Regional advocacy

Our regional advocacy is supported by a variety of collaborations and memberships of alliances including the:

• Inner South Metropolitan Mayor’s Forum (ISMMF);
• Elster Creek Collaboration;
• Victorian Greenhouse Alliance and the Eastern Alliance for Greenhouse Action (EAGA);
• Climate Emergency Australia;
• Council Alliance for Sustainable Built Environment (CASBE); and
• Alliance for Gambling Reform.

Council also collaborates with non-government organisations such as the Caulfield Racecourse Reserve Trust.

Inner South Metropolitan Mayor’s Forum

We’re an active member of the Inner South Metropolitan Mayor’s Forum (ISMMF), together with Bayside, Boroondara and Kingston City Councils.

The ISMMF was established to work together to advocate for change on the issues affecting Melbourne’s inner south. Representing more than one in eight Melburnians, the ISMMF spans four municipalities, 13 state electorates, three state regions, and six federal electorates.

Through strong community engagement with our communities, we’ve listened closely to understand what the inner south wants the Victorian and Australian Governments to help councils deliver.

The ISMMF is putting forward — with a shared voice — solutions that can deliver meaningful reforms that will make a tangible difference to our communities.

Guided by our ISMMF Inner South Regional Advocacy Priorities 2022–2023 (PDF) we are advocating for:

• improvements to the planning system to empower councils and communities
• new open space infrastructure to meet the needs of our growing populations
• more and better funded social and affordable housing
• sustainability maternal and child health services.

Elster Creek Catchment Collaboration

As a member of the Elster Creek Catchment Collaboration, we’re advocating for better flood management for the Elster Creek catchment.

The Elster Creek catchment collects run-off from the inner south and drains to Port Phillip Bay at Elwood. The creek is known to flood and is expected to continue to flood in the future.

Climate change will increase the risk of more severe flooding throughout the catchment. Future developments in the inner south will also increase urban runoff.

Flooding has a major financial, environment, safety, and liveability impact for Glen Eira residents. Each year, flooding causes $550,000 in damage to property and infrastructure.  This is projected to increase to over $1 million dollars a year by 2100 due to the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events.

That’s why we have partnered with Melbourne Water and Bayside, Kingston and Port Phillip City Councils to advocate for a better approach and more funding for flood management.

Guided by our Elster Creek Catchment joint advocacy priorities (PDF) We are advocating for:

• funding to deliver major flood mitigation infrastructure under the Elster Creek Catchment Flood Management Plan 2019–2024
• $6 million in funding to deliver the City of Bayside’s $20 million Yalukit Willam Nature Reserve masterplan
• all state-owned property developments or redevelopments in the catchment to invest in flood mitigation.

Victorian Greenhouse Alliance and the Eastern Alliance for Greenhouse Action (EAGA)

Since 2017, we have been a key member of the Victorian Greenhouse Alliances and the Eastern Alliance for Greenhouse Action (EAGA).

EAGA is a collaboration of the Cities of Boroondara, Glen Eira, Knox, Maroondah, Monash, Stonnington, Whitehorse and Yarra Ranges, who have joined forces to advocate for reforms that promote environmental sustainability and low carbon communities.

Guided by EAGA universal advocacy priorities 2022–2023, we are advocating for:

• national energy market reform
• policy initiatives for climate and energy programs
• incentives and regulation of efficiency standards for commercial and residential buildings
• supporting initiatives that support low income and vulnerable households
• strengthening the Victorian planning system to address climate change at all levels
• enabling councils to develop shared goals for landfill waste
• ensuring Biodiversity 2037 (environment.vic.gov.au) is delivered in partnership with all levels of government
• supporting zero emissions transport
• improving climate adapted liveability.

In 2021–22, EAGA created five formal advocacy submissions and engaged with 1,560 businesses. For a full list of achievements, read EAGA’s annual report.

Council also supports Planning for a Safe Climate, a campaign co-ordinated by Victorian Greenhouse Alliances in partnership with the Council Alliance for a Sustainable Built Environment (CASBE) which calls for explicit, mandatory and enforceable minimum climate change commitments to be introduced into the state planning system during the next term of government.

Climate Emergency Australia

Council is a member of Climate Emergency Australia (CEA), a collaboration of more than one hundred councils around Australia calling for a rapid shift to a more resilient, zero-carbon society. Together we represent more than 11.4 million Australians calling for a rapid shift to address the impacts of climate change.

This includes reducing emissions, providing supportive policy frameworks and funding climate change mitigation and adaptation interventions. For more information on this advocacy, visit the CEA website.

This supports Glen Eira’s Climate change strategy which embeds climate change action in everything we do. To find out more read Our Climate Emergency Response Strategy 2021–2025 [PDF].

Council Alliance for Sustainable Built Environment (CASBE)

We’re a member of the Council Alliance for Sustainable Built Environment (CASBE), an independent alliance of Victorian councils committed to ensuring future generations can enjoy a sustainable built environment. Together, we enable broad-scale positive change to Victoria’s built environment through collaborative, local government-led action. 

CASBE provides a forum for the exchange of information, and ideas on innovation and best practice in Environmentally Sustainable Development (ESD). By doing this, we’re able to effectively represent and advocate the collective views of member councils, strengthen partnerships and provide thought leadership in ESD policy and practice.

Through CASBE we are advocating for a commitment to Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD). In July 2022, 24 councils asked the Minister for Planning to authorise the ‘elevating ESD’ amendment that proposes a specific new control. This control would ensure new developments incorporate more environmentally sensitive design requirements and encourage a move towards net zero carbon development.

For more information on this advocacy, visit the Council Alliance for a Sustainable Built Environment (CASBE) website.

Alliance for Gambling Reform

Council joins with the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV), other councils and many other organisations as a founding supporter of the Alliance for Gambling Reform, which seeks to campaign for reforms to the gambling industry to reduce harm from poker machines and to protect disadvantaged communities from increasing numbers of poker machines.

Through the Alliance for Gambling reform we are advocating for the Victorian Government to:

• implement pokies reform
• strengthen regulation for online gambling
• promote and improve treatment and referrals for people experiencing gambling harm
• advocate to the Australian Government for an adequately funded national regulatory structure
• ban gambling ads.

The Alliance has been involved in delivering some major milestones for gambling reform. Visit Gambling Harm | Alliance For Gambling Reform for more information.

Caulfield Racecourse Reserve Trust

Council is also committed to enhancing open space and improving public access at Caulfield Racecourse Reserve.

Council partners with the Caulfield Racecourse Reserve Trust to support the creation of the Caulfield Racecourse Reserve Land Management Plan. We support the Trust’s advocacy for a long-term, sustainable funding stream to deliver the Land Management Plan. We want to ensure the redevelopment includes new multi-purpose spaces and facilities that maximise community access and usage for Glen Eira residents.

The Caulfield Racecourse Reserve Trust is an independent body appointment by the Minister for Environment to manage Caulfield Racecourse Reserve. The Trust’s land management plan guides the strategic objectives, directions and long-term plan for the future of the reserve. Visit Caulfield Racecourse Reserve for more information.

This advocacy supports Glen Eira’s commitment to a shared vision for the area’s future. In September 2022, Council adopted a Caulfield Structure Plan to support advocacy for the racecourse reserve precinct. To find out more, read our Caulfield Major Activity Structure Plan [PDF]