Thank you to everyone who attended, and candidates who presented and answered questions, at the Nillumbik Climate Action Team and Nillumbio online Candidates Forum, with a focus on climate and biodiversity, held on Tuesday 15 October.
Results of the local government elections will be released on 15 November.
The forum was well attended, and eight candidates from six of the seven wards presented their thoughts on how they would support climate action and biodiversity if elected. After the candidates’ presentations, attendees were invited to join ward breakout rooms to ask questions of their ward candidates.
The recording for the Nillumbik Candidates Forum is now available on this YouTube link.
The recording includes the candidates’ speeches in order of ward, and ward breakout room sessions for Bunjil, Edendale and Sugarloaf wards.
A timeline has been included at the start of the recording to help you find each section of the proceedings.
Candidates who presented and answered questions:
- Grant Brooker (Blue Lake)
- Sarah Hunter (Bunjil)
- Naomi Joiner (Bunjil)
- Alex Grimes (Edendale)
- Murray Paternoster (Sugarloaf)
- Kate McKay (Swipers Gully)
- John Dumaresq (Wingrove)
- Roma O’Callaghan (Wingrove)
Following each candidate speaking briefly, there was a moderated break out group by Ward.
- Check which Ward you live in on the map here, or type your address here.
- Find a full list of candidates standing in each Ward here.
- You can also see where some candidates stand on climate and environment issues at the Nillumbik Council Election 2024 VOTE CLIMATE questionnaire page.
This election is a critical one for the future of Nillumbik. Our shire is facing unprecedented challenges in the years ahead. The recent state government announcement to set a target to increase Nillumbik’s housing stock by 52% by 205 (around 12,000 extra houses) will lead to major changes in the shire. The impact of the extra housing and the consequent influx in population will threaten the integrity of the Green Wedge, create increased traffic congestion, imperil neighbourhood character, lead to a reduction in urban tree canopy cover with an increase in urban heat island effect, and put Nillumbik’s already declining biodiversity at greater risk.
All this in the context of an accelerating climate crisis, where the imperative to reduce emissions(and the need to communicate this to the community) is becoming ever more urgent.
The decisions we (and our councillors) make in the next decade will determine what sort of world our children and grandchildren will live in.
The changes that will be required to accommodate the increase in housing carry the risk of leading to developer-led ad-hoc planning scenarios. Alternatively, they could take place within a well-thought-out framework of planning that incorporates principles such as biodiversity-sensitive urban design (BSUD), strives for community connectedness, is well-serviced by public transport, and takes into account landscape considerations such as wildlife corridors and preservation of waterways and creeklines.
The input of the Nillumbik community will be vital in assisting the incoming council to meet these challenges. One way we as residents can make a difference is to advocate to our councillors for more inclusive council decision-making processes such as participatory democracy or citizens assemblies. To navigate the complex decisions that will have to be taken over the next four years, inclusive decision-making processes that genuinely involve all sectors of the community will be needed. To read more about how these processes have worked in Europe, click here.
Another way, of course, is to make your vote count. If you have never been actively engaged in the process of local government decision-making before, now is the time to start. Take this opportunity to get to know the candidates standing for election. Make sure your vote is informed and thoughtfully considered, so that we can elect candidates who will lead Nillumbik over the next four years with courage, commitment and wisdom.
Nillumbik Climate Action Team 