Merri-bek Labor

Labor in Merri-bek will encourage development which:

• Respects neighbourhood character and heritage
• Provides appropriate parking
• Adheres to design guidelines and height limits
• Links in with public transport

Labor in Merri-bek will listen to the community:

• Respond quickly to phonecalls and emails
• Conduct regular ward meetings
• Use on-line and video technology to ensure Council meetings are open
• Increase communication through newsletters, social media, online platforms
• Ensure that key messages are communicated in the main community languages

COVID19 has hit local business hard. We want to ensure that the local economy emerges from the pandemic stronger than ever.

Labor in Merri-bek will:

• Support local businesses during the recovery from the pandemic
• Revitalise the Brunswick Business Incubator
• Expand the Business Incubation program to the northern part of Merri-bek
• Support the viability and future of local shopping centres including making Sydney Road more friendly to pedestrians and cyclists

We acknowledge that many local people are struggling during the pandemic.

Labor in Merri-bek will:

• Keep rate rises to CPI levels as determined by the Minister
• Advocate for an increase to the pensioner rebate and develop a Hardship Policy that enables residents to defer rates or enter payment plans in time of hardship
• Allocate spending in an equitable manner – spending will be effectively targeted, sustainable and produce clear service delivery outcomes
• Set user charges within a range that reflects the social, cultural and economic make-up of Merri-bek

These issues have a substantial impact on daily life.

Labor in Merri-bek will:

• Design and implement a Fair Parking Policy, working with communities to create local parking plans to prioritise the needs of the various users depending on the type of area
• We will not de-regulate parking requirements for new developments or increase restricted parking zones around activity centres
• Advocate with the State Government for improvements to public transport – such as the duplication of the Upfield Railway line north of Gowrie and increased frequency of bus services
• Continue to implement the Merri-bek Bicycle Plan to improve the bicycle network in the municipality including the provision of marked bicycle lanes on roads and extensions to the off road networks
• Implement innovative programs to encourage more walking trips and to increase pedestrian safety
• Support the campaign to lower speed limits in local neighbourhood streets through traffic calming measures

Merri-bek (Moreland) has a shortage of open space and it is unevenly distributed.

Labor in Merri-bek will:

• Continue to work to ensure that all residents have quality, accessible open space within safe walking distance, especially in higher density areas using open space levies paid by developers
• Continue to develop parkland along our creek corridors and improve the natural environment so native wildlife can return to the creeks and wetlands
• Ensure that the newly-created open space under the skyrail is developed in consultation with the local community

Sporting clubs and informal recreation opportunities are important to community life.

Labor in Merri-bek will:

• Ensure that Council owned facilities are adequately maintained and improved
• Protect sporting reserves and move to ensure that all public land and open space is utilised to its full potential
• Upgrade sporting pavilions and change rooms to enable greater access and participation of sports by juniors and female teams
• Investigate sharing arrangements of open space and sporting facilities at local schools, aiming to form partnerships that benefit both the local community and the schools

Labor in Merri-bek will support and improve Council services which contribute to the well-being of residents.

Labor in Merri-bek will:

• Support an expansion of childrens’ services including supporting more community childcare places, and expanding Council’s own family day care scheme
• Promote an inclusive Merri-bek community that provides access and equity to people with disability, their families and careers
• Support the expansion of services at the Oxygen Youth Centre and implement the Merri-bek Youth Action Plan
• Support home and community care and will lobby the Federal government to increase funding to Local Government to continue to run these services
• Support an increase in the amount of affordable housing by pursuing community partnerships with housing providers to develop and advocate for land to be transferred to Council ownership for development as affordable housing

Merri-bek has a proud history of support for the arts and Labor in Merri-bek will continue this.

Labor in Merri-bek will:

• Build the Arts Precinct in Brunswick as a significant regional arts precinct
• Develop arts infrastructure in the northern areas of the municipality to ensure that all residents have access to the arts and that art, music and drama groups have appropriate spaces for performance and local expansion
• Coordinate a range of engaging cultural and artistic events, exhibitions and performances throughout the year

Merri-bek’s five libraries are important meeting places and support the learning, technology and recreational needs of the community.

Labor in Merri-bek will:

• Complete the Wheatsheaf Community Hub in Glenroy which will include a new library, educational spaces and a health facility
• Continue to ensure that the funds for the purchase of new books, audio visual and electronic resources
• Support our libraries in providing more activities and programs including rhyme time and story time in different languages for children and families

Merri-bek Labor has a proud record of promoting strong environment policies including the establishment of CERES and the Australian Energy Foundation and achieved our goal of making Merri-bek City Council carbon neutral in 2012.

Merri-bek Labor believes it’s time to move towards zero carbon emissions.

Labor in Merri-bek will:

• Develop initiatives and programs to reduce our community emissions to zero and become a strong advocate for climate action by all levels of Government
• Encourage regular recycling and the four-bin system aiming for zero waste sent to landfill
• Retain two hard waste collections per year and encourage more recycling of more items, including electronics