a DDA
compliant cubicle um and and our ability
to retrofit our existing stock will
happen over time as as our current
assets come up for Renewal or
upgrade thank you director
wether thank you Miss carig for your
questions this
evening Bill sorry Bill we still have a
couple more questions to come oh you
have oh okay absolutely come forward
sorry Jump The Cure feeling a bit that's
fine at the moment um I I I don't really
have a question sorry if you could
please just St your name and the sub oh
sorry uh Willam AEL from uh wender thank
you um I just wanted to to make a point
if I could to uh to council um I was
born in America and uh 60 years ago at
the age of 16 I was granted citizenship
to Australia at a ceremony on Australia
Day I still recall mayor Phillips
handing me my certificate shaking my
hand and saying you are now an
Australian citizen I see that there's a
a a a move or something to remove the
ceremonies uh Australia Australia
ceremonies from um Australia day and I
just like to to make the point that uh
it is um it's an extremely proud time
that on Australia Day you are made an
Australian citizen it just wouldn't be
the same if you were made an Australian
citizen on Melbourne Cup Day or Mother's
Day or some other day it it's not as
significant as Australia Day
congratulations you are now an
Australian citizen uh and that's purely
the point uh that I like to toight and
thank you for your time thank you Mr
this is question from might understand
your issue with your diabetes so happy
to have that heard now uh it will be
part of the um topic which is debated as
notices of motion later on thank you
very much for coming in thanks for your
time thank you thank you um going back
to our sorry councilor codes sorry okay
going back to our questions Kate pointer
is with us this evening please come
forward
if you please repeat your name and the
suburb we resort and then happy to hear
your question uh hi my name is Kate
pointer I'm in bong um M pointer could
you just pull the microphone a little
bit closer to you if you don't mind
thank you I'm in bong uh thank you I
actually had a question an email came
through today because I don't really
know that I've asked a question but I
would like to speak to the issue of the
public toilets if I may so do you have a
a question I a question why only one
that would be the overarching thing and
when I go shopping I always try and
count how many things on the shopping
list because when I get to the checkout
I go okay six things that I got them so
I want you to I've got six things that I
want the council to consider okay so is
this a I need to understand are you
asking a question or if yours is a
submission I'm happy to hear it when we
have the draft public toilet strategy I
have as the item that's debated if you
have a question I need you to ask a
question do you think it's a question my
question is why only one so I have to
wait yeah if if you've got a question
I'm trying to make it as easy as
possible for you so you your questions
at the right time can I just go it's
it's under 500 Words it's really quick
okay so I understand that the council
has conceded that it must provide at
least one female toilet for women and uh
women and girls and one male toilet for
men and boys and a gender neutral toilet
to cater for gender diverse people and
those who don't wish to or feel any need
to recognize or acknowledge the sex
differences now I would argue that the
people who don't mind using the unisex
toilet are probably predominantly male I
don't like them I one toilet each is a
good base to work from however I am
concerned that women and girls may find
themselves at a disadvantage and for the
reasons that follow the six I strongly
urge counsil to provide sufficient more
than one public toilet facility in each
location for the exclusive use by women
girls in bat and surrounding areas one
females of all ages need safeguarding
from opportunistic males who can and do
cause harm this is an issue that runs
24/7 and relates to the home and the
public sphere male violence and male
sexual violence exist in our communities
and we must always keep these in mind
when changing policy the impacts upon
the safety and resources for use by
women and girls as they move through the
world women and girls require designated
Single Sex spaces made available to them
in the public sphere where they can seek
rest spite from males for even when they
need it the public toilet can act as a
place of Refuge for women and girls who
seek safety and we saw Mia said that her
friend went to the toilet when she
didn't feel safe she used that toilet as
a refuge uh two women and girls
generally take longer in the toilet as
they often have to remove clothing to go
three this removal of clothing can make
them
vulnerable four women and girls on
account of being of the female sex
experience menstruation and menstruation
is Manifest in Blood and blood can be
messy and it can sneak up on you and
catch you unawares menstruation can
manifest as pain and discomfort and when
in cycle women and girls might need a
little more time to get thems sorted and
maybe need a moment to just take a
breather five many women are mothers and
daughters and carers they use public
toilets for themselves and they can also
help facilitate the use of the toilet by
others in their care so women need the
resource of space to accommodate and
enable this caring that they do in the
public space that can be clothes and
prams and walking frames and so on and
Six Women lead busy lives we don't want
to be hanging around the toilets waiting
to use the one toilet that has been
provided for their exclusive use women
need proper facilities that meet our
particular needs so that's six things
that I hope that you will consider and
I'm glad to have it on the record that
it was said and thank you thanks M
pointer so for coming can we have more
than one is my
question sorry director wetheral I think
there was I missed that I missed the
last just the last bit so yes so can we
have more than one toilet allocated for
women because we do take longer we often
have cleaning to do and we care for
others in those spaces and if if we're
using the one toilet that's being used
and there's not necessarily another
space for other women who might feel
safer in a female toilet thank you m po
director director wether yeah thank you
for through Mr Marin thank you for the
question um as I've previously noted the
design and uh typology guide which we've
been which is part of the strategy uh
seeks to provide a balance of male
female disability access and and all
gender toilets um and so the the
destination of where that toilet is will
really um
outline the the structure of that toilet
how many cubicles it will have so it's
not always possible to have more than
one female only toilet um and it most
mostly comes down to cost and whether
it's high or low low usage location what
what I will say is when we get to the
point of understanding um our our
network of toilets for upgrade which
we've got three on the horizon that
we're looking to build three new toilets
or replace toilets there will be
Community discussion and there'll be
opportunities for the community to
engage on what we are proposing for that
area um and as we roll through our
Network I think we will continue to
evolve um and and seek feedback on on
how we're going in that space thank you
director W thank you Miss pointer for
for your submission the next question is
from Annette mcmas who I believe is
attending thank you please come
forward please just tell us your name
and your suburb B East thank you uh good
evening mayor and
councilors um as residents of Ballarat
East watch pal core increase and upgrade
their infrastructure around borad East
um the prospects of the substation going
up at 203 York Street are becoming very
real even though they're supposed to be
looking at a couple of other
sites uh everyone's increasingly worried
we're worried at how demoralizing it's
going to be for the area we're worried
for the tourism the economy for
bat uh Sovereign Hill opened in 19 1970
it's now a $260 million a year income
for Ballarat the Wildlife park opened in
1985 uh I suspect on the back of seeing
all the people Sovereign Hill was
bringing
in in
1972 the state government gave a crown
Grant to the state electricity
commission and I'm sure if it was still
in state hands they would realize that
50 years on this is a most inappropriate
site it's a direct route between
Sovereign Hill and the Wildlife Park the
other morning on Monday morning between
8:30 and 9:30 I counted
487 Vehicles go past plus five Caravans
Caravans are from out of town this
proposed substation it's a Zone
substation and if you look at the one
corner or up in Douglas and Sutton
Street you'll realize the size of it
it's going to take up the whole
block and it's only about 10 m away from
a Heritage overlay drain uh her uh
h172 and the galy penny weight galy and
the Warren Heap Creek there are walks
there beautiful walks if you start from
up near the wildlife Park and walk down
the Warren Heap Creek it's beautiful and
when you're almost in the city you're
going to have this hideous sight in
front of you a great Cyclone Fence with
razor wire around it Miss mm I will ask
you to come to your question right okay
my question is that the there are
residents and then there's you the
council and then there's our MP our
representative of Eureka Kaya settle who
is our region who her Min her portfolio
is regional development from there down
goes the state government departments
from M Michaela settle and DEA and parks
and they have access to the government
solicitors and they they are also the
DEA and Parks also locals and they have
access to local information and
knowledge of the area uh they could
report back with promising sight
to
contact UM and as councilors and as
residents who are really worried about
this we would really appreciate if you
could contact uh Michaela settle and let
her know our great concern about this
and the effect it could have on bat and
how demoralizing it's going to be and
the lasty impression and I'm wondering
just how whether Council has or whether
prepared to do this for us thank you m
MCM for C director
Robertson through you Mr Mayor and um M
MC Master thank you for the question
so to clarify it um the land is zoned
public use Zone schedule one pu Z1 which
means services and utilities the use of
the land for utilities and Associated
buildings and works is as of right to
the land manager
to this end no permission from the city
of bat is required to construct a
service utility on this land so long as
it is carried out by that public land
manager who power core are in this case
at the council meeting of 26 of July
2023 a report was considered in relation
to this matter and Council resolved to
note that report um and did not support
the proposed location for or do not
support the proposed location for the
power or electrical substation at 203
York Street bat East and that Council
offices right to power core um
advocating for identification of
alternative
locations correspondence has been
provided to power cor to this effect and
officers continue to liaz with power
core who have committed to inform
community and Council once it has
determined if the York Street location
becomes its preferred site I do
understand they are looking at other
sites as well thank you right question
pleas sorry just one councelor coaches
uh yes Mr Mayor just wondering in line
with that position of council that we've
already adopted can we can we add that
advocacy to to the list of issues to
discuss with the relevant State Ms and
ministers given that we've we've formed
a position of council that we're we've
heard quite loudly the the very relevant
concerns from local residents so can we
can we actually do that absolutely I
have a because we already have a
position meeting scheduled with Michaela
settle either next week or the week
after the first one for quite a few
months but absolutely happy to add that
to the list councilor
Johnson thank you Mr Mayor and well done
on your ongoing advocacy on behalf of
yourself and your neighbors it's great
to see you back in here again and I
think it's very important that uh we all
continue to raise this issue regularly
uh and Advocate really strongly around
the fact that it's not an appropriate
location and I'm aware that there are
other alternative locations that seem
much more appropriate that are less
likely to impact on the amenity um of of
residents uh in what is a uh quite
populated area of our city um and likely
to impact on the quiet enjoyment of your
your your property of which you have the
right to so I agree um that we continue
or I agree with the idea that we need to
continue to Advocate um strongly on your
behalf and to power core and I I wish
there was more that we could do uh
within this chamber to stop this from
going ahead because I think it's
completely inappropriate and uh in line
with our motion of council um I'd like
to once again reiterate that uh we as a
group think that it's not the
appropriate location
and that we encourage power cor to
continue to work to find an alternative
uh site for the substation thank you
councelor Johnson and Council had a
briefing from Power cor probably a
couple of months ago now and I think
some of the feedback to the members from
palore that came and spoke was that we
felt they were very disingenuous with
their consultation with the community
and F they were somewhat almost paying
lip service to the community so that was
a very firm feedback back to them from
us as the councilors who had heard from
the community that you're not being
consulted and part of the ongoing
discussion so Council McIntosh uh
through you Mr Mayor just to give Miss
McMaster uh some degree of confidence I
think she's probably heard from our
Council already that that we as a
collective have enormous concerns about
this positioning and uh the specific and
very clear request from Miss McMaster
was that we write to Michaela settle um
I concur with councelor coats's
uh support and encouragement that we
write to the members of parliament um
but specifically recognize that you're
requesting that we write to Michaela
settle wh whom is one of those uh and
thank you for your continued lobbying
and support and to finish I think we
need to move another motion we we do
Council M your timing is impeccable if
you would like to move it we extend for
one further period second and Council
Maloney all those in favour against
that's car say thank you very much for
your presentation can can I just add one
thing it's not just Interstate people
that are coming along this particular
route of York Street uh the other day I
had the pleasure unknowingly to be in
the company of a very famous band that
had just played the previous night to
53,000 people at Marvel
uh oval uh they were at Mr Darby's for a
coffee and they were in Bat East they
came to bat East to the Wildlife Park
they didn't come to see the lake or to
go to Sovereign Hill they came to see
the animals at the Wildlife Park in bad
East and they said it was a lovely place
so if they were to go past and see this
hideous construction there if it goes
ahead that you know that's just so out
of place yeah thank you MC Miss MCM I
will certainly not only just write but
have a face tof face conversation with
um the member for Eureka but I'm also
happy to write to the energy Minister
Lily de Osio as well to make sure that's
covered off at that level as well
Council VES great to hear Mr Mayor that
that direct advocacy with the MPS will
continue just a question for my own
interest which band was it that uh it
was uh mutle
crew yes
very good thank you very much for taking
the time to come in again um Miss
Jennifer Patterson who I believe is
attending thank you m Patterson if you
please repeat your name and tell us the
suburb where you reside Jenny Patterson
borash and I'm actually the person
that's been coming into Council about
the substation this is the neighbor
she's new to the fight fantastic and
you've actually
R you've actually already answered my
question anyway but I will still write
it I will still read it to you again um
good evening Mr Mayor and councilors in
light of many more of my community
starting to realize the substation is
planned at 203 York Street and a further
larger petition to be tabled later in
the meeting I would like to ask if there
is any other way Council can advocate
for our community perhaps as a
suggestion a state MP being involved
might add some weight to our suggestions
for land swap we understand your
limitations however we have not been
able to get any answers from Power call
and I believe they don't answer you
either properly as per Natalie uh and as
always we appreciate your support but
you've already answered my question um
but I think Kay might need a bit of a
closed door meeting with you with some
alternate suggestions for land sites
that she's probably not going to be able
to present tonight so I'm certainly
happy for to be able to come in and see
me and uh we can talk and you can show
me more of the proposals that you've got
got quite significant quite significant
work done on that so uh and I sent
everyone a message earlier about a big
fire at a substation in yell 12 months
ago and there was no houses around it
where we are totally enclosed that area
is totally enclosed by houses so if a
fire like that broke out in a substation
there we would have to be evacuated we
we certainly hav haven't forgotten the
plot of the York Street residents Y and
in terms of our advocacy even though our
hands are little bit T but we continue
to raise the issue we're probably a
little bit skeptical as well when talk
of bew and others that for my view I
think it there after something on that
side of town but they could be looking
in other industrial sites on that side
of town so yeah we we'll continue to
keep doing the advocacy and hopefully
combined people power might get a result
we appreciate appreciate your support
and also the fact that we can always
contact you and you're always willing to
contact me back again it's great
absolutely fantastic Council Macintosh I
just wanted to say thank you to miss
Patterson as well to recognize the work
that you are doing advocating on behalf
of your community and and the
significant um interest and engagement
that you've brought with you um I am
very aware that you've been working on
this for quite a while and you have made
a significant effort to to ensure that
we're all very familiar and very clear
with the challenges um it it certainly
is very obvious here in the council
chamber that that's the case and and to
see your neighbors um putting in so much
energy and effort is I think really
worth recognizing just to say thank you
we'll keep being a voice as much as we
possibly can thank you and thank you for
your support thank you thank you uh
final question from our submitters
online is from Miss Sue Broad way who I
believe is attending please come
forward and please repeat your name tell
us the suburb where you reside and then
ask your question yes um Sue Broadway
bad East um so change of subject um I'm
here to speak about Waste Management um
in particular recycling in the Ballarat
area so um as a rate payer I hear
constantly about recycling from the city
of Ballarat yet our facilities remain
outdated and nowhere near sufficient to
meet current expectations around
recycling um I notice in the agenda
tonight the metrics that you've
published in there um there's a massive
percentage of our waste in Bat ends up
in landfill and as we know landfill is
expensive to us and to the environment
and trucking waste to Melbourne
constantly or recycle waste is not the
answer um moving to a circular economy
is vital and this needs to include
residents and the ability to enable our
waste to be recycled and reused
effectively including residents being
able to request recycle and green bins
where currently they're unable to um my
question is when can residents expect
action on waste management and recycling
to to commence in Ballarat that meets the
expectations of our environmental
responsibilities as a community what
recycling plans have been developed and
how are we as a city managing the
transition away from landfill thank
thank you for the question director
wetheral thank you Mr Mar and uh thank
you for the question our Wast and
environment team are constantly looking
for opportunities to improve resource
recovery outcomes for materials we
manage and officers from the team
attended the waste explo recently held
in Melbourne the city of Ballarat has an
active project to address the lack of
waste and recycling infrastructure in
the region and retain the value of
materials in our region over the past 12
months city of Ballarat has been
collaborating with six surrounding local
government authorities and Central
Highlands water on a procurement project
that is seeking to attract local
circular economy focused processing
solutions for Waste and Recycling
materials that we manage the first this
first expression of Interest phase was
conducted in April this year and
received a strong industry response the
second request for proposal phase of the
project seeking more detailed proposals
for Organics recyclables and residual
waste was recently released to the
market and is currently under evaluation
to facilitate council's vision for the
establishment of a regional circular
circular economy Precinct this
procurement project has been designed to
run in parallel with development
Victoria beware land expression of
interest to allow the businesses the
opportunity to secure the appropriate
land and materials from the region and
you'll also note that our recent
decision in regards to curbside
transition will enable um a better
sorting of the materials as well to then
hopefully Reach This circular economy
Precinct
thank you director wetheral any further
question Miss Broadway oh sorry
councilor Taylor um just before that and
again just um bit of clarity we did
allocate money in the budget now many
many years and and we've been uh
advocating pretty hard to state and
federal government about a facility to
look at reducing what goes to landfill
we also have the challenge that nearly
50% of our land fillers by commercial
and Industrial Waste as well so it's
it's got to be a joint approach by all
of community and within the region
because we received waste external to
Ballarat too um but uh I've got to say a
big compliment to McCullum and working
with the local um or sorry the the
Melbourne company around container
deposit it's great to see that started
in Canadian where Community can go and
uh and support a local organization
who's managing the container deposit
again reducing waste of landfill and and
hopefully giving money back to the
community thank you councelor Tyler any
further question Miss broad yep
yep in relation to the Organics I've
read the information about the bins and
things like that but I think we need to
go further like what are we doing with
plastic and other other materials
um Industrial Waste um in relation to
Industrial Waste the council looking at
when they're approving permits and
things like that is sustainability part
of those permits like businesses need to
be having sustainability in their
planning applications so that they're
looking at what are they doing with
waste and are they reusing stuff and
putting it into recycling where possible
um but my other question was um hang on
because I had to reword this oh yeah so
um recently I went to a um a careers
Expo in Melbourne which was about
climate jobs and simultaneously at the
same time there's a waste Expo put on
and I even picked up a little brocher
there um so it's designed at councils
and helping councils introduced waste
recycling in areas other than just green
waste and things like that so I wanted
to know was the Ballarat City Council
present at the waste Expo it's run
annually and did we get any information
from there to assist us with introducing
waste policies thank you director
weel Mr Marin yes we did have officers
attend um we have offices attend each
year from our landfill um Team through
to our circular economy team and our
executive manager wasting environment
who are always seeking to um find new
ideas and opportunities but the but it
basically comes down to if there's no
Market locally we can't just create one
by ourselves so there's a lot of work
that has to be done um we can create the
materials but we have to have someone
that's willing to take it and then
someone who's willing to turn that into
a product that someone else wants so
it's quite a complex process um but
really appreciate the passion and
interest that you have in waste because
yeah it's everyone's problem thank you
director with thank you Miss Broadway
thank you councelor coat um yes and
really really just to reiterate some of
the points made by councilor Taylor that
it waste does cut across all the levels
of government and we do actually need
strong policy support and resourcing
support from the other levels of
government as well to really lift the
ambition so so really appreciate
Community interest and and even advocacy
to other levels of government as well
around things like really embedding it
into the Way businesses do business that
generally has to be mandated at state or
federal level and i' certainly advocate
for for that as well so thanks again for
your interest and passion thank you
Council coach thank you Miss Broadway
for your presentation this evening any
other questions from the gallery Mr
Williams please come
forward please state your name and
suburb Frank Williams in ver May Park
thank you Mr Williams thank you Mr
Mayor um Mr Mayor councilors and
officers my first question relates to
the um report 8.7 and I know four points
are highlighted there so the question is
what were the tangible benefits of the
city of bat delegation visiting inagar
in August 23 thank you Mr Williams and
certainly some of the discussions um
centered around opportunities as we go
forward especially in a
postco era some of the things things
that had been lost over time especially
with our School connections at being
able to reinvigorate our schoolto school
relationship um exchange of students
that can come from inagawa to Ballarat
from Ballarat to inagawa I think
councelor Johnson raised an issue in the
Forum around uh music and choir as
potentially an exchange um and it was
just about reconnecting and building
that friendship and sister city to go
forward um after a couple of years of
uncertainty so it was very productive in
terms of the the mutual respect between
both
cities thank you Mr Mayor um my second
question relates to where is the
extensive collection of artifacts and
memorabilia given to the city of bat by
our sister city inao over the last 35
years great question Mr Williams and I
think what
those of us that attended on this
delegation was able to see a very proud
collection of gifts that have been given
to various delegations that were on
display in the library in inagawa I
think that is something for us to be
able to look at and hopefully a space in
our new library when that is opened
dedicated in a similar way to be able to
show our sister city uh relationship
with inoa as we go forward Mr director
Wilson you might be able to comment in
relation to that uh through you Mr Mayor
and thank you for the question uh Mr
Williams and certainly happy to comment
further um there were there were a
number of those items on display at the
Ballarat Central Library uh prior to its
closure for renovations and so they are
currently under careful storage and um
just to support the response by Mr May
once the libraries reopened um careful
consideration will be given as to how we
can respectfully um reestablish a an
appropriate display of select items
thank you Mr
Mayor there was only really one small
cabinet plus a ceremonial line in the
library previously how will that
change sorry director
Wilson uh through you Mr Mayor thank you
for that follow-up question uh well
through the library renovation we will
look at how we can increase that display
of we'll also look at how we might be
able to spread the display of items
through other Branch libraries so that
there's an opportunity for Community
across our Branch libraries to
experience I suppose the the items that
have been exchanged through the sister
city um agreement between iniga and bat
over the many years thank you Mr Mayor
Mr Williams there was also a significant
koala Mosaic which is currently hanging
in the Phoenix building but behind the
glass doors unless you have reason to go
beyond the glass doors you wouldn't know
it existed the sister of that Mosaic is
proudly on display at the library in
enawa and I think potentially our Mosaic
koala could come from in the Phoenix
building and be on display at the
library for more people to certainly
appreciate and understand the sister
city
relationship thank you Mr Mayor and can
I congratulate you and Council ready on
your appointments and thank um Council
Johnson for her contribution as well
thank you very much Mr Williams thank
you there are no other questions oh
sorry sorry yes an an M Master again b
e sorry you've had your question time
sorry Anette BM bat e no but you're
sorry you have had an opportunity to ask
a question or questions tonight um
they'll need to now wait sorry s you you
have had an opportunity to ask questions
of council tonight so yeah thank you
very much thank you thank you um to
everyone in the gallery this evening
there was a great array of questions
that have been submitted online and from
those people that came in question time
went for almost two hours uh across a
whole range of different topics so thank
you for being engaged in the Democratic
process council's item SE moving into
the officer reports item seven is the
chief EX itive officer report is there a
council willing to move the chief
executive officer report move councelor
Johnson second councelor Macintosh
councel Johnson do you wish to speak to
the thank you Mr Mayor happy to move the
chief executive officers report uh
drawing attention to a couple of uh
points within the report one of which is
that our city of bat estro day awards
are now opened so they opened on Monday
uh if anyone in our community knows of
um people that contribute a great deal
to community life whether that's through
their professional work volunteer work
uh or other activities within the
community we would love you to consider
putting them forward uh I don't have the
closing date for nominations Mr Mayor um
but usually they're open for at least a
few weeks the other item that I'm ke to
highlight is in relation to the Bridge
Mall obviously there are some
significant work going on down there at
the moment and the Christmas period is
usually a time when the mall is quite
busy we would like to encourage our
residents to remember that the uh
businesses in the Bridge Mall are
absolutely still open and operating so
keep them in mind uh as you have uh
indicated within your CEO's report when
um thinking of th those Christmas
presents and also day-to-day shopping
that those businesses are down there and
well they have had uh A disruption of um
trade due to fewer people frequenting
the area um during construction we want
to strongly encourage our community to
get behind those businesses and support
them thank you Mr Mayor thank you
councelor Johnson councel
McIntosh accept as
tabled thank you any Council speaking
for the motion against the motion put
the motion all those in favour against
the motion is carried
councilor's officers report item sorry
councelor Taylor no councelor Co sorry
counc coats H yes Mr Mayor I was going
to propose a short break if if other
councilors are open to that yeah thank
you coun seconded councel all those in
favour of a short adjournment against
[Applause]
carried we're back live council's motion
to resume standing orders move councilor
Harris second to councilor Eddie all
those in favour against against that's
carried council's item 8.1 is the draft
public toilet
strategy any questions to start off with
councilors or is someone happy to move a
motion councelor
Maloney move Council Maloney second to
councelor Harris councelor Maloney you
have the
floor uh thanks Mr Mayor as we've
already heard a bit tonight during
public question time the the issue of
public toilets can be pretty contentious
one who would have you know initially
when we started out in this this journey
several months ago before consultation
that you get so much feedback but on
reflection it makes complete sense
because uh when you go to the toilet
you're at your most vulnerable no matter
who you are and what your background is
um so people need to be feeling safe and
in a clean environment and we're lucky
that a lot of cities around Australia
provide that comfort in the first place
because if you anyone who travels know
you're got to pay for that community in
the US or in Europe we're quite lucky to
have facilities here in Australia
provided by all the the um several
hundred municipalities across the
country um this this public toilet
strategy not only goes to making sure
that they're safe and clean um but
providing for a range of um
accessibilities whether people from a
disability a range of different genders
um I thank everyone who's been a part of
the the process so far um I'll make a
brief comment though about the um the
toilets around Lake wender um I guess um
that is one of our busiest um public
thorough fars and we've seen the recent
removal of a redundant toilet uh and it'
be good to uh to to see the strategy
progress a bit further so obviously I
take the officers are recommended uh in
there that the southwest corner of the
lake um eventually get a toilet given
the amount of events and um uh that take
place down that part of the lake as well
as the regular thoroughfare it' be great
to see that happen sometime in the not
too dist in future but again given the
complexity of the issue um I'm glad that
officers have actually taken on board
all the the range of feedback it's not
an easy one there a lot of compromise uh
there's a lot of different diverse
people to to consider and this does
strike the right balance so wel done to
the officer team thank you Council
Maloney councelor Harris is the
second um yeah just briefly Mr it's a
it's good strategic work and I think the
offic is for it uh it is it is know one
of those funny things isn't it because I
mean the whole thing is if you you go
home and you say someone can use your
toilet you just say yeah you know you
don't ask their you know their gender
you don't ask anything it's just like um
one of those things that we're having
difficulty just sort of making that
transition to in the public space but
it's something to reflect on as indeed
to some of that language in our local
law if you're not the other gender you
know sort of just that sort of binary
slap that you just forget about so we we
do have a long way to move and we do
want everyone feeling comfortable we
also got a lot of toilets to supply and
I think that's we heard that as well we
want people to feel safe and have enough
public toilets available as Council
Maloney said that we're probably lucky
as a a um uh is a public infrastructure
we accept as a responsibility for you
know all our Sports grounds and the like
um and we do and and I think they have
actually improved if you go to uh our
own toilets but um when to use public
toilets uh you know in the city I think
they probably a standard that's
increased a lot over 10 years so it
befits us to have a policy out there to
get things right uh and also um what as
Council Maloney was saying I think we
we're all wearing that loss of the
toilets um up at near near Loretto I
think we've had many complaints about it
but as indeed there aren't many toilets
on if you flip the other side as well
there's a big gap on the other side of
the lake as well at the start of the
Roaring courses so there's a few places
and maybe after fixation around that
area has probably got to shift a bit but
um that's certainly one we heard loud
and clear well but um in saying that I
hardly endorse it thank you councelor
Harris councilor speaking against the
motion speaking for the motion councelor
Eddie thanks Mr May and it has taken me
a little bit of time to get my head
around the intricacies of the wording
and uh some of the uh the work uh that's
been done but but I do want to commend
the officers because I think they've
done a really good job in what's a
fairly challenging and diverse space so
I think that um you know tonight I've
got a higher level of comfort with that
and in addition to what's been said by
councelor Maloney and Harris I think the
the critical thing for me
is not forgetting those smaller Regional
areas within our boundaries um the tin
sheds that still exist the the very old
Antiquated toilets that have um in some
way been modified to to make do so I
think that uh it's pleasing to see that
all those things are in the strategy and
um I just hope they're not too far down
the list so thank you thank you counc
Eddie any other Council speaking for the
motion councilor
Macintosh uh through you Mr Mayor uh
just briefly to reiterate much the same
over the other councilors but also to
highlight some
um amendments to the recommendation that
reflect a lot of the conversation that's
happened between this um strategy
initially being drafted and now that
it's being put to us and I think that's
really important that's what our job is
to make sure that we are listening to
the community that we really understand
and reflect uh what the Comm community's
concerns are and therefore the
strategies that we put forward and
support uh will actually deliver as best
they possibly can to the needs of of our
people it's not always that we can
please everyone all the time but we can
certainly have a fair old crack at it
and and I think that that's what this
strategy does um I reflect on some of
the slight changes to the focus around
the lake for instance and and I've seen
these strategies before over my nearly
16 years on Council when something is
put in as just a guideline but it
becomes a reality and it's not
necessarily the reflection of what the
community are thinking nor mean um and
clearly in this case the positioning of
the toilet uh block that's been removed
that was part underground um it was
suggested in a particular spot which is
not necessarily the conversation or
reflective of the community feedback and
the way that the strategy written now
does allow for uh the flexibility and
and the broader consideration of where
the best spot may be rather than
preempting uh something that might not
be quite right so for those reasons I
support the strategies it's written
thank you councelor McIntosh any other
Council speaking for the motion
councilor hug
Graves thank you Mr May sorry just saw
your light Pete and I thought you was
going again um but no it's me um I speak
in favour of the motion I I think just to
um to put it out there that I think the
the questioning that we had earlier was
actually a really healthy function of
local Council um and there are people
there were people here tonight with the
same questions on their mind and
submitted and that sort of thing and I
think it a useful exercise for people to
see us tease out some of those
intricacies I still don't think I'm 100%
across all of it um and I think as you
suggested Mr Mayor some of this stuff
will have to play out over time um I
would like
to yeah just maybe reiterate that this
is more of an infrastructure um strategy
than anything we and that is a separate
issue from the local law which will be
visited I think you said
2027 um so so this really does pertain
to buildings and what they look like and
what fixtures and fittings and signage
and those sorts of things will be um
will be put in I'm pretty confident
because we've had so much around the uh
the the topic of signage that um
officers have been well across that
through the whole um process um I have
to say the the idea of destination
toilets does sound really compelling and
like somewhere we'd all love to visit
I'm sure we might get tourists visiting
bat just to check out our destination
toilets um I think at the end of the day
you know it's come up again and again
but we really just want to strive to be
safe and inclusive of everyone and have
um facilities that are that have that
feel to them for everyone so it's good
for us to scrutinize I think um you know
it's good for the the organization to be
able to get on and and do a really good
job of visiting and revisiting um the
public toilets that we do have and um
yeah that's it thank you very much
Council Hargraves any other Council
wishing to speak for the motion against
the motion put the motion all those in
favour against the motion is
carried council's item 8.2 is the draft
art gallery of belat strategic plan
councelor Harris happy to move is there
a second councilor Maloney councel
Harris you have the floor um yes happy
to endorse this Mr M draft um strategic
plan going out and councilors have had a
look at it um and I hope the um
Community will have a look too and and
give us some feedback um the gy uh plan
I think probably we've we've all seen
many you know draft strategic plans this
one's I might point out the best things
it is integrated into our own policy
Dynamics it it it makes an attempt I
hope a successful one to get better
integrated into to Victorian Federal um
initiatives as well because we solely
need that input from those other levels
of government
uh for projects around the the art
gallery the art gallery um at least when
I was um younger was nice quiet place I
think I loved it from a child then but
in reality now there's you know 5 to 700
people a day go through it there's a lot
of Education uh there's a lot of kids
there's a lot of other things going on
um uh and um those things you know
demand of us to to be uh uh have a
strategic plan that actually meets those
expectations from our community so uh
it's something we got to move forward
with as indeed um uh improving uh this
amenity for our um for our city so I'd
uh endorse it and hope um our community
can feedback to it thank you Council
Harris uh question councelor Taylor
thank you Mr Mayor and sorry to
interrupt um I just had a couple of
little technical issues so the items
actually the draft art gallery of
Ballarat strategic plan but actually a
adopting the art gallery plant so do we
actually just double checking we haven't
put this out to the community at the
moment and we don't have to we're going
to adopt it as it is actually under just
double- cheing because we got usually we
then put it out for Community
submissions and in this case uh we're
just adopting it so that's fine yep
okay Council Maloney as the
second I think Council Harris has
largely said it well but it's pleasing
to see a detailed plan that continues to
support and evolve what is easily
Australia's best Regional Gallery I
don't think there's any need to even
debate that the collection is second to
none in Regional Australia um clearly
there was a lot of Gold Rush money Mr
Mayor that went into um funding its
early days both in terms of the
impressive structure as well as the
early stages of its collection but it's
continually one of those uh places that
you a lot of bat people will proudly
show visitors around because it has such
an impressive collection that you would
expect to see in Cambra or in Melbourne
or Sydney um we're quite lucky in that
regard um my only hesitation at times
with this particular plan is that I
wonder if we can fund it all um there's
not really an attached budget to this um
there is a timeline of course stage over
several years um but um you we are
fortunate to have a gallery uh that
continues to function well continues to
um attract a lot of visitors and it's
because there's some really good people
behind it we're lucky to have a great gy
director um Cur
curators um a massive team or team of
volunteers and um and board behind it so
to all those people behind the AR we're
very impressed with what you do we're
grateful that you give us one of um one
of the country's best venues uh I just
hope we can continue to support over the
years um with the appropriate funding
thank you councelor Maloney Council
Eddie speaking for the
motion uh thank you Mr Mayor and I'm
probably a newcomer to the benefits uh
and the breadth of the art gallery to be
honest uh but I think that um in a way
that's a two-way thing it's uh the
Galler is opening itself up to the
public uh as well as me investing more
time in in understanding what it's about
but I think this plan really does you
know much better sell what the uh
gallery's position is in our community
and I think it highlights and gives us a
chance to uh help educate people on The
Collection services that are there and I
suppos to councelor Maloney's point
about that the funding of it over time
um without a good plan such as this and
without covering off and they've noted
the key areas of Staff government
structure marketing and promotion
exhibition spaces collection management
and care I mean we know what we're up
for we know what uh the community would
expect of us with this facility so I
think they've done a great job and I
certainly commend the plan thank you
thank you Council Eddie councilor
speaking against the
motion for the motion Council
McIntosh you knew didn't you um of
course I'm speaking for the motion the
gallery is a beautiful place and uh I
reflect on Mark's comments around you
know children going in there and
enjoying the quiet the serenity the
artistic opportunity and and the
Intrigue um little grandchildren the
opposite end of the scale rather than
reflecting back on my past um
experiences there which I totally loved
and there are certain pieces that many
of us will reflect on always uh but my
little grandchildren I know love going
into that space and place and
discovering and a strategic plan is one
that uh we need to follow through it
takes us into the future uh it does make
sure that we're thinking about what we
need financially
to match and deliver the Strategic plan
and equally we've got Partners around
our city like the university and and
many properties that flank the gallery
um at the moment it's fairly well locked
up there's only a certain amount of
space and and as much as it is a
beautiful gallery and it delivers to our
visitors and our locals in a magical
manner um there's a lot of other future
potential space surrounding it that may
help us deliver on some of the goals of
the Strategic plan as a group of
councilors we were uh lucky enough to
visit down underground I'm sure Council
Harris has been down there many T times
more than some of us uh to see some of
the collections and and the bound areas
that there are um the inability to best
manage and even to allow people to go
into that space and see what is there so
I think there's a lot more work that we
need to do um it would be wonderful to
win TS AO many times over and be able to
extend the boundaries of that facility
and to be able to work with uh
neighboring communities like the
university to do better with that space
um I think this strategic plan allows us
to be Visionary uh to plan ahead and to
open our minds for what else could be um
to really support and extend the gallery
for our kids into the future thank you
councilor McIntosh any Council speaking
against the motion
for the motion put the motion all those
in favour against the motion is carried
Council council's item 8.3 is the
quarterly performance report for period
ending 30th of September councelor
Taylor thank you Mr Mayor um just a
question through to the CEO our good
director unwell so he couldn't make it
tonight uh in relation to the uh what we
have um there is actually aligning there
in relation to variations uh and
forecasts that we received so positive
uh response in relation to it but then
also looking at using uh some of that uh
as variations to a contract which is Her
Majesty's theater just able to give a
comment to that and I know that actually
as part of the
recommendation uh that's written doesn't
actually talk about that should that be
added to the the motion tonight thank
you councelor Taylor Mr
Co through you Mr Mayor and thank you
councelor Taylor for that for that
question um if I can just take us back a
little bit Council obviously adopts the
the budget in in June once we've
confirmed all of our carry forwards from
the previous year Council then approves
an adjusted budget our first quarter
review then is generally a fairly high
level review we don't we don't go down
into enormous detail other than just
picking up any major variances um the
two major variances that we've
identified in the first quarter review
is an additional $1.6 million from our
financial assistance grants our
financial assistance grants are about
$18.3 million a year from the um from
the federal government and are a very
important source of funding for for
Council when we do the budget we have no
choice but to estimate what that number
is is going to be and it's quite a
complicated calculation that works out
what our financial assistance grants
will will be so we generally put it up
by a conservative number um to ensure
that um we're not in this position here
getting a lower Grant and having to try
and take cost out of out of the business
um so Victoria's portion of the
financial assistance grants pull grew
because Victoria's population is growing
at a faster rate than the rest of
Australia and then the city of bat's
population is growing at a quicker rate
than a lot of other parts in Victoria so
as a result of that we got a greater
portion of that so we got an additional
$1.6 million in financial assistance
grants we're also recognizing the need
to increase the budget for Her Majesty's
theater by$
2427 million as a result of some really
significant latent um conditions that
we've uncovered uh while redeveloping
that very important uh facility for the
city of bellat um so if you net those
out we end up with an $813,000
variance The Proposal is to take it out
of retained earnings Council has been
putting funds aside when there have been
surpluses for exactly this purpose um
clearly inflationary pressures have put
a lot of pressure on a lot of our
projects and Council has been allocating
funds into retained earnings uh to keep
them there to be able to counter any
inflationary pressures that we're
getting with the project um taking out
that 800 $1 13,000 still leaves $1.47
million in that uh retained earnings
provision for any future inflationary
pressures in regards to the uh officer
recommendation um Council Taylor I think
you raise a really valid point and if
councilors uh uh would be willing to
consider I would suggest just adding
some words to
31.1 um where it says contained within
the report and endorse the forecast
budget variances and subsequent net
result for quarter 1 2023 24 uh of a
balanced budget just to be sure that we
cover off those variances that have been
identified uh at the first quarter
review thank you Mr just to follow up to
that though will that be sufficient
though to alter the contract though um
so do you need a contract variation that
needs to be approved by Council though
Mr Co yes uh through you Mr Mayor and
thank you councel Maloney for that my
understanding is it doesn't require a
contact contract variation it just
requires an increased budget to cover um
the variations that have been received
today the forecast variations for the
remainder of the project and ensuring
that uh the contingency is maintained at
10% so part of it is contingency uh as
well thank you councelor Taylor you
happy to move second councelor Maloney
councelor you have the floor thank you
Mr Mayor and uh recently councilors did
uh do a tour on her majesties and and it
was um clearly highlighted some of the
things were raised and that happens in
in buildings that we have um you know
over many many years things can change
and adjustments made to the building and
you don't know until you get in and
start the works uh and even there was a
uh notable there was a fire in there
that wasn't uh made aware until they
actually were in there doing some works
and realizing that that that had been
caused so um you know these things mean
you can't you know you can't cut Corners
now in a Heritage building and say we're
just going to stop works and do nothing
we have to finish the job and and that
means we actually do have to allocate
more funds to it I think this is prudent
and it's good time to do it um and it's
uh I think it's a good opportunity to do
that and and therefore the motion to
change to include those words if you
said uh endorse the financial budget
variations and subsequent net result for
quarter one uh of the balanced budget so
that's um that's written on our screens
uh so more than happy to move with that
um one thing uh that does kind of stand
out and I understand this is just what
we're dealing with at the moment is uh
dealing with those backlog of planning
applications that we have uh in there
which means our results don't look very
flattering uh but I know uh feedback
that I'm hearing that that the drainage
area is getting on and moving with some
of those applications moving through um
but then um probably the big one which
we don't have listed in this report is
how many are coming in how many are
going out and how many are still within
the system and and in this case the note
clearly says that uh these items have
been um trying to get through the
backlog therefore the dates cuz they've
been resolved that numbers blown out uh
it just doesn't look healthy so really
what we want to look for is start to see
that upward slide of of those um time
taken decide and also applications
decided within the time frame so
something we will keep an eye on and
note on and uh hopefully we can see an
improvement as as we look at the next
quarter uh and that's all I'm happy to
move thank you councelor Taylor
councilor Maloney
uh thanks Mr Mayor and councelor
Taylor's um summed up the Her Majesty
situation quite well I I hate having to
approve a 2.4 million variation on
anything but the reality is it's a
building that is 150 years old next year
and um you don't know half the issues
until you start pulling back the wall
and digging the hole for the uh the the
lift Wells and um you know some crazy
brilliant engineer decided 150 years ago
or more than that to build build a
five-story um beautiful Victorian area
theater into the side of a hill with
gold mines all around it and somehow
it's been standing up for 150 years so
needless to say the grand old lady does
need some work and some rest restoration
so I'm glad that we can work our way
through that and hopefully it serves a
couple more Generations before they need
to revisit these same sort of problems
but um the um I guess the the additional
sort of thing to note there really in
this this broader financial report as
well is that um there's also some
considerable um Capital Works planned uh
around the Botanical Garden so Council
McIntosh and I are not only spent a
decade on the mge board together or more
um but we've also spent a lot of time
together on the lake and Gardens
committee too and we've seen that uh
again another bit of critical
infrastructure the irrigation system
around another old bit of infrastructure
of sorts the the 160 something year old
botanical gardens um you does have some
significant in Old trees and natural
infrastructure I'll call it uh that does
need to be looked after and uh you've
got to water them and look after them
and there's some significant work in
that so these are big massive costs that
uh a growing city like ours and an old
city like ours uh needs to uh
unfortunately incur incur just to make
sure we remain prosperous however it's
great to see that a lot of that's going
back into the community I think it's
something like uh $4 million just the
top 10 local suppliers over the last a
few months um I suspect um a couple of
those might be actually doing aery
theater um so that probably helps um but
on the same token it's great that we're
um walking the the talk and actually
investing back into our local community
as well through Ray of money thank you
councilor Maloney any other councilor
speaking for the motion councelor Harris
um thank you Mr Mayor i' to draw
attention to Mery theater and had to be
done I think there was a councilor here
that thought thought otherwise but in
reality as we go for these projects
which are difficult in these historical
uh buildings we've got to do it
prudently and I think there are still
lessons to be learned for us in it and
you know when we um do set money aside
um the the variances that we've got to
accept are going to have to be uh huge
and we got to factor that in and and not
um uh be surprised about it and be
honest when we go to other levels of
government about uh what is the the risk
that we go forward with these projects
but um nevertheless it had to be done
and um I was uh heartened by the fact
that when we went through this quite
painful process of um finding out what
the cost uh variations were that I think
uh Council uh to a person was um 100%
behind it the other thing I'd just like
to I know it's you know you worry about
the things the existential threats but I
still do worry about inflation uh you
know I'm not sure the Australian economy
uh we've seen invas invas inflation
beaten here you think other economies it
might very well but here I just feel
that pending wage breakout and a few
other things haven't happened and I
don't think we're immune to it so I
still think we have to be fiscally
enormously prudent over the next few few
years otherwise we could leave a um uh
Council accounts in the hands of the
next Council in in a worse place uh if
we're not if we don't retain that
Prudence which we think we have shown up
to this St thank you Council Harris now
the council wishing to speak for the
motion against the
motion I'm speaking for the motion Mr
May um again to follow on from the other
councilors and I concur with everything
that they've all said uh it is so
important that we continue moving
forward with significant projects of the
past and and as things change whilst
we're moving forward that we understand
the reason that we need to be flexible
uh and consider the change and not
backpedal on some significant projects
that we
took years to be able to get support of
uh and I think that's the most exciting
thing for my four terms of council has
been watching projects like this and the
consistency and
delivery um and the pathway that we've
retained at times politics gets in the
way of council projects and it it
hinders our forward movement at times
and sometimes makes things take longer
than it needs to and uh watching these
quar reports is a really important time
for us to refocus on what it is that
we're doing and why and and I think her
is one of the best examples of that
there's been some significant hurdles
that we didn't expect uh but it's a
significant project that had been
lobbied for for you know three decades
or so I equally agree with councelor
Maloney when he was referring to the
gardens and the
significant uh achievements that have
been delivered to our Community for
their use over 160 years plus and the
need for us to keep
on putting in to the longevity and and
the retention of such spectacular
facilities we know that there's not many
places around the world that have
something as significant and as intact
in terms of Heritage that we have here
and it's very important that we continue
taking these steps along the way looking
at what we've planned adjusting where we
need to adjust with great consideration
care and understanding for the financial
challenges that that that may bring
ahead but it really puts us in a good
position for our future planning as well
thank you Council McIntosh any other
Council wishing to speak for the motion
against the motion put the motion all
those in favour against the motion is
carried item 8.4 is the waste compactors
procurement councelor Taylor happy to
move seconded councelor Maloney councel
Taylor you have the floor thank you very
much um uh it becomes a very
straightforward tender in the end uh in
what we're dealing with uh because of
the um uh the requirements in relation
to what was required for those type of
trucks to be used and and also supply
issues so it was limited in relation to
the the tender options available to us
but this is significant replacing three
old trucks and then bringing on one new
one to to meet demands in bring in
relation to growth so um pretty
straightforward MAV were the um
tenderers in this process we were able
to um to use MAV to be on our behalf to
go to Tender uh and they've come back
with the responses and from a financial
point of view it's in line with previous
purchases I think even a little bit
under I think what we've done in the
past so it's a good outcome um to see
what we have and looking at four new
trucks but very expensive at nearly half
a million dollars each and very happy to
move thank you councelor Tyler councilor
Maloney
uh yeah thanks Mr Mayor um I think
Council Taylor said it well in terms I
was going to note that um I think this
is the last time we did some some waste
compactors or trucks uh was probably
when I first started on Council in 2016
and um back then Lucas barely existed um
uh and it's and it's about to double
again uh winter Valley was in its early
stages um it only been the first couple
of Estates parts that opening up um the
city's growing massively so you know not
only doeses our our Fleet needs to grow
with it um one thing just sort of
looking at it I actually sort of again
as Council Taylor said they're pretty
expensive realize you can actually buy a
Lamborghini hurricane for that price um
but I guess a Lamborghini AR going to do
much to pick up your waste first thing
in the morning um but you do to do it
quickly um but uh yeah and also to that
the very sort of you know stop start
nature and um difficult nature of that
work um you know shout out to all the uh
men and women that um pick up the the
way where a lot of us are asleep um you
know truck squeaking around in the
morning um they do a lot of kilometers
but um they do a great job and they did
a particularly good job especially
during the co period as well um when
they were out and about making sure that
we're all safe and got rid of our
waste well rest of us were on lockdown
so yeah that's it thank you councelor
Maloney now the council is speaking for
the motion against the motion put the
motion of those in favour
against the motion is carried
councilor's item 8.5 the UNESCO 4-year
report councelor McIntosh like to move
the recommendation if I could absolutely
and councilor Maloney your light is
still on was that to second or really or
a council wishing to second the
motion Council money thank you Council
McIntosh uh through you Mr Mayor as
people can see the recommendation talks
to this item ballarat's UNESCO creative
City inaugural membership and and
monitoring report so it's looking at
what activities have uh been delivered
uh in in line with crafts and folkart
and I think when you go to places like
the gold museum at Sovereign Hill and
have a look at the changes that have
been made there it's uh of no doubt that
we've seen significant success in this
particular area and over the years we've
seen or recent years so 2016 to 2021 a
67% increase in the growth of our
creative sector and that's outperformed
in terms of economic benefit through
other sectors of bat's econ economy that
have been around 11% it's a significant
difference so outperforming the rest of
the successes of our local Ballarat
economy and we're talking 67% increase
so what we've seen is actually
significant delivery in our tourism
sector but also the local trades the
local expertise the local abilities the
local opportunity so it's not just about
people coming to visit bat but it's
those that live here and equally it's
also about attracting new baratian it's
attracting new specialty trade skills
creative skills and so on we've seen um
Tammy Gilson we've seen the whole Gilson
family performing outstandingly we've
seen auntie Marlene's beautiful art on
the Sydney Opera house but we've seen at
the Gold Museum Tammy's wonderful
weaving and and a big story about 60 or
70,000 years of indigenous Heritage
we've heard Barry and his wonderful
voice resounding over big audiences not
just around Ballarat around our broader
region but he's also doing some
significant work internationally at the
moment deian gillson uh we've seen much
of her art growing in space and place
and we've heard little bit of
conversation about White Knight and
similar opportunities that are just
growing I think by putting us on stage
globally with a UNESCO stamp and hand up
uh in an area that probably people
really didn't understand much of before
has proven its absolute weight more than
gold um I think it's going to take us a
long way and this report just gives us
that confidence it um gives us
confidence that we have a very strong
cultural and creative economy um that
there's a significant sustainable future
in this place in this space in this work
and I think that it gives our community
not just confidence but heart and our
heart is being shown much more broadly
than between our local um experts skills
and trades in this crafty area and this
artistic area in this space that as I
said before many people probably didn't
know or contemplate much at all I think
simply that
67% increase in economic benefit as a
result of this work speaks for itself
thank you councelor McIntosh councelor
Maloney I'd like to thank councelor
McIntosh for not leaving me anything to
say um s it up great thanks Sam and um
the only thing I really will add to it
is that um uh the team behind this um
have continued to help make ballada
stand out and I think as councel
makintosh was saying as we came out of
the uh the pandemic period
um cre the creative sector not only
survived a really tough time but it
started to thrive and a lot of Mel
burans who didn't get the support from
their councils moved here to the point
where we now have um uh about uh lost
lost my figures here
um sorry clearing into glasses um we
actually now have here quite a a growing
rate of 1587 people that identify as
being part of the creative sector so
it's it's it's a growing a small but
growing part of our population um it's a
sector that doesn't get a huge amount of
Love on the financial front um it's not
easy to make a a crust in that sector um
but we take for granted the work that
they do we take for granted that we live
in a creative City that that we have
people making such great contributions
to to art exhibitions and helping our
tourism drive it's a cool place to live
because of these people so um thank you
to everyone who's been a part of that
journey and to the offices of putting
together a concise report for the next
few years thank you Council money counc
speaking for the motion against the
motion put the motion all those in favour
against the motion is
carried council's item 8.6 international
travel for the faroh convention
International Conference 29 of January
to 2nd of February in relation to Tara
pool um soone wishing to move the
recommendation councelor coats happy to
move second councelor McIntosh councel
coats yes it's fairly fairly
straightforward that's probably why
councilors aren't aren't jumping to move
it in that um the costs are more or less
covered so it is just a really really
good opportunity for city of belat to um
showcase the work and participate in an
International Conference that's
particularly relevant to creative cities
as um has been touched on already
through could I just my eror not Taro
Susan fed yeah Susan yeah Susan fed yeah
y yeah that's right yeah um UNESCO so
the this yeah the Heritage aspect um
which is also relevant to creative
cities but but also um bat as a Heritage
destination so um the fact that the
costs are covered um
is makes it just a really good
opportunity to participate in for sure
thank you Council coach Council
Mac uh thanks Mr Mayor I stand to
support uh this recommendation as well
and I know in the past uh not in the
last year of this Council but certainly
in previous terms there's been sign ific
debate around um international travel of
council officers and also of council
laws uh it seems that we've stepped up
or grown up or maybe understood now the
importance the significance of these
opportunities um Susan has obviously
proven her ability her skill in this
area and the confidence that she has
from other experts around the globe as
well uh to be invited to be a keynote
speaker
is something that uh she should be very
proud of our city should be very proud
of and that I know that we'll learn a
lot from we have secured the world
heritage serial listing of the
goldfields process I know we haven't got
the stamp yet but we're going to get
there there's not any doubt it's a time
thing it's happening and this has
happened because we've had these great
opportunities of connecting of
networking of getting to know the key
people I recall traveling with Susan uh
on a couple of trips where other
countries had paid for them and a couple
where they hadn't and I recall meeting
bar Gamble and initially talking about
the world heritage serial listing
proposal of the goldfields were at
Cornwall in fact and that's an area that
he worked very closely on and his
interest in Ballarat and our opportunity
was significant strong positive and his
commitment has shown he came over here
three times himself and what we see now
is Susan being invited to present uh on
a world stage at a convention an
International Conference with UNESCO
chairs and the people that we need to
retain those relationships with these
things don't happen by just being a
member they don't happen by just jumping
online and watching something on a
computer they happen because you've got
face Toof face Communications you've got
face Toof face experts presenting and
you've got people that know people this
is a really important opportunity and
I'm sure that susm will bring back new
opportunities for us as part of this uh
travel thank you Council McIntosh the
council wishing to SP for the motion
against the motion put the motion all
those in favour against the motion is
carried council's item 8.8 post
international travel report I'm happy to
move the recommendation if there is a
second Council
Johnson so just rising in in um speaking
to the to the motion councilors and what
a great honor it was to lead both
delegations to two very different
countries two very different
experiences the 35th
Anniversary um delegation to inagawa in
Japan with myself deputy mayor council
Johnson councelor Harris and the CEO
and then our partners which were funded
privately by each of us to take a family
member along and just that experience at
the arrival when we arrived on the bus
at the inagawa town hall for the mayor
and all of the staff that were out the
front awaiting our reev our arrival
standing and applauding created a sense
of excitement a real sense of
friendliness of the importance that the
inner go Community placed on our
relationship and the celebration of 35
years it's 35 years also since melbour
signed an international sister city
agreement with
Osaka um and potentially I would imagine
some celebrations
happening but the our delegation being
welcomed by mayor nauji okamoto um and
all of his staff walking through the
town hall and understanding how they run
their City uh and all the different
departments and as we moved through each
of the different departments the sense
of welcome that we had in all of those
activities from the community
celebration where the MC was the former
winner of the english- speaking contest
a number of years earlier and was back
in inagawa and presiding over the
function that particular night was
certainly something special one of the
activities that we did was there was a
postcard exchange between students in
Ballarat with students in
inagawa and we went to the local
supermarket where many of those um
postcards were on
display and I was talking to a random
lady that happened to notice the the
Caucasians that were in the supermarket
and our wonderful uh guide naoko sat who
introduced me to the woman but this
woman said she remembered a former
delegation of years ago when Graham
vendy was there and Graham took 77
students from bat High School in a band
to go so you can imagine the logistics
around that particular um delegation and
she also remembered rod stot rod stot a
local wine maker who unfortunately just
passed away a couple of weeks ago but
she remembered those names that were
firmly in her memory from a previous
delegation some 25 30 years ago such as
the place and the
relationship the
official um meeting that we held talked
about renewal of Partnerships renewal of
Officer exchange renewal of student
exchange so as that we can better
understand each other's culture and for
young people to be able to be exposed to
that culture as they become the leaders
of tomorrow so there were some real
opportunities that were discussed as we
both countries still talk about emerging
out of Co and what those opportunities
may be the final delegation dinner um
and after gift exchange and some lovely
words and
speeches that all of the Japanese
delegation got up and walked out and
left and thought that was a little bit
weird and as we went to gather our
belongings and put shoes on everything
else but walking out there was a guard
of Honor from the restaurant through to
our taxis that just made you walk three
or 4 foot tall such is that level of
respect so it was an enormous privilege
to been having been able to experience a
delegation on the other side I've been
part of many delegations that we have
welcomed the Japanese delegation to
Ballarat and I believe from that
experience we could up the anti a little
bit making sure many of those gifts that
have been presented over many years as
Mr Williams Drew light on um this
evening in his question are on display
um so there is a significant ongoing
commitment to fostering that
relationship the other International
delegation of course to inaro in East
tour with along with councel coats and
director
Wilson very different experience as we
were celebrating 20 years of
friendship and in a city that was
decimated when Indonesia left particular
area burnt and destroyed infrastructure
so a very different reason in terms of
community capacity Community well-being
really proud of the efforts of many of
the community groups that have been
delivering
projects um and outcomes in the anaro
area that have been community members
and come under the banner of our bat
friends of anaro Community Committee
things such as the very first
kindergarten in the Village that was
established by Kate Owen when she was an
Australian volunteer International other
significant projects and one that we
were able to be a part of uh and the
formal celebration and ceremony around
placing of the stone in our partnership
with the anaro community and building a
children's playground the very first of
its kind um that would would be so very
special opportunity in being able to
represent present our city in both of
those environments to be able to lead
those delegations be well supported by
other councilors and staff that have
attended that have brought back great
knowledge as we go forward for um the
next generation of what some of those
friendship agreements might look
like councelor Johnson as the
second thank you Mr
Mayor in the spirit of friendship
freedom and peace we visited inagawa in
August this year our delegation included
councelor Harris and his wife Linda Mr
Mayor his wife an and Daughter Molly Mr
CEO and his wife Jackie and myself plus
my dad Danny poor Cole had to stay home
to look after the girls sorry about that
Cole every 10 years we visit inagawa and
our visit uh earlier this year
celebrated the 35th anniversary of our
sister city relationship providing an
opportunity to renew this agreement
there are four key strategic areas
outlined within the agreement including
International Education via exchange
student programs cultural understanding
via our mutual exchange of artwork
mutually beneficial economic activities
encouraging tourism between our two
cities through further information
exchange and a focus on mining
history at the conclusion of our visit
we were asked to provide a short
reflection about our time in in aawa for
the inclusion in the 35th Anniversary
magazine this is what my dad Danny wrote
as this was my first trip to Japan I was
excited to have the Unity to visit your
remarkable and historic country I knew
we'd have some great experiences and
visit many interesting places but I
never could have guessed how kindly
respectfully and warmly we'd be welcomed
from the moment we arrived until the
moment we left we were treated
wonderfully our visit to inagawa is one
I'll always remember with great
happiness it was truly a a very
interesting experience with many
opportunities to learn about Ina's
history and the workings of your Council
thank you to the people of your city for
welcoming us so kindly every everywhere
we went I was amazed and honored to
experience such wonderful musical
performances and visit locations across
your city the people we met were the
best part of the trip everyone was so
friendly polite and helpful with all my
heart I thank you for your hospitality
and the opportunity to visit so many
amazing places when you come to
Australia I would love you to visit my
home so that I could return the kindness
you showed me I can cook you a sheep on
the spit or a barbecue and share some
great Australian wine uh and that's from
Danny and this is my reflection our
visit to our sister city in in inagawa
Japan was an unforgettable experience
and I felt honored to represent our city
on this special occasion the hospitality
we received in iniga was truly
exceptional and the genuine warmth and
generosity shown has left a lasting
impression on me during our visit we had
the opportunity to explore various
aspects of Ina's culture culture and
Community one of the highlights was the
Tada copper and silver mine where we
gained an insight into your city's
mining history dating back to 10:37 ad
we also participated in a sober noodle
cooking class at sober no yata which was
a fun and interactive way to learn about
traditional Japanese Cuisine the two
dinners we attended showcased
exceptional musical performances and
treated us to delicious food however the
true highlight of these dinners was the
opportunity to connect with the people
of inagawa and to form lasting
friendships I enjoyed the opportunity to
wear a Yukata and was grateful to the
women who assisted in dressing me it was
lovely to see our sister city
relationship honored with references to
Ballarat in multiple locations across
inagawa from books about Ballarat and
the Ballarat corner at the library
pictures of bat across the city the
Fantastic postcards project at the
shopping mall and now the memorial tree
of the 35th anniversary of the sister
city affiliation between inagawa and bat
i' would like to extend my thanks to the
inagawa council and staff as well as to
the members of the 35th Anniversary
project in the international committee
members their dedication and hard work
made this trip possible and their
efforts to strengthen the bond between
narcistic cities is truly commendable
our visit to inagawa was a testament to
the power of international friendships
and cultural exchange and I am grateful
to have been a part of it thank you Mr
Mayor thank you councelor Johnson
councelor
Eddie speaking for the motion I for Mr
May thank you um and look at and I think
uh both speakers before me have
highlighted the the very uh necessary
formal and respectful um renewal of
these relationships particularly after
Co and I think that was essential and I
think it's probably allowed us to
refocus more on uh not taking those
relationships for granted into the
future but I particularly wanted to
comment on the actual report itself and
and to commend director Wilson um on the
enthusiasm for his report and the photos
um and I know what a thrill it was for
the uh inario friendship group to
actually you know get that feedback of
the Practical applications it's not only
the experiences we've had shared so
eloquently tonight but it's also the
practical application of the people that
were um able to be engaged with on these
return visits where through education
Hospitality um you know Community
recovery when we support them in floods
recently I think there was that much
evidence that this is um it's not a uh a
fleeting Arrangement it it's certainly
in in regard to an Aro very um very
tangible and very practical practical
relationship which we need as much as
they do and I think it keeps us grounded
and reminds us of our future so
congratulations to all who went and uh
certainly thank you for the report
because I think that's given a lot of um
enthusiasm for voluntary people to keep
going into the future thank you thank
you Council Eddie councilor speaking for
the motion Council
coats yes I I'll speak briefly to the
inaro aspect as as well as well given
that um inagawa is being covered um very
comprehensively by yourself and
councelor Johnson and just to add a
little bit to yourself and councelor
Eddie's comments about friends of vinaro
and renewing the
20-year relationship it's really
profound actually that that relationship
has endured for 20 years to such depth
and such friendship and to uh having
been on the very first delegation myself
20 years ago as a a non- councilor
seeing seeing that relationship and the
impact that it's had on on the transfer
of Knowledge and Skills and um and how
passionate community members here still
are across Education Health uh arts and
other areas in that new program as well
the hospitality and tourism training how
that's it's genuinely making a really
big difference on the ground there um it
really does make you stop and think and
appreciate how much we take for granted
here whether it's health and well-being
of children and infants
and the facilities how how much we take
you mentioned the kindergartens how much
we take those for granted here um to
have a kindergarten in the district is
really significant to have one
playground is really significant to have
that great relationship with AGA who um
is one of the the young people that the
teachers for teore have sponsored
through a scholarship is actually at the
point of working for their equivalent of
local government over there um leading
projects like that and Reporting back to
showing us directly photos and progress
of the the playground as it gets built
so um like councilor Eddie would like to
thank director Wilson for um his great
input to the delegation and the report
and just really look forward to how we
kind of deepen that um commitment around
the transfer of Knowledge and Skills and
resources and the Strategic work really
aligning um aligning what we do here as
local government with with what we can
support and improve over there CU it
really is a winwin we get as much out of
it as we get get back it connects people
in the community here through
doing something positive together that
has that really makes makes a difference
so um really commend the report and look
really looking forward to the
celebrations here um next week actually
for for the bat people who've who've
been involved for 20 years as well like
myself and and longer um people like
Andrea Shaw will will be speaking Rob
gray will be there people who advocated
for us to actually set up the
relationship in the first place is still
still engaged and we'll be able to
celebrate here and reminisce and share
photos but also um continue those those
links to to work on um still creating
positive change over there so thank you
for the the report thank you councelor
coats councelor Hargraves thank you Mr
Mayor I am really hardened to hear these
reports of um councilors and officers
being able to travel and go and do the
amazing work that they do um building
those relationships between um city of
Ballarat and other places around the
world I know it is one of those things
that we do get sort of dragged over the
coals for um a little bit with
international travel um from a local
Council so I just did think it was
probably worth highlighting and now of
course I've lost it um that both of
those delegations came in at well under
um the amount that was um passed by
Council and maybe just it would be
interesting for our rate payers to note
that actually some of the expenses
bought borne by councilors themselves
who um so that yeah it's worth knowing
that particularly the Japan the trip to
Japan was I think
$23,200 under um the budget which is a
really prudent use of council funds I
think and also just to um make bring
that point that it is um you know I'm
sure councilors enjoy going overseas and
all that sort of stuff um but it's also
quite a big ask in a lot of ways to
leave family um and commitments and
other people have to pick up that for us
when we're well not that I went but
other people have to pick that up for
councilors when they're gone and also
actually um come up with the funds
themselves to to fund the trip um so I
think that's just a good thing for our
for our city to perhaps hear about as
well thank you thank you councel hug any
other Council wishing to speak for the
motion against the motion put the motion
all those in favour against the motion is
carried council's item 8.8 is the lgbtiq
A Plus advisory committee membership
move Council Maloney seconded Council
coats Council Maloney you have the
floor oops uh yeah thanks Mr thanks Mr
Mayor um in this particular case I guess
we're putting forward a recommendation
uh for the second round of the
LGBT iqa plus advisory committee and you
know I want to reflect across all of
Victoria's councils there's only a
handful that started this process before
we did um bat's actually a leader in
this space and is now seen as a safe and
welcoming place to come to live as a
result um and we went down this process
um a couple of years ago um because our
early reports identified that not only
up to 10% of our population identify as
being lgbtqa myself included um but also
that um there's some very poor health
outcomes that it's not a case of
everything everyone's all equal suicide
rates exceptionally High um and a range
of other mental health and um other
health issues that needed to be
addressed so you sort of get to a point
of well what did this group achieve this
time round and achieved a huge amount
actually in a very short period of time
so um just in terms of working to be
part of an overall inclusion framework
recognizing that this intersectionality
means that you could be lesbian and
elderly or Aboriginal you are often
something that is across a range of
different things um all of us in this
room and online will fit into a
different group of some sort in in our
municipality and um and recognizing the
different things that everyone brings to
our communities really important
important making people feel welcome as
a result has has led to people wanting
to live here in Ballarat and that's been
great for our businesses and our events
in tourism and this particular group has
done a lot of work in helping to set up
events and provide visibility even right
down to even including uh people as part
of um trying for the first time and
accessing some of our counil facilities
so you know we take it for granted many
of us do that going to the aquatics
Center might not be a big deal but it
has been for many in our queer Community
um who have embraced some of those LGBT
only nights and realize that you know
with a bit of feedback it's actually a
really safe place and that the um the
the team at the Aquatic Center have done
a great job for instance in listening to
the feedback um adapting a few things in
a very subtle way that everyone else
won't even realize um but makes it a
more friendly place for people of the
LGBT community so I think this council's
done a great job I'm really grateful to
all of the councilors for unanimously
supporting it the first time round um
we're at least halfway through the work
um a lot of the work's been done but
we're not there yet and we should be
proud of it but for me you know the
final takeaway I'll give I guess in
terms of why we should do it um it
really struck me when um of all things I
was just sitting in the audience at the
um
aflw um Pride round back in October last
year and um there was an elderly gay man
who said to me you know I've never been
to a football game before I love the
footy I listened to on the radio
watching on tally I just don't feel safe
going the
footy this a guy I don't know his actual
age but he's probably in his 60s and he
just hasn't felt safe to go to the
football I mean again we take that for
granted right that's um so that he felt
safe and he considered himself to be a
sinila supporter but he said you know
what I'm supporting the Bulldogs from
now on I'm old fellow but I support the
B sorry I support the Bulldogs because
the Bulldogs brought this game here and
I feel like I can actually sit in the
crowd and um not be harassed and just
enjoy a day at the 40 like everyone else
so at that most simple level that's why
we do this this is why we're councilors
this is why um you know our staff I
think are here more often than not
because they they want the city to be a
healthy happy welcoming place um for
everyone and and I'm grateful to the
support of this Council to this
councilor group for getting behind it I
want to quickly shout out and thank
those that have been part of the
committee um so far because there's
quite a few people standing down or
haven't reapplied U Michelle bowler
Gabrielle Waldren K Joy Blinder Woodruff
s Curry Alexander Bravo Asher Buckmaster
um Deb l and Jay Morrison a couple of
them had to leave for work commitments
and other things through along the way
and didn't make it all the way through
that 2year tenure but and a couple of
them are back KL us sure and Deb are
back for another round the staff of
Bernadet Duffy and Bernie is amazing um
Peter Appleton likewise and says Lon all
under director Wilson thank you to the
broader support um and thank you as well
to my councilor colleague um who uh
Council bind coats has been a champion V
for a long time uh
again we got a lot to be proud of um but
we're not done yet thanks guys thanks
councelor Maloney councelor coats that
was really really well said by Council
Maloney uh it took a long while to get
to this point um but we've kind of leap
frogged ahead a bit actually so from
coming of a from a place of um not being
a leader in in inclusion we we've leap
frogged ahead with with this work
actually so it's it's really heartening
to see the progress that's been made in
a really short space of time we we had
an update at the last committee meeting
of how we were tracking on the action
plan and it I was blown away as you know
the people on the committee um Council
Malone's given a shout out to the
officers as well who are doing fabulous
work in the inclusion team I definitely
Echo that they're doing a terrific job
and to to be at the point where already
so so soon we've achieved so many of the
actions in there and I think there's
been a really nice balance in in the um
in the strategy and the action plan
about sort of Aiming High um and being
really ambitious but at the same time
having lots of quick and small winds in
there that do make a a a big difference
so like the work with the Aquatic Center
um supporting various days of
recognition and the work that happens in
this inclusion committee it benefits
everyone in the inclusion space whether
whether it's any form of discrimination
so to the fact that we have this
committee that it's working across the
intersections of um racism
homophobia um disability discrimination
agism all of those sorts of things as
well is is worth noting as well so
likewise thank the outgoing members for
their contributions and look forward to
um the new members making uh equally
terrific contributions as well thank you
Council coats another Council speaking
for the motion against the motion
councils I will just speak briefly and
share an anecdote and commend both
Council coach and Council Maloney for
the work work that you've also been
doing with the with the committee and to
everyone that's been involved I was at
the B Arts Foundation um scholarship
announcements early in there Council
coats he were there as well and there
was a a young lad who received a
scholarship for his work um in designing
comic books and illustration and
storytelling and he'd come up to me
after the um formal part of the function
and he said I just want to thank you and
the city
for the welcoming city that you have he
said I'm originally from Sydney and I
was standing out on the day that you
raised the Gob tqa plus flag and I
listened to people speak and he said my
partner and I made a deliberate decision
on that day to move to bat and we are
proudly here in Bat he said we I commute
to Melbourne every day for work and for
study and I'm able to um progress my
creative side and my opportunity and we
just feel so welcomed in terms of your
community welcoming Us in and we've only
been here for 10 months I thought what a
remarkable story from an individual that
then looked at the welcoming community
that Ballarat is and the work that the
glb tiqa plus Community is absolutely
doing to make sure that we are that
welcoming committee councils any other
Council speaking for the motion against
the motion I'll put the motion all those
in favour against the motion is carried
council's 8.9 2024 council meeting
scheduled largely procedural move
councelor Harris secondary councelor
coats any discussion councilors right
I'll put the motion all those in favour
against the motion is
carried item 8.10 outstanding Question
Time items report again another
procedural motion move councilor Harris
seconded
councilor Eddie any discussion
councilors and I'll put the motion all
those in favour against the mo motion is
carried item nine councils is a notice
of motion and we have a notice of motion
from councilor coats which has been
distributed Council coats you have the
floor thanks Mr Mayor I'll read the
motion and if I get a second or I will
speak to it so the notice of motion is
that Council acknowledge the position
statement protocols and recommendations
from reconcilation Victoria in regard to
January 26 so they are comprehensively
listed on reconciliation Victoria's
website as
background acknowledge and continue to
strongly support survival day Dawn
ceremony on January 26th which
recognizes the day as a day of morning
continue ongoing and regular
consultation with career engagement
Action Group advisory committee around
all activities for General
26 and
4.4 so noting that there is no longer a
a federal government requirement to hold
a citizenship ceremony on January 26th
um that there
is provision for 3 days either side of
that to move the citizenship ceremony to
another date just before just after
January 26th so if I have a second I'll
speak to it second to the motion
councelor Maloney councelor Co you have
the Flor sure
um so look I have been reluctant to put
this as a notice of motion I've I've
actually tried really hard to work on a
way for another way to to bring this
discussion forward I would have
preferred it to to be a report or
something like that however as people
will be aware it's been a year full
of difficulty and discussion and fairly
toxic debate actually around the the
debate around the voice to Parliament
which has had a pretty devastating
impact on on First Nations community
members here and and AAR so so when I've
raised the the question around um
discussing discussing that
that citizenship ceremony is is no
longer a requirement for January 26 it's
it's um the feedback has been it's not
not the right time during during the
discussion of the the referendum
um this Council this should be in fact
the tiniest and smallest request it
really should be I mean the the majority
of the debate around this topic has been
done it's been done a long time ago
around acknowledging the day as survival
day a day of mour um long-standing
councilors would be aware of the
significant work with the career
engagement action group members current
and past around developing commitment
to the survival day Dawn ceremony but
also the acknowledgement that recognizes
the day as a day of M so as part of that
there's there's been strong commitment
by city of belat to support that it's
been strongly embraced by the community
as part of that discussion as well the
community awards are no longer on
January 26th they're actually held just
before or just
after um and probably the most
controversial aspect of the discussion
was the movement of the fireworks
that that was debated I think three
times by councilors before it actually
um got to to the debate stage it was
actually one of the very first
significant debates for the new Council
in in 2020
and it was it was a good point to get to
it was a very respectful discussion and
debate and I feel I feel really proud
that that people got to that a majority
of the councilors got to the point of of
actually having listened really really
deeply and taken on board the gravity of
the ongoing impact for for First Nations
people locally um and and further
further abroad so look whil it it should
it should
be a tiny request it should be
incredibly straightforward given that
we've we've done we've made the biggest
adjustments already and even the the
federal government have recognized that
it's actually not a big deal to have uh
citizenship ceremony on J 2026 you can
have it three days either side and look
remember councilors we have at least six
citizenship ceremonies a year sometimes
more there are at least six um so why is
there an attachment to to having one for
some recipients on a public holiday when
90% of the other recipients don't
actually get that opportunity and in
fact they don't really get a choice
about it either um so look it as
mentioned it should have been part of
the discussion when we discussed the the
bigger aspects of change actually so it
should have been part of the discussion
around acknowledging survival day moving
the fireworks not having the the
community Awards however at that
particular time it was a government
requirement it is no longer a government
requirement um to have it on that
particular
day so we're certainly not alone in
having this discussion um some
councilors might be aware of some of the
coun councils that have had this
discussion again this year so
um city of jalong
have moved their citizenship ceremony
and celebrations from Jan 26 city of
Greater bendo made a decision around
midy
year city of Sheeran also made a city
similar decision uh city of Glenn Al
which is quite a rural Council it covers
Portland and um cadan so it's not just
Metropolitan councils it's smaller rural
councils it's bigger Regional ones in
fact all the similar Regional ones to
well a lot of them similar to us jalong
Bendigo sheeper and have have already
had this discussion and moved
um almost all the capital cities have so
so it's Melbourne Sydney Perth
freemantle Hobart have done exactly the
same so it's it shouldn't actually be a
big request it shouldn't be a difficult
request um I
I don't know what else I don't know what
else to say that
um if councilors haven't done so I would
encourage you to watch um the Australian
Wars which which really really shows how
recent the the pain is for abigal onar
straight Islander people around the
impact of
colonization um in fact the
documentary talks about it as a war
because people were massacred and killed
it was the equivalent of a civil war
that's not really spoken about um those
killings went on up until the 1920s and
30s which I didn't actually know until I
watched the the documentary recently the
impact of stolen Generations is ongoing
um so it's been explained to me
that day of morning Jan 26 has been
acknowledged by First Nations people
since since um
1938
uh Jan January 26 Australia day has only
been acknowledged since
1990 and as you can see from the
discussion that other councils are
having across the country there's a
there's a really shifting conversation
um it's been explained to me that it's
unreasonable to expect Aboriginal and T
State Islander people to not just attend
a citizenship ceremony on a day of mour
for them but actually to be you know
guests of honor in in some
instances I've been to multiple
citizenship ceremonies and I've heard
speakers or the mayor of the day say
feel free to to still continue to
embrace your culture to practice your
culture to celebrate it yet we live in a
in a country that was colonized where
where First Nations people were denied
that opportunity
for almost 200 years look let's be
honest about it it's it's only in the
the most recent decade or two that those
discussions are becoming more honest so
whilst it should be a a really small
request the sky won't fall in if we have
a ceremony a day or two either side of
Jan 26 we're allowed to many other
councils are already doing it um and
it's it's the respectful thing to do
given that we have we're a council with
a Reconciliation action plan it is in
the spirit of
reconciliation reconciliation doesn't
mean just celebrating the good stuff and
cheerleading the things that we like um
Natok week or the most recent public art
or an aspect of the UNESCO that's you
know drawn World attention it actually
means deep listening and deep
acknowledgement and a little bit of
compromise and look this is the tiniest
um the tiniest aspect of compromise um
so I'll just put it to councilors
and I hope that I hope that you'll find
it in in
your in in your hearts to um to consider
it thank you councelor coats councelor
Maloney is the
second uh thanks Mr Mayor and thank you
councelor coats for bringing this one to
the chamber as as councelor coats has
rightly pointed out
it's it's been a conversation we've been
not keen to have for quite a while
because it's a difficult conv ation to
have and I I get that um hopefully the
first three parts of this motion um are
no challenge at all because they are
just a status quo um really it's in
terms of recognizing um the ongoing um
position especially around a day of
morning and survival day Dawn ceremony
on January 26th which I think is still
one of the the most profoundly moving
things I've ever experienced as a
councilor or as a human it's if you
haven't been to one you've got to
experience that um we are a city that um
continues to listen involve and be
welcoming of all people um and having
presided over 22 citizenship ceremonies
and swearing in 511 people so we have 11
a year actually as it turns out yeah so
11 a year I think it's only December I
think we don't do one uh from memory um
and you know the other the other 10 a
year go through just beautifully um
people are very clear that they just
love being Aussies they love the process
of being sworn in as an official
Australian citizens I reckon out of the
511 people have sworn in there maybe was
five or six less than 10 that have come
to me and said the Australia day was the
only day they wanted to do it that's it
meant that much to them and I do
acknowledge that there will be some
people that would be affected by this
motion but on the same token um as you
talk to them and um about some of the
issues around Australia day and they
become aware of it then
um I think for them again the overriding
feeling is that they want to be
Australians they want to be part of a a
citizenship ceremony that makes them one
of you know one of this great nation so
the day itself is not really all that
significant to most people I think any
of us who have been to a citizenship
ceremony we all have um you know would
would see that as well that the other 11
10 10 months of the year um go by just
smoothly and fine now people might be
thinking we should not be using notice
emotions to um change policy and change
the world too much well you're not
councilors this is a policy or a
proposal that is in line with our
reconciliation action plan you've had
advice ongoing through over the last few
years from KAG to Career engagement
Action Group um we've had times when uh
local Aboriginal people have protest uh
out side um events and um you they they
cop some push back as a result of that
they cop criticism for
protesting um we of course changed the
uh the data of our award ceremonies as a
result um and we made it unfortunately
some of us made it really clear that
speaking up was not welcome and as a
result a lot of our local AB original
people went very quiet on the issue
doesn't mean that their sentiments their
feelings have changed even remotely
so when we ask them for opinions they'll
give it um and it's been quite clear all
along that this is a day that that can
be hurtful we can you know the r s a bit
um a bit blunt we can have a cake e it
to in this case we can have a situation
where people are sworn in made
Australian
citizens um a day or two earlier it's no
big deal um people still welcome that
swearing in that's all that matters to
them really
um while still being respectful to our
first nation's people it's not that much
to ask it's in line with policy and I'm
sorry that we have not been able to have
this conversation earlier because we
should and we should not keep leaving it
to the last minute as a way of fobbing
it off to next
year thank you councelor Maloney is
there a councelor wishing to speak
against the
motion speak for the motion councelor
Harris um yes thank you Mr Mayor and I
think Council coat of putting forward no
of motion we did run out of time to be
frank there there might have been
mechanisms around which we could have
done this but um we've only got next
January within this Council framework to
do it and I I couldn't see that we get a
constructive meeting to do it another
way so I think if we're putting the
motion it's never easy um I love
Australia Day is a fantastic idea it
just it's on the wrong bloody day which
is the issue because it's it Remains the
fact that you know if um you're a first
nation's person is always going to sit
poorly
um I don't need permission in some
respects even from kak to change it you
know I mean this is uh is a unilateral
um uh move that we should make you know
this is genuinely towards treaty um I've
never liked reconciliation to be frank
as a term I've never we've never been
reconciled but is is moving forward to a
genuine relationship um it's on the
wrong day this sends the appropriate
message um I feel sorry Billa was here
you know one of the a genuine person we
should thank for his service every day
we see him a a hero of long tan um an
underrated hero Longtown even so um he
uh was here um uh happy that he was um
naturalized an Australian citizen on
Australia Day I would love to have put
the bill this is on the wrong day bill I
think you would have enjoyed it on
Australia day but you know it's a screw
up of when we set the stupid day up on
on the one that we chose it needs to be
on a better one um uh it's we've got to
act on this it's just it's otherwise it
will you we'll remain regretful if we
don't do it and as I said
don't I think for councilors who might
find that you know it it gets lost in
the culture wars and you might very
well not feel attuned to the statement
but the the reality is that we can take
the whole of community forward
particularly people like Bill um I think
he'd be if he was here he could see it
you know that we can we can do it better
uh we need need to acknowledge a
national day it just is is on the wrong
one uh and
the while I perhaps as I'm sure um
councilor coats and Milani would rather
put a stronger statement this is this is
a minimal statement for us just to uh
acknowledge a better and put us in a
better place um for um our ongoing
dialogue with First Nations um people so
councilors I don't know
you as I said the the culture walls have
been violent around it they've been
terrible um but it's it's nothing you
know the I'm is Miss to know on most
things and fiscally the most
conservative person I think on the
council but this sort of stuff does
bother me we've got to do better and
this is a first step thank you councelor
Harris is there a councelor wishing to
speak against the motion councelor
Taylor thanks Mr Mayor and um uh it's
good that we can have these debates in
the council chamber um and uh the
comments have been around um you know
it's only a little step we've actually
done a lot we've done a lot around
recogn um reconciliation acknowledgement
we we've um we've created with the cury
uh engagement action plan the survival
day service in the morning which I think
um critical as a time um to have that um
we also have removed the fireworks we've
removed the um Community Awards on the
day as well um but it is still a stray
day and I know the day is greting for
for the indigenous Community um but it's
still the day that's been set and as a
community and as a nation we've got to
have a day where we come together
inclusively to understand what's
happened in the
past learn from that understand that be
respectful of that but also understand
who we are now as a as a nation as well
and we still are uh from a nation we
have great history and Heritage going
back you know those thousands and
thousands of year years but also then we
have new Heritage that's come about and
also the Heritage and cultures of new
people have come to this nation this day
having citizenships is important for
those people and uh we heard from Bill
and I know it is important that we see
people that come along and have such
pride in knowing that on this day
Australia day they have been made a
citizen they're very proud of that to be
called an Aussie
um I'm really concerned that if this
disappears on this day citizenship then
I I I I look just out the window even
though it's dark and we uh we go out
there and we raise flags for other
nations for their days in the middle of
sturt street and we'll do more for other
nations in this city than what we
actually do for our nation as a
collective and I find that really
concerning that that's what we do so I
think it's still important it is still
Australia day it is still set by the
federal government and having
citizenship is still important for those
people that are then naturalized on that
day so I think it's very respectful in
what we've already done what we continue
to do with KAG and our IND indigenous
Community but I think we should also
have the opportunity to do this on this
day so I speak against the motion thank
you councelor Taylor Council wishing to
speak for the motion Council wishing to
speak against the motion councilor
McIntosh um through you Mr Mayor I I
will firstly speak uh for parts of the
motion and and agree with councelor
coats on some of it um to say that it
has been done and there has I will also
say though there has been significant
things been done so I'll agree with
Council councelor Taylor on that um back
in December 2020 on the 2nd of December
we moved a
recommendation that was actually
supported by KAG to sub restitute
fireworks with a significant cultural
event on the 26th of January and
reschedule the fireworks to another
public event and we at that stage
introduced the survival day Dawn
ceremony uh we continued with the
citizenship ceremony we established a
community event for the 26th of January
on Australia day as part of the summer
events calendar uh that is an
Intercultural celebration promoting
understanding respect and Reconciliation
ation featuring live music and
performances entertainment to profile
indigenous culture um as part of this
resolution of
council uh we also talked about food
trucks and food stores being in
attendance at an event um we moved the
fireworks the fireworks funding to
another significant day uh as uh we
talked about news even different timeso
your festival and so on uh that motion
was supported by councilor coats and
seconded by councelor
Harris uh that
recommendation and resolution which
became uh was as I said supported by uh
the KAG committee and we have heard from
people in the chamber today like B Bill
arel expressing his absolute pride and
joy and reflection that stays with him
uh for his citizenship ceremony on
Australia Day I spoke to a gentleman
last night uh whom was a fairly new
person to me I've known of him in bat
and he came up to me when we were
actually at a tourism event up near the
lake and he said his wife and daughters
still have the photo on their fridge
from Australia Day when they were made
Australian
citizens I could see the heart and tear
in his eye and he was not going to let
that go that was a significant memory
for him so we're not just talking about
Bill arel we're talking about the
hundreds of other people that hold that
day so dearly and equally we as a group
of councelors hold that that day with
such grief and understanding for our
indigenous Community as well that Dawn
ceremony is a very special ceremony and
one that I know many of the people in
this room have been along to and
supported I have many beautiful friends
many dear friends that are in our
indigenous community and I absolutely
know understand have researched deeply
and have had conversations about this
very important issue that we're
discussing
tonight I understand that there's been
significant hurt there's been divisive
debates
recently and I understand that in
bringing this back up to us now is
likely to do that again and that worries
me it worries me it worries me so much
those young people the families the
indigenous uh relatives and the people
that care for all of them and the people
that care for them that have equally
loved that Australia Day citizensh
citizenship ceremony that means so much
to them that's why we supported that
resolution because we care about
everyone in our community we care about
those that feel and believe and support
the survival day Dawn ceremony as I
absolutely
do equally I care about all of those
other people that
absolutely hold that Pride they hold
that photo they hold that memory they
hold those records and and tears and Joy
of that
experience it's so important that we
understand that Australia Day is for
everyone it's hurt for some it's Pride
for
others and
we as a council are a voice on behalf of
our community and our community is all
of our community that's why I loved that
resolution that's why I supported that
resolution that's why I thought it was
the right way forward I believe that we
have put significant work in as a
council to try and do something to find
a resolution that cares for our
indigenous Heritage that cares for our
our indigenous people and that also at
the same time Embraces those other
Beautiful People the other beautiful
family that are so important uh to us
there's different dates you know the uh
after Phillips landed on the 18th of
January 1788 we're talking about the
26th of January there's different ways
that you can look at this history you
know are we talking about the flag
raising are we talking about the landing
of the First Fleet where are we talking
about um there's there's a lot of
challenges that will come whatever day
we decide to celebrate and hold
citizenship ceremonies there is always
going to be this hurt because this
Dreadful situation happened we can't
deny that that is our history uh we must
remember that we must learn from that we
must share the tears and we must
remember that there needs to be heart
and soul and pride and joy for our new
residents we must remember that we live
in a multicultural Ballarat that we live
in an Intercultural City and that we
care about everyone an Intercultural
city is caring about everyone everyone's
different cultures everyone's different
Heritage everyone's different
experiences and I think we've got a
balance I think that we've come up with
something that's pretty special so I
support the dawn day service I don't
support anything that creates hurt harm
fear divisive
behavior um and I just feel that we're
in a position that um gives us a broad
Community with our arms around everyone
and for those reasons I have no appetite
for the motion that's before us
I support the resolution as we put it
back in 2020 on the 2nd of December as
put by councelor coats and councelor
Harris thank you councelor McIntosh is
there Council wishing to speak for the
motion speak against the motion
councelor Eddie uh I'm speaking for the
motion thank you speaking for for the
motion yes uh look I came into the
chamber tonight undecided on this and
I've listened uh to a range of people
talk um
and we have done a lot you know I do
understand what people say that we've
done a lot but a lot of it's pretty
pretty simple stuff it wasn't all that
big a deal to move the fireworks or to
do some of the other things we've done I
think we can perhaps get carried away
with our own sense of what we have
achieved and I'm not sure that's true I
understand why this is an extremely
difficult ask from the indigenous
Community given our history this year
and uh and perhaps how we as the whole
of Australia uh treated a simple request
at the
referendum so I think leadership here as
a council is not about being divisive
it's about taking a step forward and
showing that we are capable of
understanding the needs of our whole
Community but putting the greater good
to those who need it most and I think
that's tonight where I've landed on
support for this motion we talked
earlier in the night about our White
Flood scenario and needing to compromise
and to give ground and to do things um
to get a resolution
there this compromise tonight in terms
of asking for the opportunity to avoid
January 26 being a day that is hurtful
to a lot of
people by simply moving to another day
when we don't even really have that long
a history in connection to January 26 is
Australia Day I can't get hung up on it
I'm very much like councelor Harris I'm
very passionate about wanting to
celebrate Australia day but I would much
prefer it to be on a day that suits all
of Australia and not uh the entitlement
of Australia which we have today so for
that reason I'll be supporting the
motion C Eddie Council speaking for the
motion speaking against the
motion councelor hugr
thank you Mr Mayor and I I very much am
torn and I'm only have only I don't know
making my mind up as we go I feel on
this one um and I do recognize that
January 26 is a a painful issue that
comes up again and again every year and
I'm sure the hurt and Trauma of that
does compound every year especially
given the one that we've just had with
the referendum um my feeling is also
that if we do go ahead and change this
the the um the Flack is going to be
copped uh very much by our indigenous
people who've already been through a lot
um I yeah I I don't know if that's um
avoidable because that's the way people
will see it online I can already just
about feel the comments that would be
coming through to um our indigenous
community and um like councelor coat
said in her introduction I I probably
would prefer to have seen this as a
report back to council um I feel like
November you know late November leading
into this in in a very short amount of
time doesn't it just doesn't sit with me
I would rather see um you know every box
ticked and consultation done even if we
feel like we know what people think and
what people feel um I feel like the
process around that is something that
I'd like to see um and to give us time
to have proper consideration of it
um yeah look I it was actually me that
moved the recommendation in the first
place to the motion rather way back when
to remove the fireworks from January
26th and I'm really proud of that that
was my maen speech as a matter of fact
um and I I do think we've come a long
way but I think we're also in a messy um
point in time right now where Australia
Day is still called Australia Day to the
majority of
um of people uh it's a federally
instituted date and um you know they
need to be the ones to step up and make
the change in my opinion um and to be
really clear about what January 26 or
Australia day is as it stands
Australians don't have another day um
that is called Australia Day um and I
feel like there's a minimizing of how
meaningful it actually is to have to be
sworn in as a at a CI as a citizen on
Australia day I've been to a couple of
Ceremonies both here um the smaller one
and then last January 26 I think it was
um councilor Macintosh myself and you Mr
Mayor who were there at Civic Hall um
helping to swear in the biggest number
of the whole year and the the place was
absolutely chalkers full of new citizens
and their families um we were joined by
Katherine King Juliana Addison and
Michaela settle and I'd have to say um
as long you know even with mixed
feelings about the day itself it was
probably one of the most special and um
proud events that I've been a part of in
my term on Council so I don't think we
can discount um the fact that it is
still a very um important date for a lot
of people and their families to to to
join us as Australians I don't know all
the answers I feel like this is probably
maybe it is staving off something that's
inevitable um but I would prefer to see
the federal government Institute that
rather than us um and I would like to
see a report back to us if this doesn't
pass um yeah to be considered at a
future date thank you thank you Council
Hargraves so Council speaking for the
motion sorry Council Ed speaking against
the motion councelor
Johnson
thank you Mr Mayor must say I was a bit
surprised to see this motion before
Council so soon after the referendum
it's been just over a month and as
councilor cootes rightly pointed out uh
in her own words it had a pretty
devastating impact on Aboriginal
communities within our country so to
bring something like this up uh so close
to the time when we actually need to
hold the citizenship ceremony um and so
close to the referendum I think uh may
not have the best impact uh on our local
Aboriginal Community just um pours
potentially uh more salt into the wound
what I would like to know Mr Mayor by
way of the question initially is um
whether this is
something that we can actually do
logistically so close to that um that
date I'm aware that uh there's quite um
a lot of organization that goes into
these citizenship ceremonies um and they
need The Minister's tick off so uh could
I just get the CEO to respond to that
please yes Mr
CEO through you Mr Mayor and thank you
councelor Johnson for that question on
receipt of the notice of motion um we
contacted home Affairs to understand
what the time frame was around uh being
able to change the date we were informed
by home Affairs that um in order to
order the
certificates um they would the latest
that we could notify them of a change of
date would be the 30th of December so
there still is the capability should
Council wish to change the
date thank you Mr CEO with that in mind
I have a proposition which is that we
could um hold two citizenship ceremonies
in January uh given that this
is an issue uh that splits our
community and I've got some um figures
to read out shortly as far as research
around uh support for Australia day but
given that there still seems to be such
strong support for celebrating Australia
day on the 26th of January uh it would
be wonderful to have the opportunity for
those that would like to become citizens
on Australia Day to to have the
opportunity to do that and those that
would not like to become citizens on
that particular day to have the choice
of another
ceremony it's not our job to decide when
Australia Day is that is the role of the
Federal Government where local
government and our job is to represent
our community and our community's views
got um some recent uh research that was
conducted um from 2022 and 2023 so Roy
Morgan research conducted in January
2022 showed 65% of Australian support
retaining January 26th as Australia Day
which was a 6% increase from the year
prior in January this year that figure
remained virtually unchanged indicating
64% of Australian support retaining the
current date an essential poll was also
conducted by the guardian in January
this year which found only 26% of people
supported changing the date 74% were
against so of course the headline read
support grows for changing the date of
Australia Day
uh Deacon University conducted their own
research polling a representative random
sample of 5,000 Australians the findings
read overall 60% of respondents want to
continue celebrating Australia Day on
January the 26th so why am I referencing
these
figures we're here to represent our
community the V vgaa good governance
guide States as democratically elected
members councilors must represent the
constituent views regardless of their
personal opinions my personal opinion is
I would love to see a change uh of the
date of our national public holiday
Australia day however I feel that we've
already made a lot of changes a number
of which have already been referenced we
moved our austral day Awards to January
27th we changed the date of the
fireworks from Australia Day to a
different day we hold and support the uh
annual survival day Dawn service we hold
another community on event on the day
called picnic in the park which seems to
be an attempt to provide an opport
opportunity for those who want to
celebrate Australia Day on January 26 to
do so but there isn't any reference to
Australia Day when we're promoting that
event or indeed at the event um at
all so are we here to represent our
community and if we are I think it's
important that we provide choice and
that's why I've provided that suggestion
of um having the the two citizen
Citizenship
ceremonies as I said it's still our
national public holiday and yet we're
slowly or not so slowly chipping away at
it and it still is a day that's
important to a lot of people uh I
acknowledge as have other councilors
that it's a day that raises a lot of um
emotions uh for people and reflecting on
um traumas of the past um and the things
that have happened here in
Australia and it's important that we
have an opportunity for our
um local community to attend events like
the survival day Dawn ceremony on that
day and it's also important that we
consider that a significant proportion
of our local community would also like
the opportunity to acknowledge it as our
national public holiday um and that's
why I do not support um changing the
date of the citizenship
ceremony thank you councelor
Johnson councilor Z rising to speak to
the motion it's one that I have agonized
over
for quite a while since the motion was
was put forward um and listening to all
of the arguments and I actually still in
my belief speak against the motion it's
here and I know that is potentially
hurtful to some but I believe that we
have been
compromising of the events that we hold
on this day over a number of of years to
get to a place that we can ask our
community to gather and gather in big
numbers for our survival day Dawn
service um a very Moving Service and
great to certainly um be their last year
and to witness
that other opportunities to participate
and the notion of
citizenship and I guess I struggle to be
able to see
that element is it about colonialism
that then resonates as to why it
shouldn't be or is about a process where
people choose to become Australian
citizens on our one of our six events
throughout the
year the families that are gathered
there it people can choose to turn up or
people can choose not to turn up if they
wish the same with all of the events on
the day we will all mark them Mark the
day however we want to whether it's a
day of morning whether it's a day of
participating and how that actually
plays out right across the
community on spending a bit of time on
the reconciliation Victoria website and
looking at their advice around
approaching 26th of January respectfully
and there is certainly some advice but
it's not saying don't hold events on
that day it talks about if you are
holding events on that day how you do so
with cultural sensitivity how you can
use it for educating the community how
you can use it for for truth telling and
I think there is that opportunity within
the space of the citizenship ceremony to
absolutely be telling the story of First
Nations people and potentially some of
the harms that were caused within that
ceremony it is listed in there in terms
of using the opportunity to educate the
community have listened long and hard
and the day almost agreeing with with
councilor Hargraves that the federal
government in their stance until they do
change the date and they've left the
door open in terms of The Honorable
Andrew Giles in his press release that
said greater flexibility for citizenship
ceremonies from
2023 but also with its the Australian
government's strong expectation that
councils conduct ceremonies on January
26 so it's having a bad H way it is the
realm of the federal government that has
all of the power to be able to change
the date if they wish and to own it
local councils are being drawn into this
issue to potentially I think Lobby the
federal government through one council
at a time in a space that is potentially
divisive of
communities and our responsibility is to
I think have a balance as to how the day
is able to play out on that day yes I am
aware that for some it is a very hurtful
day it's a day not to be celebrated it
is a day where for some we'll gather
with each other and to
remember past wrongs that were done but
it doesn't mean I don't think we should
turn away from that and turn off all of
the events of that day and some of the
things that we can do are absolutely
about
that so rather simplistic I know in
terms of my view and probably criticized
strongly for that
however it is a view that I've thought
for a long long time and I haven't been
convinced tonight that I should
necessarily change so in that regard I
don't support the recommendation in
relation to changing the date of
citizenship on January
26th councilor coats you have the option
to sum up sure I'll sum up
and in saying that uh I I would like to
foreshadow um calling for an urgent
report back to the December meeting if
if this fails to to consider further
options uh around this
um given that 30th of December is the is
the last date possible for any any kind
of practical change whether there there
is some um some scope for compromising
or doing something differently um
looking at two ceremonies in January
something like that or
um you know perhaps having some some
data around it look I think at the end
of the the day though this kind of
decision is never going to be around you
know research or consultation because
Aboriginal and T State Islander
community members are in a minority and
so every time we we try to consult on
that they will be outnumbered in terms
of their their View so what what we are
actually weighing up in this decision is
whether the value of a small number of
people having a citizenship day on
January 26th which they don't actually
know they're going to get at this point
in time it's a bit of a a random thing
there the it's one out of many
ceremonies in a year um somewhere
between 6 and 10 or 11 depending on how
many how many people we have throughout
the year so we're weighing that up the
value of a small number of future people
having a citizenship ceremony on a
certain day um we're wearing that up
against the the long-standing hurt of
Aboriginal and T straight Islander
people so we're not this motion doesn't
ask to to change the date we we can't do
that but what we can do is adjust and
acknowledge and genuinely hear what the
concerns are and and learn from that so
it's not about changing the date it's
about changing how we we recognize it
and look honestly if councilors can't be
gracious enough to to make a
small over 2 minutes it's about 2:30
actually make a small uh
make a small if Council can't be
gracious enough to accept a small a
small request
um looks looks so bad I I will call for
an urgent report to the last meeting of
council thank you councilor Coates
councilors I'll put the motion all those
in favour of the
motion all those against the motion the
motion is lost councelor coats division
Please Mr May all those councelor coats
calls for a division all those in favour
of the motion councelor coats councel
Eddie councel Harris councelor Maloney
all those against the motion councelor
Taylor councelor Johnson councelor
Macintosh councelor Hargraves councelor
Hudson the motion is lost five votes to
four councilor coach do you wish to call
for oh we'll move into um we'll do that
in items of business foreshadow oh sorry
foreshadowed an urgent motion So
councelor Co you can do that y
uh yes building on some of the
suggestions that were made during the
debate given that there is an urgent
timeline of 30th of December um call for
a report to the last meeting of Council
on on this topic councel coat seconded
councelor Maloney councelor Taylor
question yeah thanks Mr Mayor and I
think um uh there's an opportunity to
actually work with process on this one
rushing something through again which
which this motion has been rushed
through first as a notice of motion and
now to try to rush something through for
the uh the last council meeting which is
it the 13th of December I think it is
13th of December is again rushing
something through um on the Hop to try
to look at change I think there's an
opportunity to do it properly I think
there's an opportunity to work with KAG
to come up with a clear um position as
well and uh um I I just wanted to get
some I wanted to get some governance
advice is that something that's feasible
to do uh when we've actually just had
the motion defeated so question about
whether or not the report can be
delivered in time for the December
timeline Mr
Co yeah look I I think that's a fairly
unfair question to to ask officers it
depends on what's actually involved in
it whether you're proposing that there's
engagement or what process you would
instruct officers to to go through um
we'd need we'd need more details on the
process that you'd like to undertake
before I could tell you time
frames thank you Mr CEO so we have a
mover and a seconder councel Coates has
moved for the report councelor Maloney
has second sorry May so what is the
report on it's on options as as the CEO
just said there needs to be a process
around consultation to do it needs
Clarity around what actually is coming
to Council in 3 weeks and that's why I'm
saying are we rushing the process um
again governance advice the CEO said we
are should we actually be listening to
this motion councelor coat will have the
opportunity to talk to the motion and
councils will then have the opportunity
to debate can we see what it actually
says what it is sorry councilor coach
won't have I I doubt councilor coach you
would have that in front of you would be
along the lines of calling for an urgent
report that
investigates activities on January 26
that event and the similar in line with
the notice of motion that you've
got is
that councils could I propose that we
take a short five minute adjournment so
as that there's an opportunity for
councelor Co and millennio move in a
second of
a of a foreshadowed motion to be to come
up with some words that is clear for
everyone some someone are happy to move
an adjournment motion move councelor
McIntyre second Council Maloney all
those in favour against that's carried
take a five minute
adjournment okay councilors we are back
online councilor Coates you have a um an
alternate motion that you like to
move uh yes as written request a report
to the 13th December 2023 council
meeting that outlines a consultation and
engagement process for investigating
future activities and events held on
26th of January um and as he's um stated
oh if I get a second I will speak to it
we have a with that and have a second
Cil Maloney okay so a rudimentary report
that outlines a process should be
achievable within a short period of time
and given the um yeah discussion tonight
I think it's timely to have that as soon
as possible y thank you councilor caches
councilor
Maloney uh yeah thank you Mr Mayor I'm
hoping this is a a reasonably
straightforward way to go for the reason
that we consistently have this problem
every year where some of you know
hearing um the critique of of some of of
our colleagues that
the original motion came forward too
late in the calendar year that's because
we don't have a process to ever follow
so what continues to happen year in year
out is the November December meeting
this debate comes up we're not unique a
lot of councils have the same drama um
because we don't have a process earlier
on in the year to establish it and
actually give it considered thought so
to those councilors who were arguing
that it was too late in the year no
considered proper thought of being given
hopefully this at least gives you
opportunity for a process Way
Forward um because I guess the danger is
that just keep on kicking the can down
the road forever and that you don't ever
get to a resolution or a proper
discussion of it because the debate is
that it's just too late um I guess this
is a motion to try to avoid that
situation um because you know you don't
you don't need a crystal ball to see
that the same thing's going to happen
again next year and next year there's
the additional um challenge I should say
of council elections um taking place you
know around the September October period
so um you know this would be a new
Council otherwise having to Grapple with
it and you can sure as H bet that
they'll be also arguing the same thing
it's too late the calendar year so you
know we know when this is held every
year let's have a proper process earlier
on in the cycle thank you Council Mone
is there Council speaking against the
motion Council speaking for the motion
Council
Harris uh yes Mr
Mayor as Council Mone Council coats have
said I think we got to try and think how
we're going to set up the new Council
you know when they look at this and I
think if we if
we some work on this and some thought on
this I think there's we've heard a few
varieties of um ways to approach it we
within the debate which may well be
worthwhile going down those particular
rabbit holes because we want the next
next Council to be have a you know it
may not be an easy decision but at least
one that's that's put before them uh
it's structured and it's it's not as I
said you just don't want all these
things just to be victims of you know
culture divides that we sort of create
for ourselves this we just want a bit of
you know freedom to think about it um
have the next Council have a bit of a uh
a way through this and I think if we
keep those things top of mind um we
might be able to get some um good out
comes with a bit of thought about it so
uh I do endorse it thank you councelor
Harris Council speaking against the
motion speaking for the
motion Council I will actually speak for
the motion as well I think this is a
reasonable way forward in terms of
outlining a process of consultation and
engagement that will give us an
opportunity to have a serious think
serious debate about this issue and talk
it through um in relation to the the
community as we go forward so I think I
think the the alternative motion that
has put forward is a fair and reasonable
proposal which I'm happy to
support councelor
McIntosh uh Mr Mayor I'll speak for this
motion uh and just to say with a little
bit of trepidation I just hope that it
doesn't become divisive or denigrating
or anything uh like that um I did hear a
couple of com comments before Offline
that made me feel um a bit disappointed
because this shouldn't be about making
anyone feel bad uh what we discussed in
our debate before was how can we move
forward and celebrate everyone together
actually recognize the hurt of the past
as well and make sure that we're being a
voice on behalf of our very diverse
Intercultural community and that's not
about making anyone feel bad it's
understanding that some people feel bad
it's understanding that there's
significant hurt and it's understanding
that we can work together to get the
best um opportunities the best events
the best memories the best activities um
the best outcomes for our community and
so for those reasons I support this not
for the reasons to make anyone feel any
more disappointed than what they may be
it is important that we work together
positively to achieve the best outcomes
that we can and I hope that this process
is about doing that not about creating
shame not
about exacerbating any hurt but about
working together to achieve the best
that we can for the activities and
events that would be hosted on the 26th
of January thank you councelor McIntosh
any councilor speaking for the motion
against the motion put the motion all
those in favour against the motion is
carried councilors moving on to reports
from committees and
councilors anything from Council ORS
Council tyer you Mr Mayor just had a
couple of items been raised it um uh
Lake esmond's got a car park on L Street
do we need a motion to move I'll be
quick uh we've got 10 minutes up as
leave 10 minutes five minutes um just
top of L Street there there's the car
park to Lake esman and and as recently
in in few weeks we've had had uh
multiple cars now being driven there and
and being burnt plus also other um
actions happening after hours concerned
by the residents in that area and uh
just wondering whether we can again put
that through to the relevant authorities
that that that can be done it's
difficult to put any CCTV and then
responsibility and so on but how can we
uh work with those relevant authorities
to actually uh at least look at that
area Patrol that area in some way or at
least be uh making it known that it's
not a good spot to do unsavory things
and you shouldn't be doing those things
anyway in the city so that's the first
item the other item had a fair few
residents now that live in tandara in
banong um that do walk a lot run um and
uh do a lot of recreation from tandara
through into banong and right there on
the corner Delan Avenue is a very it's a
a a path that goes to a a small dirt
path but it is literally that close to
the Midland Highway and I'm not too sure
whose responsibility whether it's ours
or Midland or the regional roads Vic but
um the concerns are is is is uh it is
fast cars do speed around and in and
through that area and the concern was
around more of the younger children
walking to school riding to school how
can they be safe and have that gap
between vehicles and then also um
walking as well as cars so I'm not too
sure who's responsibility or what we can
do but whether there's options to look
at that as as an option thank you that's
all I've got councelor Taylor councelor
Macintosh um I've got two items Mr Mayor
but for other councilor's sake did I
just hear you that we have to finish at
11 is that uh you can move a a motion to
extend could I move a motion to extend
just for I'm sure
coun councilor Tyler
second all those in favour thank you
motion to extend is done I do apologize
for that but I think we're very close to
the time and there's likely to be
another couple of items um I have one
that was handed to me this evening from
the group from Ballarat East um in
regards to the power core uh item the
substation and it is a joint letter I
equally understand that there is also a
petition that they lodg today not in
enough time to be uh recognized and
tabled at tonight's meeting uh but it is
uh through governance appropriate for us
to table The Joint letter uh which I am
doing right now the joint letter for
everyone's knowledge um it actually
considers flooding and all the
challenges that are in that area it
considers all of the uh concerns that
the residents put forward in the chamber
tonight um and it refers to the other
really huge existing comparisons like
Norman Street um which is surrounded by
factories and a sporting ground it
considers Douglas Street which is also
an industrial estate with sport ground
opposite it and it also considers Warren
Heap which is a huge Terminal Station
surrounded by AC reg and so on um the
the community it appears to me just
looking through this briefly that
they've gone through a number of
possible sites um that they've looked at
other examples that are comparable and
then there's a significant number of
signatures on a number of pages that are
expressing their concern for these
substation they specifically asked us in
the chamber tonight as many would have
heard that we um could get a letter to
Micha settle and other politicians as
soon as possible and they'd like that to
be done over the next couple of days at
least the reach out to be recognized and
there could be a follow-up meeting I
think you might have suggested Mr May
that you were going to be meeting with
her in a couple of weeks time they're
worried because they've heard Vibes that
it might be announced sometime really
really soon um hence they were really uh
en encouraging us to table this tonight
we're happy to I'm happy to send
something off by the end of the week to
the politicians thank you so much Mr
Mayor that'll be wonderful and if
there's a chance to communicate back to
um a couple of the lead residents as
well so they know I'm sure that will
give them comfort so I'll table that
letter uh and foreshadow that there will
be a uh petition that will be tabled
it's already been registered through
Council uh and tabled at the next
council meeting and I've got one other
item that just follows on from the
conversation we had in Council assembly
around the lakes and Gardens
conservation management plan and I just
thought it was important to table this
in the chamber and I'm more than happy
to pass this on I have spoken briefly
with uh director wetheral um the there
was uh some fairly clear Communications
that were summarizing the Consultants uh
work on for instance the um Adam Lindsey
Gordon
Cottage and and a suggestion that it
wasn't his um and so on um what I found
through University work and many many
other bodies is significant references
that absolutely show that he lived in
the cottage who was there at the time uh
plaes that recorded it media around the
same time I know there was a fair bit of
giggle around the room when they talked
about media but what I've got here is
not just media it's actually a me's
report it's minutes from
the uh local government committee it's
uh it's reports from
the uh National estate the register of
national estate it's reports from John
Reed's picture book and photographs on
the um property whilst he's actually at
it a show does show um that there's not
of arander at time there's lce work and
there was a bit
of giggle as well maybe about The
Veranda not having been on it before
there is there is plenty of um
documentation about when The Veranda did
get put on it it was when it was up in
the gardens but it does actually show
significant visual uh
recognition and evidence of how it
exactly works was when it was at the
back of um Craig's hotel we also have
Ida Buckley's portrait in the May's
Lounge uh sorry excuse me sorry Point Mr
Mayor this is really interesting news
but as we're starting the conservation
study is it best to have that
information passed through to offices to
include that's exactly what I said at
the start of it so councelor Taylor I
have um I have already made a commitment
to uh director weal that I will pass
this information on on uh but there
there are significant items that are not
just about um newspaper records that I
believe need to correct the information
that we've got it's really important
when we get reports like this that
there's not something left there as a
perception and and the perception
becomes a reality um this is information
that's supported by University by state
bodies by the mayor's notes and so the
list goes on so I'll um table those now
they could perhaps be um photocopied
councelor MOS and distributed to
councilors as well more than happy for
that to happen and and most of this is
other than a couple pieces of paper that
I found on the back of photos but most
of it's available on the internet thank
you any other councilors with reports
from committees councelor
Eddie
uh how I get this into a commit uh the
first one's not but I'm just going to
say it anyway uh congratulations to the
officers uh for sticking to your guns on
the lake lighting uh it's been
overwhelming the feedback on them since
um unsolicited by people people who are
against them who could now see that the
Earth hasn't fallen in so I just want
everyone to know that it was well worth
sticking to that was it a project we
needed probably not but once it was
committed to I'm glad we've got ahead
and got it done and just um last night I
attended the bar beat race course and
Recreation Reserve meeting and it's
probably going to be indicative in a lot
of committees we have today that um
they're going to really struggle they're
a very aging group um so there's a
number of challenges there which I've
sent some notes off to cam today to um
just get some advice on but um you know
I just foreshadow that a lot of their
volunteer groups are very very old and
aging and I think we need to be
proactive in how we support them or
integrate you know common interest
groups around that bar be area there's
three or four very active groups uh but
they need to get together or else they
all perish thank you y thanks for
attending that AGM I went to the bat
Municipal Brass Band a JM it was great
to see a 60-year award volunteerism
award given out to one of their members
which is great Council
Maloney uh thanks Mr Mayor I just like
Council Ed wanted to thank um the
officers in particular for um a pretty
hard slog on the lake liing project um a
few of us uh copped some pretty deep
criticis ISM at different times along
the journey um and I guess um what I'm
actually hoping that ultimately comes
out of it though is that it's it's a
well-used um project I think I counted
36 people as I drove one lap of the lake
um at 9:00 on Sunday night who are
either walking or cycling around on the
path so making use of it on a nice warm
Sunday night which was great but even
those that were unhappy with what we did
back at the time um I do hope over time
that we're able to get back to working
well with each other because if we're
honest about things there were a couple
of pretty entrenched camps and positions
on
things um and we're stronger as a city
when we can progressively overcome those
things recognize there are always better
ways of doing projects always better
ways of doing things um lot everyone got
their way
um and you know and recognize that there
was prob a debate that was way too
bruising to be had from all sides um so
you only get that when you you can step
back and reflect upon it so it it's it's
there now hopefully it's well used um I
do hope that even those who didn't like
what we did in the end are able to make
use of it um and and still be able to to
you know continue to make use of a of a
beautiful asset of the city as in the
lake itself as opposed to lights because
you know it is a place where people go
to to recreate and um and enjoy um and
again you know I guess I sort that there
is that Olive Branch there to those who
might have had some um some very
different views let's just say thank you
councelor Maloney councilor
McIntosh I'll take the olive branch
and just to just to say that I jogged
around there last night very slowly very
slowly at about 9:00 and I saw maybe six
people two going the opposite direction
to me four going the same direction as
me two of them were on bikes um I would
expect that with the right sort of
promotion that there will be more people
over
time I think that it looks gorgeous at
nighttime I think the light is is
beautiful and and as people know I've
always been supportive of lights but the
right lights um I still have exactly the
same view as I always have I do think
that we could have saved a kilometer and
a half of work on the tram side using
the [ __ ] Pooles and spotters down onto
the path and I equally think that we
could have used less lights around the
other
side but I will say it's lovely and
that's why I was supportive of Lights
from the very beginning so I think you
know um we need to have debates in the
chamber we do it for a reason we do it
to try and get the best outcome we do it
to try and be as economically respectful
with our rate payers money and for all
of those reasons I had the views that I
did and I still have the same views and
I will use it and I hope that a lot more
people get fit and healthy because of it
I think at the moment in the mornings we
probably won't get as much use of it as
we'd like but in the winter that will
change thank you Council MOS councelor
coats you went for your L as before uh
yeah just three really quick items um
acknowledge the yanon country that um
the executive team yourself and I
attended as part of the biodiversity
consultation with the Wang and Jaa Wang
traditional owners that there was really
great feedback from that so um please
pass on thanks to the officers um Heath
Stewart and and Linka vanderboom who who
helped organize that that was really
terrific um National Survivor day I
attended with the loud fence supporters
and survivors is on the 14th of November
morning tea at government house so
that's only the second annual um
National Survivor day so that was uh
really significant and um also I also
completed the 10
session nature stewards program that
city of bat is supporting and that there
was um incredible feedback from
community members and other participants
who um completed that as well so also
um pass on um that that program is
really highly commended fantastic thank
you Council coats any other items
reports from committees
councilors there are no urgent business
items there is nothing in section 66
other than um two reports for noting
which are just the minutes there is no
other business I will declare the
meeting closed at 1110 p.m. thank you
everyone safe journey
home