Category Archives: news

Broadmeadows #vicvotes candidates forum at Fawkner

vicvotes2014-fawkner-leafletThe Fawkner Community Strengthening committee have organised a candidates Forum for Fawkner for Tuesday evening 11 November, 6.15pm-8pm at John Fawkner Secondary College, 51 Jukes Rd, Fawkner.

Most of Fawkner was previously in the Thomastown state electorate with sitting Labor MP Bronwyn Halfpenny. An Electoral Commission redistribution has moved the suburb of Fawkner into the Broadmeadows electorate held by sitting Labor MP Frank McGuire.

The election is due to be held on Saturday 29th November 2014. Come along and listen to candidates, ask them questions. The person elected to state parliament will represent you for 4 years. This is your chance to quiz them and the policies they are standing for.

RSVP to the event on eventbrite

Fawkner Candidates meeting 11 November Brochure

Tuesday 11 November: Candidate details
Fawkner Candidates Forum for seat of Broadmeadows. 6.15pm-8pm at John Fawkner Secondary College, 51 Jukes Rd, Fawkner
Broadmeadows candidates (so far):
Frank McGuire (Labor) Facebook page
Jaime de LOMA-OSORIO (Greens) Facebook page
Mohamed Hassan (Voice for the West) (website)

Can you Zero your Waste for a Week? November 2013 challenge

Take the Zero Waste for a week ChallengeMoreland Council is particularly active in reducing it’s carbon footprint and achieving carbon neutrality in it’s operations. This still involves purchase of international carbon offset credits.

Waste collection, storage and landfill is one of the big costs, in terms of money and in generating greenhouse gases. If homes and businesses can reduce waste through more recycling and composting, then this is a substantial saving in both council expense, which can then be directed into other amenities, and in reducing carbon pollution from waste management.

To highlight the importance of reducing waste Moreland Council is urging Moreland residents to take the Zero Waste for a Week Challenge this November, to reduce your landfill waste to zero for one week.

“It’s not as hard as it sounds, changing the way you buy goods and produce, composting food scraps and recycling more all make a huge difference. Free workshops will be available throughout November on food waste avoidance and composting to help you cut your waste to zero. For more information or to register call Council on 9240 1111 or go to Zero waste for a Week Challenge” says the Council promotional material.

Registration for the challenge is only open to Moreland Residents but information is open to everyone. Tips and information on how you can achieve Zero Waste, or even substantially minimise your waste is available from Moreland Council – Zero waste for a Week Challenge. The first 150 residents to register will receive a free Waste Wise kit.

Fair Food Week at Coburg Farmers Market Sat 24 August

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It is Fair food week at Coburg Farmers Market this Saturday with a Farmers’ Market Fair organised. Transition Coburg have organised 3 candidates standing in Wills to attend the Coburg Farmers Market this Saturday 24 August to discuss agriculture and food security and food sovereignty. Come along from 10am to hear Kelvin Thomson (ALP), Tim Read (Greens), Margarita Windisch (Socialist Alliance) discuss this important topic.

Coburg Farmers Market happens at Coburg North Public School at 180 O’Heas Street, Coburg from 8:00am – 1:30pm every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month. Entry is by gold coin donation which goes to school community projects.
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Wills Meet the Candidates Climate Forum Election 2013

CAM-20130819-climate-forum
For the 2013 Federal Election, come and hear what the candidates have to say about policies, particularly on climate change and sustainability. Sustainable Fawkner is a sponsor of this event organised by Climate Action Moreland. The Following Wills Candidates have agreed to attend:

  • Dean O’CALLAGHAN, (Save the Planet)
  • Kelvin THOMSON, (Australian Labor Party)
  • Margarita WINDISCH, (Socialist Alliance)
  • Tim READ, (Greens)

We are hoping that the other candidates: Shilpa Hegde for the Liberal Party and Adrian Trajstman for the Australian Sex Party, and any other candidate that registers for the poll in Wills, will also come along to highlight their climate and sustainability policies.

When: 7.00pm for 7.30pm start, 19th August
Where: Coburg Concert Hall, Moreland Civic Centre, 90 Bell Street, Coburg
Facebook: register for this event on Facebook

This is a family friendly event. Gold coin donation. Further information: sallyRose m. 0431 445 930

Climate Action Moreland has organised this event but is supported by other community groups around Moreland including: Moreland Bicycle Users Group (BUG), Brunswick Residents Network, CERES, Sustainable Fawkner, Friends of Upfield Linear Park

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You may wish to compare the policies of the major parties ahead of time from the Vote Climate website or check out the Climate Institute 2013 election pollute-o-meter.

Flyers in colour and grayscale are attached below to print or photocopy and distribute.

 

Secure Bike Parking at Fawkner Station but Gowrie Station still needs to be zone 1

Secure Bicycle parking at Fawkner Station installed

Secure Bicycle parking at Fawkner Station installed

Fawkner Station now has a secure bike cage for those who choose to cycle to the station and take the train. The parkiteer security bike parking cage was launched by Moreland Mayor Oscar Yildiz, State Transport Minister Terry Mulder, and Christine Campbell MP for Pascoe Vale on July 1st.

Cr Oscar Yildiz said in the council media release “Moreland residents love their bikes and now they can travel to Fawkner station and have peace of mind that their bike will be secure and undercover,” Cr Yildiz said. “This is a brilliant example of a joint government initiative that will make people’s life easier and more sustainable in their daily commute.”
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Money for East west link, but no cash for surfacing Merlynston Station carpark

Merlynston Station (Photo: Wiki Commons)

Merlynston Station (Photo: Wiki Commons)

The State Government has just handed down it’s 2013 budget. As expected, there is little for public transport, or meeting it’s own environmental election promises. Instead we see more support for brown coal which contributes to climate change, and to major road projects like initial funding for the east west link which will result in a public-private partnership and a privately managed tollroad which you and I will pay to travel on. The Metro rail tunnel and other badly needed rail network extensions have been effectively shelved by the current Government.

It hurts even more when the State Government ignores basic maintenaince and simple upgrades which benefit public transport commuters. Melbourne’s inner middle northern suburbs residents are calling out for existing station car parks to be resurfaced, at the cost of several thousand dollars, to avoid injuries such as broken ankles sustained from potholes in the gravel carpark surface.
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Funding urged for Upfield Bikepath extension to Western Ring Road

City skyline view over Wetlands & drainage basin where Upfield Bikepath meets the Western Ring Road

City skyline view over Wetlands & drainage basin where Upfield Bikepath meets the Western Ring Road

Extending the Upfield bikepath from Box Forest Road near Gowrie station to the Western Ring Road is a major missing link in Melbourne’s offroad shared bike path network. Christine Campbell (@CCampbellMP), State Labor MP for Pascoe Vale raised the following Notice of Motion in Parliament on 18 April 2013 urging the State Government to kick in funding to complete this major bikepath missing link in Moreland’s north.
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Local MPs agitate for Rezoning Moreland’s north for public transport fare zone 1

Upfield train approaching Gowrie StationBoth local state MPs, Christine Campbell representing Pascoe Vale and Bronwyn Halfpenny representing Thomastown (which includes Fawkner), have moved motions this year in State Parliament to rezone Moreland’s northern suburbs to be entirely within public transport zone 1. This is a particular inconsistency which often affects local residents on short public transport trips in the north of the municipality.
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Moreland Council gets a shakeup in 2012 election results

Congratulations to the successful candidates elected to Moreland Council from North East Ward: Micheal Teti (ALP member), Lenka Thompson (Greens), Rob Thompson (Liberal Party Independent), and Sue Bolton (Socialist Alliance). They reflect the diversity of our community and will represent us in the (hopefully) good governance of our local city council.

Significantly, three of these candidates – Sue Bolton, Lenka Thompson and Rob Thompson – responded to a questionnaire on sustainability and environmental issues sent to candidates by Sustainable Fawkner. I phoned to chase up a response from Michael Teti and left a message. He returned my phone call, but did not submit any written response to the survey.

Several hundred people visited this article prior to the election and I have no doubt the information on the page helped people decide who to vote for to represent them on council. I can’t understand candidates not wanting to respond to such a survey by a local community group to outline their positions to electors.

ALP members Stella Kariofyllidis and Anthony Helou, who have represented north east ward on successive terms were unsuccessful.
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Moreland Council election 2012 North East Ward Questionnaire on sustainability and environment for candidates

Update: Election results – Moreland Council gets a shakeup
Update: Candidate responses as of Monday 22 October.

Moreland Council Wards

Moreland Council Wards

Moreland Council election is occurring with polling day on Saturday 27 October 2012. In North East ward of Moreland Council covering the suburbs of Coburg, Coburg North and Fawkner we get to elect 4 councillors from the 24 candidates standing. You can check the candidate contact details on the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC).

Representative democracy is a sham without the views of candidates being made available for voters to be informed. If your like some of us, you like to know who you are voting for. With very little public exposure of candidates views, Sustainable Fawkner wanted to canvas the opinions and policies by candidates on sustainability and environmental issues which we are concerned about. Replies will be collated and published on this page as a public service to electors for North East Ward.
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