Regional advocacy

Inner South Metropolitan Mayor’s Forum

Glen Eira City Council is 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 next Victorian Government to help councils deliver.

We have a clear vision for our region, but we can’t deliver it alone. We need other levels of government to work with us to deliver the reforms that will benefit our municipalities.

The ISMMF is putting forward – with a shared voice — tangible solutions that the next Victorian Government can implement immediately.

What we are advocating for

The ISMMF is committed to working together to advocate for meaningful reforms that will make a tangible difference to our communities.

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; and
• sustainability maternal and child health services.

ISMMF Inner South Regional Advocacy Priorities 2022—2023 (PDF)

Climate advocacy

Since 2017, Glen Eira City Council has 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.

We captured key elements of the EAGA advocacy platform in Glen Eira’s policy reform priorities for the Victorian state election.

What we are advocating for

Through EAGA, we are advocating for:

• planning for a Safe Climate, a campaign coordinated 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
• funding for Local Government to deliver climate programs that aid COVID-19 recovery
• strengthened emissions reductions targets, policy frameworks and programs, as well as federal and state support for adaption measures at the Local Government level.

For a full list of priorities, visit the EAGA website.

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.

Elster Creek Catchment Collaboration

As a member of the Elster Creek Catchment Collaboration, Glen Eira City Council is 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.

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

What we are advocating for

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; and
• all state-owned property developments or redevelopments in the catchment to invest in flood mitigation.

Elster Creek Catchment joint advocacy priorities (PDF)