June 2018 Profile Magazine

Quarterly magazine for Local Government Professionals Winter 2018

New membership structure

Online learning offering expands

Great Leaders in Local Government

See how this will benefit you

Two new courses on offer

Alison Leighton makes her mark

Three Months of Social Media Videos

Professionally Shot & Edited

Yours to use Everywhere

Three to five short direct to camera or talent driven short vids.

Professionally shot on either green or white screen, by our talented crew.

Perfect for testimonials, promotions, client or staff education and much more.

PROFILE WINTER 2018

Connect with us at

LGProVIC

CONTENTS

Profile is published by Local Government Professionals (Inc)

6-7 2018 LGPro Women’s Events

LGPro, Level 3/58 Lorimer Street Docklands 3008 Ph: (03) 9268 6400 Fax: (03) 9646 0469 Email: info@lgpro.com Website: www.lgpro.com

Development Forum and Women’s Network Dinner

DEADLINES

The first placement in this new program to build

Profile is published quarterly.

The deadline for Spring 2018 edition is Wednesday 1 August 2018.

The magazine will be published in September 2018.

capacity in the sector is underway with lots of interest

See the line up for our Women’s Professional being held on Thursday 26 July.

9 Sector Secondment Program underway

from other Councils.

15 XLP graduates taking the next step

CONTRIBUTIONS

Many graduates from this program are moving into

Story ideas and photographs are always welcome. Please contact Vicki Amiguet, LGPro’s Manager Communication and Sponsorship on (03) 9268 6400 or via email to vickia@lgpro.com

more senior roles in the sector.

17 A mentoring success story

ADVERTISING

Meet participants in our Mentoring program and

For information or to book advertising in Profile, please call Vicki Amiguet on (03) 9268 6400 or via email to vickia@lgpro.com

learn why it has worked for them.

CREDITS Publisher: LGPro (03) 9268 6400 Editor – Vicki Amiguet Design: Bull Design Group www.bulldesigngroup.com.au

Fran Nolan from Yarra City Council (left) and Belinda Walters from Mornington Peninsula Shire Council catch up at the Social Media Conference.

27 Catch up with ELP graduate on the other side of the world Sophie Holdsworth tells us how she is settling into life and work in London.

28-29 Pictures from the 2018 LGPro Social Media Conference Around 130 people attended this conference to explore what constitutes meaningful social media engagement.

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

REMAINING RELEVANT, VALUABLE AND CONTEMPORARY It’s a great time to be serving on the LGPro Board. There is a real enthusiasm and commitment to making the Board a high performing team to ensure we serve you as well as we possibly can.

We recently undertook personality/

The Board and staff of LGPro interact

work preference profiling to better

with many of you in a range of

understand our strengths and how

forums but we know that the more

we can get the best out of each

we are able to engage with you to

other. We are keen to ensure that

shape our work, the better we will be.

we remain relevant, valuable and contemporary. As part of this we are revisiting our strategic plan, purpose and values.

We’re very happy with what

ESC SUBMISSION We were really pleased that our submission opposing the ESC’s proposed introduction of an efficiency factor had the desired

We are looking at a range of

effect. The submission had input

strategies to achieve this and any

from many of our members and

advice you can offer would be

showed the benefits of independent,

warmly welcomed.

expert input and advice. To all who contributed, thank you.

that is in a large part due to them

UPCOMING WOMEN’S EVENTS

having real clarity about the role of

I’m really pleased to be working with

LGPro and committing to ongoing

my fellow women Board members

By the time you read this we should

review and seeking out opportunities

and graduates of the Emerging

know if the new Local Government

for improvement.

Leaders Program to develop the 2018

Act has passed through parliament.

preceding Boards have achieved and

GROWING OUR MEMBERSHIP BASE Some of the things we have identified that we would like to focus on are the need to continue to grow our membership base by having a contemporary membership subscription model that encourages maximum participation from across the sector; to increase the range and breadth of diversity in our

Women’s Professional Development Forum which will be held, along with the Women’s Network Dinner, on Thursday 26 July.

NEW LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT

While the outcome is not known, we have continued to push our position to have LGPro directly involved in the development of the regulations

I always enjoy the program and

and guidance material that will

dinner and value it as an opportunity

accompany the Act. Our input is

to connect, support and celebrate

vital if the Act is to be successfully

the contribution women make to

operationalised and avoid

Local Government and to continue

unintended consequences.

to promote the importance of gender equity across the sector.

I look forward to seeing many of you at the Women’s Professional

membership base; and to advocate

Development Forum and Women’s

for a work environment that is free

Network Dinner in July.

from sexual harassment and where it is safe for people to speak up.

REBECCA McKENZIE PRESIDENT

4 | PROFILE WINTER 2018

CEO MESSAGE

A NEED FOR PROACTIVE AND INFORMED LEADERS IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT The need for proactive and informed leaders in Local Government has never been stronger.

The first six months of this year

The Program Evaluation course

Steve Fuery – Senior

has seen considerable movement,

we are doing with the University

Communications and Engagement

particularly amongst CEOs and

of Melbourne is building

Officer, Bass Coast Shire Council

Directors.

capacity to better understand

The recycling crisis has taken up a great deal of time and effort and has through no fault of the sector, put Council fees and charges into the spotlight.

I have no data to back it up but it feels like we are seeing a higher than usual number of Councils experiencing governance difficulties resulting in requests for monitors and interim CEO arrangements.

GOOD GOVERNANCE As the environment becomes more complex and challenging there is a need to demonstrate greater clarity

the success and shortcomings of the work being done, drive performance improvement and

Kate Deppeler – Communications Officer, Pyrenees Shire Council

Our Sector Secondment

Sarah Quick – Digital and

Program promotes leadership

Internal Communications Advisor,

development by providing

Yarra City Council

opportunities to work and learn in a different environment and outside of areas of specialist knowledge.

The opportunities are there to develop your leaders, you just need to be prepared to take them.

SOCIAL MEDIA CONFERENCE

that support good governance.

Conference recently. This is the

The recycling issue highlights the

sixth year we have held the

interdependence of all tiers of

conference and I have to admit,

government and will require leaders

given the number of social media

who excel at collaboration as a

conferences around at the time,

greater level of cooperation and

I was sceptical about the ability of

trust will be needed if sustainable

ours to cut through and to succeed.

We are acutely aware of the need to develop leaders capable of leading the sector and replacing the wealth of experience that is leaving.

When I get the chance to spend time with the people in our Executive Leadership Program, Emerging Leaders Program and our Young Professionals Network it is plain to see that there is tremendous

Greater Bendigo City Council

communication with the community.

I attended the Social Media

DEVELOPING CAPABLE LEADERS

Communications Officer,

to create opportunities to improve

about roles and responsibilities

solutions are to be found.

Natasha Leary – Online

Rory Neeson – Manager Growth and Engagement, Corangamite Shire Council The group was supported by Diana Pawluk, Manager Events at LGPro, who as always did a great job.

NEW ONLINE LEARNING COURSES I know that the care commitment displayed in the Social Media Conference will also be evident in the two new LGPro Online Learning courses – Enforcement and Volunteer Induction – that have been developed with great input from a

I could not have been more wrong

range of people who have genuine

and I’m really pleased that I was.

expertise and work in enforcement

I congratulate the organising

and volunteering. Both courses

committee for this conference

will be available early in the 2018/19

and thank them for their care and

financial year.

commitment to organising such a high quality and worthwhile program that was relevant to people working in Local Government:

I look forward to catching up with you again soon.

DAVID PREISS “If a book about failures doesn’t sell, is it a success?”

– Jerry Seinfeld

leadership capability in the sector.

PROFILE WINTER 2018 | 5

2018 LGPro women’s events Women will be encouraged to embrace the best version of themselves at the 2018 LGPro Women’s Professional Development Forum being held on Thursday 26 July from 9.30a.m-4.45pm at Melbourne Park Function Centre.

The forum will be followed by the Women’s Network Dinner which will be held at the same venue from 6.30pm.

These are our two key annual women’s events which address gender specific issues and support career development for women working in Local Government. They also provide women working in the sector the opportunity to get together and network.

We have been hosting these events since 2010 and each year the number of women attending grows and the feedback we get from delegates is always overwhelmingly positive.

FORUM The forum targets officers working at all levels in Local Government regardless of their location, level or professional background.

As well as addressing issues, opportunities and challenges facing women, it also supports career development and provides personal growth strategies and shared approaches to addressing these issues.

This year’s programs will feature: • Two keynote speakers • Three Short Talks

• Four repeated concurrent participative sessions • A specialist session on communication and networking

Keynote speakers CLARE BOWDITCH is one of Australia’s most successful ARIA

award winning songwriters, a Logie-nominated actor for Channel 10’s Offspring, and the founder of Big Hearted Business, where she teaches creative people about business, and business people about creativity.

She has had Top Ten albums, been named Rolling Stone Woman of the Year, Yen Young Woman of the Year, toured the world with Gotye and nationally with Leonard Cohen, written for Harper’s Bazaar and the Drum, and currently hosts an Australian Music Show on Qantas. Along with her creative/business/life-partner Marty Brown, she has three children, identical twins Oscar and Elijah, and one-of-a-kind Asha.

On TV, she has been a guest on programs from Compass, Q&A, Artscape and Insight, to Talkin’ Bout Your Generation, Rockwiz and Spicks and Specks, was a regular guest host on The Circle.

Clare is regularly invited to sit on both Ministerial and Award Assessment panels (Australia Council, AMP, ARIA, APRA), and was Secretary of the Music Victoria Board until 2012. She is also a proud ambassador for Life’s Little Treasures, PPCA and APRA.

6 | PROFILE WINTER 2018

MARIAM ISSA’S refugee experience is a powerful and positive

one. It’s a journey of inspiring resilience and strength. When she arrived in Melbourne from her Somali homeland in 1998, she had a husband, four children and a fifth on the way, with little knowledge of Australian life, other than the motivation to provide a secure, safe future with her family. In her book Mariam talks of her experiences of integration, refugee issues, new beginnings and the power of community.

In 2012 Mariam launched RAW (Resilient Aspiring Women) – a notfor-profit organisation to create better social environments for all women.

RAW is a platform, a community garden and a meeting place for all women in the backyard of her Brighton home. Through Community, Culture and Cuisine, one of RAW’s popular workshops, Mariam uses her love for food and shares the flavours of her East African heritage.

She has appeared on SBS, Channel 7, ABC Radio, community radio, in the Herald Sun, The Australian and was recently awarded the Ambassador of Peace award from the Universal Peace Federation – in recognition of her ongoing work as a tireless community worker promoting peace and harmony in Melbourne’s culturally diverse population.

WOMEN’S NETWORK DINNER The dinner has become a popular event on the Local Government calendar where women and men get together to network and hear an interesting guest speaker. Many Councils take the opportunity to book full tables as a reward for their staff. A highlight of the evening is always the presentation of the winner of the Sally Isaac Memorial Scholarship Fund Award which recognises women, both in Local Government and beyond, 35 years and under who have demonstrated achievements in improving community life.

This year’s speaker is MELANIE RAYMOND who has been named one of Australia’s Top 100 Most Influential Women in the Westpac & Australian Financial Review 100 Women of Influence Awards in 2012. She was also listed in the Daily Life 2016 Women of the Year and named by the Herald Sun in March 2017 as one of Victoria’s “fifty women you need to know”.

Melanie holds a number of leadership positions including Chair of the large charity Youth Projects Ltd, which includes the social enterprise Good 2 Go coffee. She is also chair of Connected Communities Melbourne, a new philanthropic fund associated with the Bendigo Bank and is a member of the Victorian Premier’s Ice Taskforce and also the Ministerial Taskforce on Rough Sleeping. In January 2017 Melanie was awarded the Order of Australia medial for her contribution to social justice, youth and the community.

Registrations for these events will open in June. For more information on the forum visit 2018 Women’s Professional Development Forum and to register to attend the dinner visit Women’s Network Dinner.

SPONSORS LGPRO THANKS THE FOLLOWING SPONSORS FOR THEIR SUPPORT OF OUR WOMEN’S EVENTS: WOMEN’S PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FORUM MAJOR SPONSOR

SUPPORTING SPONSOR

WOMEN’S NETWORK DINNER MAJOR SPONSOR

SUPPORTING SPONSOR

SUPPORTING SPONSOR

Helping women in small rural Councils access professional development LGPro, with the support of our valued Corporate Partners, is once again offering scholarships to women working in small rural Councils to attend our key women’s events on Thursday 26 July.

The scholarships were introduced last year as part of LGPro’s commitment to increase gender equity in the sector and we received such fantastic feedback we have decided to offer them again last year.

Invitations to nominate for the scholarships will be sent to eligible women working in small rural Councils across the state this month and the successful candidates will be announced in July.

Successful scholarship recipients will attend both the Women’s Professional Development Forum and Women’s Network Dinner being held at Melbourne Park Function Centre. The scholarship will also cover some of their accommodation and travel costs.

Scholarship recipients will be announced on the LGPro website and in our Your Sector Your News email newsletter. They will also be recognised at the events.

Any other Corporate Partners interested in supporting these scholarships can contact Yvonne Crouch on 0407 317 460.

Last year six Corporate Partners supported the scholarships and already this year with have the following three corporates who have signed up and we are confident more will come on board in the coming weeks.

• CAMMS • Johnson Recruitment • HR Legal Each company has provided a $1,000 plus GST scholarship to support women working in rural Councils who often don’t get the opportunity to attend such professional development programs due to distance and limited budgets.

PROFILE WINTER 2018 | 7

NEWS

SALLY ISAAC WINNERS 12 MONTHS ON Phoebe Nagorcka-Smith, a Social Planner at Glenelg Shire Council and Kelly Hinton, Principal Strategic Advisor at the Eastern Region Family Violence Partnership Office were joint winners of the 2017 Sally Isaac Memorial Award.

Twelve months on we decided to catch up with the pair and asked them: How winning the scholarship has helped both personally and professionally?

Highlights in their life since winning the award?

Why they would recommend other people to nominate for this scholarship?

Below are their responses:

Phoebe

Kelly

I’m currently enjoying a mini retirement from paid

Winning the award meant so much to me personally

work to focus on some voluntary work within the

as it affirmed and highlighted my work. It provided me

community, and planning my study journey. I haven’t

with the boost I needed to continue pursuing study to

used the Sally Isaac money yet, but I’m currently

further progress my career in working to support women

researching potential PhD topics (which ties in to

experiencing violence.

my current trip to Canada – there’s some public health work being done here that’s replicating work that started in my community, and with my research group). The scholarship money will be put towards the future research project, which will hopefully focus on the importance of collaboration in preventative health.

The scholarship funds have really helped to cover some of the costs associated with completing my Juris Doctor at RMIT. One unexpected additional benefit was that I subsequently applied for a Commonwealth Supported Place in the Juris Doctor (I had commenced as a full fee student) and despite being advised previously that I would

Winning the scholarship was personally meaningful

need to have completed first year with exceptional marks

to me because Sally was an outstanding human, and

to be considered as these places are highly sought after –

my work being recognised in her name was a bit of an

I was successful! So my fees dropped significantly.

honour (sounds cheesy but it’s true). The scholarship will help me diversify my career in terms of bringing a research lens to the community based work I’ve been doing for the past few years. An impact it’s already had is increasing knowledge about my work in the community and within partner organisations. A lot of my work is in the background, so the scholarship has given it a bit of a profile. I also think it was important professionally in terms of the work of young women at my Council being recognised, and a testament to senior management that

I would encourage other women to nominate for this scholarship as the recognition of women doing incredible things and being great leaders is really important and has a huge impact, on the woman, and on those around her.

We have received a strong field on nominations for the 2018 Sally Isaac Memorial Award. The winner will be announced at our Women’s Network Dinner on Thursday 26 July at Melbourne Park Function Centre.

when they support young staff to do their best, they can make real and positive change in their communities.

I would recommend other young women apply for the scholarship because it’s a great opportunity to gain financial assistance to do something you might not be able to otherwise, that will support you to make positive change within your community. It’s also a bit of a nudge to stand out – Sally left a legacy from such a young age, the scholarship is a reminder that there’s no reason we can’t do the same.

Kelly Hinton (left) and Phoebe Nagorcka-Smith with their awards.

8 | PROFILE WINTER 2018

SECONDMENT – A GREAT PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY The first placement in our Sector Secondment Program is underway with a staff member from Whittlesea Council filling a temporary role at Murrindindi Shire Council.

There has been fantastic interest in this program which promotes the value of building and sharing expertise in the sector.

LGPro’s Manager of Professional Development, Leanne Bickley, sees secondments as a great professional development activity by helping to bridge a gap within a Council and also by supporting professional development and career progression for staff involved in the secondments.

• Knowledge and experience transfer for the sector, building a stronger sense of community

WHAT IS OFFERED • Direct job swaps for staff who want to develop and gain experience outside their area of specialist expertise, or who want to refresh themselves by being exposed to different ways of working and ideas on service delivery in another Council • A service to assist Councils

“Secondments not only provide

to fill short to medium term

professional development

vacancies at any level and/

opportunities, they also foster

or on projects which are

cross-Council knowledge and

unable to be met from within

collaboration, and address

existing resources

resourcing issues by drawing on the broad skills and expertise within the sector,” Leanne said.

“They also increase the skills, experience and mobility of individuals and support workforce and succession planning activity for Councils.”

HOW IT WORKS Expressions of Interest (EOIs) will be sent calling for officers interested in gaining professional development through the program and to Councils wishing to bring specific expertise into

BENEFITS OF THE PROGRAM

their organisations.

• Skilled replacements for the receiving Council and leaving a legacy of increased capacity as teaching/mentoring would be a core component of the seconded officer’s role

LGPro will maintain a database

• Professional development/career extension for both the seconded officer and for the person in the seconded officer’s Council who will have an opportunity to ‘act’ or undertake different duties

of all EOIs and will facilitate

NEW LOOK WEBSITE FOR LGPRO The new look LGPro website www.lgpro.com being launched in June offers increased functionality to improve the user experience.

We have been working hard behind the scenes creating the new site which users will find more streamlined and user friendly.

With the new site everything is in one spot. There is a single login for all of your interactions with LGPro, and auto log in when clicking on links from the emails that we send you. When you log into LGPro, you will easily be able to register for programs and events online, see your past LGPro participation, RSVP for SIG meetings, pay and download invoices and receipts.

You will be able to update your profile and contact details, and connect with SIG colleagues more easily, whether you want to connect with the group as a whole or email just a few with a follow up question from a SIG meeting. There will be the opportunity to easily search, share and upload even more resources, write blogs and wikis.

We will be developing an exclusive online Member Community so our valued members can build strong networks with a professional community that will inspire.

Through the Member Community you will be able to access resources that LGPro posts just for members, get in touch with fellow LGPro members, network and share online.

The Member Community will be a closed community only available to current financial LGPro members working in Councils.

We look forward to receiving your feedback on our new website.

contact between suitable matches.

Where there is no appropriate match available, we will actively seek out appropriate candidates for job swaps and/or Councils seeking to second.

Visit Sector Secondment Program for further information or contact Leanne Bickley on (03) 9268 6401.

PROFILE WINTER 2018 | 9

LOCAL GOVERNMENT REMUNERATION SERVICES

WE WILL HELP MAKE SURE YOUR REMUNERATION STRATEGIES ARE ON THE MONEY.

For more than 20 years McArthur has researched and published national remuneration surveys for Local Government, providing councils with vital insight to support remuneration and wider business decisionmaking.

With unparalleled insight and experience, our consultants deliver relevant and up-to-date advice tailored to specific organisational specifications that helps Local Government employers to:

It is our unparalleled experience and genuine expertise that makes sure your remuneration strategies are on the money, so to find out more, contact Mark O’Brien:

• Improve staff retention rates

E: markobrien@mcarthur.com.au

• Increase staff engagement

T: (03) 9828 6565

• Ensure competitive advantage • Optimise recruitment

BUILDING A PIPELINE OF POTENTIAL FEMALE LEADERS While the number of female leaders across the public and private sectors grows, Chief Executive Officer at Baw Baw Shire Council, Alison Leighton, says the figures across Local Government remain quite low.

Alison believes the current

“I just really enjoyed the work that I

“What I realise now is that self doubt

figure of 16% reflects the need

was doing and took on opportunities

is completely normal (particularly for

for everyone across the sector to

to develop personally and professionally

women) and what really matters is

focus on encouraging women to

as they came my way. It was really

how we rise above that doubt and

take on senior leadership positions.

only in the last couple of years that

continue to work on what’s important

the idea of being a CEO even entered

despite the fact that it exists.”

“We need to collaborate across the sector to build a pipeline of

my mind” she says.

She believes Local Government

potential female leaders and role

Alison never set out with a planned

plays a really important role and she

models,” she said.

career path but she always sought

derives a lot of value by serving the

opportunities to expand her skill set

community. ”I really appreciate the

and broaden her experience. She

fact that the services we provide our

did this by gaining scholarships for

communities make a difference to

international study tours and being

their lives and to the amenity and

supported by her employer to complete

enjoyment of the places in which

her MBA. “I also pushed myself out of

they live.”

“There is a saying I often think about when referring to women in leadership and that is ‘if you see it – you can be it’. We need to increase our promotion of the many success stories that exist as a way of encouraging younger women to aspire to leadership.”

Alison took on her first CEO role at Baw Baw in August last year.

She brings to the role more than 15 years progressive leadership experience in infrastructure, planning, operations and public sector business transformation.

my comfort zone a lot – putting myself out there and taking on secondments and other leadership opportunities.”

Councillors, stakeholders, ratepayers and community members within the

within and outside Local Government.

context of a rate capped environment.

“My mentors believed in my capability and potential and pushed me forward to pursue opportunities and to take on challenges, particularly when I didn’t

alumni of Harvard Business School,

would like to acknowledge is Marilyn

an MBA graduate and a member

Kearney, a former LGPro Board Member

of the Institute of Public Works

who is also is a strong advocate for

Engineering Australasia (Victoria)

female leaders in Local Government

Board. In late 2017, she was recognised

and has helped me so much personally

as one of the Top 50 Public Sector

over many years now.”

for greater participation of women in leadership positions and technical engineering roles in the public sector.

sector to do more with less – this isn’t necessarily a bad thing – but it does require higher levels of business sophistication and analysis to ensure the decisions that are being made are informed and are of high quality.”

balancing her parental responsibilities, health and welbeing and her professional obligations, and knows she is not alone in that regard. “Flexible work arrangements when my son

has never really aspired to be a

was younger and learning to be kind

CEO. “In fact, if you had of told me

to myself are a couple of things that

I would be a CEO one day when

have helped along the way,” she says.

I would have laughed!

“There is a lot of pressure across the

Alison lists her major challenges as

Despite her impressive CV she

I was starting out in the workplace

balancing increasing expectations from

the way, both male and female, from

necessarily believe it of myself. One I

even more opportunities to advocate

challenges facing the sector is

She has had great mentors along

Alison is a qualified engineer, an

Women in Victoria, providing her with

Alison says one of the main

Another challenge has been managing self-doubt along the way.

PROFILE WINTER 2018 | 11

PROGRAM NEWS

TAKE YOUR FIRST STEP UP THE CAREER LADDER Our popular Ignite program has helped hundreds of Coordinators, Supervisors and Team Leaders in Local Government take that first step up the career ladder.

The leadership learning pathway

Christina Grayland, Customer

Dona Macik, Community Safety

program is now in its 12th year and is

Experience Coordinator Splash

and Alcohol/Drugs Officer, Greater

designed to assist those with limited

Aqua Park & Leisure Centre, Hume

Dandenong City Council has been

experience in managing and leading

City Council has been involved

in her current role since 2004. She

people to develop the required

in the recreation and leisure industry

signed up for Ignite to explore her

competencies to be successful and

for more than 10 years and has been

leadership capabilities and determine

to help them transition into this new

in her current role at Hume since

how she could develop and apply

stage of their career.

September last year. Colleagues at

them in her current role and as she

Hume recommended the program

progresses into a Project Manager

and being reasonably new to the

or Team Leader position. Already

sector, she’s hoping to deepen her

the program has taught her the

understanding of Local Government

importance of creating space to

operations while networking and

step back and think, that people

discussing common problems with

come first and timelines a very close

people working in other Councils.

second, that she has a voice which

She’s hoping to gain practical

is heard best when she listens and

The latest Ignite Series started in

learnings that she can take into the

acts respectfully and honestly.

March and below we introduce you

workplace to improve herself, the

to a few of the participants who

team and to help others that she

explain why they enrolled in the

works with overcome their obstacles.

The program was extended last year to include a stream specifically for people working in outdoor roles in Councils. The Ignite for Outdoor Workers program includes content and case studies specific to outdoor workers and the duties they perform.

program and what they hope to get out of it.

Enrolments are now open for the next series of Ignite which begins on Thursday 9 August.

Deborah Beasley, Acting Team Leader Regulatory Services

In the September edition of Profile

Administration, Greater

we will follow up with them to learn

Dandenong City Council has

what tools they took away that are

worked in Local Government

helping them in their roles.

both in the UK and Australia for 26 years. She signed up for Ignite

MEET OUR LATEST IGNITE PARTICIPANTS Matt Werner, Business Excellence Coordinator, Yarra Ranges Council has only worked in Local Government for 11 months and has been in a Coordinator role for six months. He enrolled in the course as he is new to a leadership role and others at his Council had recommended it. He hopes to improve his leadership ability both at work, at home and at footy. He is already using the skills he has learnt with his team on a daily basis and is understanding people’s different leadership styles and values.

12 | PROFILE WINTER 2018

to improve her leadership skills and refine skills she already has. Deborah hopes to gain insight and self awareness of her leadership style; how other’s view her as a leader; and what impact she has on colleagues in terms of her strengths and weaknesses. She also hopes to develop professionally and from a personal perspective wants more job satisfaction and a sense of achievement in fulfilling her goals.

Current Ignite participants, from left, Deborah Beasley, Matt Werner, Christina Grayland and Dona Macik.

WHAT FORMER IGNITE GRADUATES HAVE TO SAY

Lorrae Dukes Lorrae Dukes participated in Ignite in 2017. She has worked in Local Government for more than 10 years at both East Gippsland Shire Council and Latrobe City Council and is currently Coordinator Strategic Planning at Latrobe.

She enrolled in Ignite as she had been appointed as Coordinator Urban Growth and wanted more confidence in moving forward with her leadership skills. Lorrae enjoyed the program and got a lot out of it. In particular, it validated that she was on the right track which she found comforting. She found the one on one coaching invaluable as it gave her more confidence to move forward.

“Since completing the program I have applied for the Coordinator Strategic Planning position because I had more confidence in my ability to lead a larger team. I am now able to have difficult conversations better and I am working my way through developing skills in this area,” she said.

“Ignite is a great experience, you learn a lot and make great contacts for the future.”

Miranda Harwood Miranda Harwood is Team Leader Marketing and Digital in the Media and Communications team at Greater Dandenong City Council where she has worked for nine years. Her first contact with LGPro was as a mentee in the Mentoring Program which she found really beneficial.

As someone always looking for professional development opportunities Miranda enrolled in Ignite in 2016 at the suggestion of her Team Leader. She says: “I loved the program for so many reasons. Having space away from the normal day to day gave me an opportunity to reflect on my position and my strengths and weaknesses. I was able to dive in and explore not only how I function in a team, but how others do as well.

The nature of the program meant that the participants shared from an honest and deep level and we quickly formed friendships and relationships. It was empowering to be able to talk openly and honestly with people in other Councils who were facing similar issues and support each other in our learning and growth.”

Since completing Ignite, Miranda has been promoted to Team Leader and believes the skills she learnt through the program have contributed to that appointment. She said it also gave her strategies to work with all different people – to take time to understand what drives them and to be able to work with them in the most useful ways.

NEW CEOS There has been considerable movement at the senior level in Local Government over the past few months.

Below are some of the new CEO

Alison Leighton, CEO Baw Baw

Sunil Bhalla, CEO Horsham

appointments announced and

Shire Council, formerly Chief

Rural City Council, formerly

taken up. We wish them well in

Operating Officer Mornington

Director of Infrastructure Services

their new roles.

Peninsula Shire Council.

City of Maribyrnong.

Aaron van Egmond, CEO Hobsons

Martin Cutter, CEO Greater Geelong

Lucy Roffey, CEO Central Goldfields

Bay City Council, formerly CEO

City Council, formerly Operations

Shire Council, formerly CEO Buloke

Hepburn Shire Council.

Director Melbourne City Council.

Shire Council.

Craig Lloyd, CEO Murrindindi

Anthony Judd, CEO Buloke

CEO positions at Bayside and

Shire Council, formerly Director

Shire Council, formerly Director

Casey Councils are still vacant.

Presentation & Assets Greater

of Works and Technical Services

Bendigo City Council.

Buloke Shire Council.

PROFILE WINTER 2018 | 13

Two high profile keynote speakers will feature at our 2018 Aged & Disability Services Seminar & Awards Dinner Wednesday 5 September at the Arts Centre Melbourne.

SUSAN ALBERTI, Chairman of the Susan Alberti Medical Research Foundation and passionate Western Bulldogs supporter, and SUE PIETERS-HAWKE, daughter of former Prime Minister Bob Hawke and his wife Hazel, will speak at the seminar.

The theme is Building and Strengthening our Communities and sessions will focus on what the future looks like in aged and disability services given that some Councils are not continuing with service delivery. Exploring reinvestment, being competitive, innovative and changing work practices, Councils’ position on age friendly communities, active ageing are just some of the areas that will be highlighted.

The winners of the LGPro Aged & Disability Services Awards will be announced at the Awards Dinner to be held following the seminar. The dinner acknowledges the excellent work being done across the sector and will provide a great opportunity to network with colleagues.

ABOUT OUR KEYNOTE SPEAKERS SUE PIETERS-HAWKE is a speaker,

SUSAN ALBERTI is the Chairman

writer, advocate, educator and consultant.

of the Susan Alberti Medical Research

She is a National Ambassador for

Foundation and the Co-founder and

Alzheimer’s Australia and co-chairs the

Managing Director of the DANSU

Federal Dementia Forum. Sue grew up in

Group, an industrial and commercial

a family committed to constructive social

building business that she and her

change and community engagement.

late husband established 45 years ago.

Her father Bob is a former Prime Minister;

After losing both her husband and

her mother Hazel was a community

daughter in tragic circumstances she

worker, homemaker and advocate. For

began looking to make sure that no

many years Sue ran Hazel’s business and

other families had to experience the

community affairs; gradually increasing

loss that she had. Following advice from

the level of personal care and support

her late daughter Danielle, a diabetes

she provided as Hazel’s health declined

sufferer, Susan established the Susan

through dementia. In 2004 she wrote of

Alberti Medical Research Foundation

Hazel’s experience of Alzheimer’s in Hazels

with the aim of curing type 1 diabetes.

Journey, and in 2011 a complete biography of her mother in Hazel, My Mothers Story,

A passionate Western Bulldogs

both were best sellers.

supporter and former Vice President

Sue will speak about her personal

newly formed AFL women’s league. In

story in caring for her mother and will

1997, Susan received a Member of the

provide her perspective on how Australia

Order of Australia for her contribution

needs to rethink the approach to caring

to diabetes research and on Australia

for people with dementia and how

Day in 2001 she was awarded Officer

Councils can play a role in creating

of the Order of Australia (AO).

she is national ambassador of the

dementia friendly cities at the grass roots level given that dementia is

In 2017, she received the AIS Award

becoming more prevalent with an

for leadership and was also named

ever increasing ageing population.

Melburnian of the Year 2017.

People working at all levels in areas of aged & disability services in Councils across Victoria are urged to save this date in their calendar. The full program will be released in late July.

PROGRAM NEWS

HOW OPPOSITES CAN ASSIST EACH OTHER PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY On paper Rachelle Quattrochi and Miho Portelli’s careers are as different as chalk and cheese.

Rachelle is Manager Infrastructure at

Miho: I greatly benefited by my

Kingston City Council with a work

Mentor openly shared her learnings

background in civil engineering,

and experiences. Professionally, she

construction and project management,

provided me with alternative skills

while Miho is a Sustainability Officer at

and tools to better communicate

Whitehorse City Council whose focus

and collaborate with my colleagues,

has been on implementing corporate

time manage and prioritise, as well

and community sustainability initiatives.

as to influence change. Personally,

The pair was brought together through

she guided me to increase my

LGPro’s Mentoring Program with

self-awareness and understand my

Rachelle mentoring Miho and sharing

triggers. Overall the experience has

the experience and knowledge she

provided me with the confidence

has built up over her 20 year career.

to be challenged and actively seek

WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO THE PROGRAM? Rachelle: I thought this program

opportunities to progress both my personal and career outlook.

HIGHLIGHTS AND CHALLENGES?

Mentor, Rachelle Quattrochi (left) and Mentee, Miho Portelli.

KEY LEARNINGS Rachelle: How to better influence through developing my own communication style and establishing strong relationships with key influencers within my organisation; effective communication; building confidence, understanding how assertiveness is an important personal and interpersonal skill; planning and techniques to manage projects; career planning and goal setting; mindfulness, slowing down and taking stock of what is important.

Miho: My key learning was the importance of surrounding myself with a support network, to not shy

would be a great opportunity to

Rachelle: Committing time was

away and actively seek and recruit

network with other leaders, to

challenging given that we both have

“your village” to achieve this. By doing

pay it forward and share some of

very busy lives so it was fortunate

so gives you focus, motivation and

my experiences and support the

that Miho was very organised and

positive direction to pursue your

development of emerging leaders

planned our meet-ups well in advance.

aspirations and goals. It has equipped

within Local Government.

I thought it would be challenging to

me with the perspective and tools

find things to talk about, however

to better manage challenges.

Miho: I thought it would allow me to seek an external and non-judgmental view on how I could improve both professionally and personally and

Miho had clear goals in mind and also identified with other areas of focus along the way that we spent time

WHY IS MENTORING IMPORTANT?

on. A highlight was watching Miho

Rachelle: Mentoring provides an

change her approach and to share

opportunity to gain a different

her achievements, whilst I contributed

perspective, and a shared

HOW DID YOU BENEFIT BOTH PROFESSIONALLY AND PERSONALLY?

Miho’s development and growth,

understanding of another leader’s

Miho did all the work.

knowledge and experience.

Miho: There was no question too

Miho: From my experience with

Rachelle: I learnt a lot from my

small or too large for Rachelle. I was

participating in this program, I look

Mentee through sharing my experience

worried that the challenges I wanted

forward to when I am able to give

and knowledge, I recognised that I can

to discuss weren’t significant enough,

back and one day be in the position to

benefit someone else through drawing

however they all intertwined and

Mentor also. I hope that the learnings

upon my knowledge and experience

had a domino effect on one another.

and experience I share, will be as

and providing advice and guidance. It

Rachelle was generous with her time

beneficial as it has been for me.

also reminded me of how important it

to dissect and breakdown these and

is to make time to work on your own

constructively provide mechanisms

professional and personal development

to tackle these.

better contribute and be effective in the workplace.

and connect with other leaders within the industry.

Enrolments are now open for both Mentors and Mentees to participate in our next Mentoring Program which begins on Wednesday 15 August 2018.

PROFILE WINTER 2018 | 17

2018 LGPRO AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE

WINNERS & FINALISTS COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS INITIATIVE

WINNER

Melbourne City Council, Connect Respect

The Connect Respect program is unique in Australia. It was designed to help the City of Melbourne ensure that the needs and rights of people sleeping rough in the city are balanced against tensions arising due to a conflicting use of public space, often experienced by businesses.

The program started after Melbourne City Council was approached by two employees of Coles and their contracted security company, Wilson Security. The business operators noted the issues faced by personnel to maintain ready access to their premises and ensure safety for staff and customers. They also expressed the desire to work collaboratively to address the issues and not remove or displace people sleeping rough or seeking shelter.

For Melbourne City Council, responding to the needs of people sleeping rough, on one hand, and the demands for support and attention from businesses on the other, meant that any satisfactory resolution for either party was difficult to achieve and mostly short lived. Officers realised the need for an approach that would responsibly account for these conflicting needs, be of mutual benefit and engender shared understanding and respect.

The resulting Connect Respect program revolves around the two key themes of social inclusion and effective community partnerships. By linking businesses, specialist homelessness service providers and people with a lived experience of homelessness, the program provides business people with the skills to respond to issues of rough sleeping in a practical and positive way.

To achieve this, Connect Respect has made businesses the initial focus. It provides free education and training to develop the confidence and know how to interact with rough sleepers in a respectful and proactive manner and instruction on how to identify and when to contact specialist agencies or emergency services.

With the training delivered by someone who was formerly homeless, participants see a human face to the problem. They learn about paths into and out of homelessness, mental health matters and hear

18 | PROFILE WINTER 2018

the concerns and perceptions of people who are sleeping on the city’s streets.

The desired outcome of the program is not to have rough sleepers move away, but rather for participants to gain skills and become confident in engaging with people experiencing homelessness, or who may be marginalised, transient, vulnerable or unwell.

Through Connect Respect it has become clear that businesses are interested in playing an active role in local solutions. Between April and August 2017 more than 550 people participated in the training.

Participating businesses have reported a deepening awareness and understanding of the issues surrounding homelessness. After completing training, many participants said they now realise that each person and situation is different and that an engagement response is generally more effective than an aggressive response.

Built collaboratively with people with a lived experience of homelessness, Victoria Police, homelessness agencies and the local business community, Connect Respect has become Melbourne City Council’s lead tool in managing and responding to reports about the impact of rough sleeping on business operations.

HIGH COMMENDATION Glen Eira, Kingston, Greater Dandenong, Port Phillip & Bayside Councils, YouMeUs – Achieving Inclusion YouMeUs is a collaborative project between Glen Eira, Kingston, Bayside, Greater Dandenong and Port Phillip Councils that enhances inclusive practices and culture across Councils and the wider community through online training. The project’s vision is to promote an understanding of difference, highlight the abilities of people with disability and support the development of inclusive communities. It features a suite of free online training programs and resources to enable staff and volunteers in Councils, the leisure industry, small business and neighbourhood houses to increase their knowledge, confidence and awareness of disability access and inclusion.

YouMeUs provides a flexible, portable and engaging means to deliver access and inclusion principles to a broad audience using personal stories and experiences of people with disabilities to deliver key messages. The stories are focused on positive examples of access and inclusion and take the viewer on a journey to demonstrate simple actions and adaptations that can have a significant impact on a person’s participation in community life.

FINALISTS Knox City Council, Body Safety Awareness Teaching and Learning Initiative This initiative is a unique resource for educators in early years settings which was created through a partnership between Victoria Police (Knox Sexual Offence and Child Abuse Investigation Team-SOCIT) and Knox City Council.

The successful partnership took a proactive early prevention approach to empowering young children to engage in protective behaviours that are designed to diminish the likelihood of offenders successfully perpetrating sexual crimes against young children. The resource supports educators to develop children’s awareness of body safety by: teaching children the correct names for body parts; teaching the difference between ‘secrets and surprises’ and between appropriate and inappropriate touching; and empowering children to say no and to report any inappropriate touching.

It includes a video for staff featuring an example of a lesson plan modelled on how to read the book ‘My Underpants Rule’ by Rod and Kate Powers. It also contains a parent information sheet about body safety awareness.

Maroondah City Council, Student Wellbeing Action Teams (SWAT) This eight month personal development initiative for young people between the ages of 15 and 17 aims to build the leadership skills of participants while helping them to identify their strengths and understand their own wellbeing. The participants are then supported to develop a wellbeing project within their school. The success of the program is a testament of the strong partnership between Council, young people, secondary schools, Victoria Police and other service providers. This unique program has provided students with the understanding, self-discovery and networks needed to create meaningful change within their community. As part of the SWAT program, participants increased their knowledge of wellbeing; their confidence, leadership skills and self-awareness; and their connections with their local communities.

Another positive outcome was the leadership skills developed by participants through the workshops, hearing guest speakers present on their own leadership journeys, and participating in practical activities focused on their own school context. Through SWAT, these young people have not only had the opportunity to voice their opinion, but to have this voice heard by staff within their schools and to be supported to turn their voices into action.

Rural City of Wangaratta, Bullawah Cultural Trail This project was developed along the Ovens River shared path to showcase, share and record Wangaratta’s local Aboriginal cultural heritage. The cultural trail runs for 2.4 kilometres and includes 15 interpretive signs, three sculptures, four short films, and the Bush Tucker Garden. A significant feature of the trail is the Marmungun Rock, a local honour roll acknowledging Indigenous and non Indigenous people who have shown outstanding service, leadership and whom have contributed significantly to the community. Community pride and engagement in the Bullawah Cultural Trail has been unprecedented, with the community showing a strong sense of ownership and connection to the trail far beyond initial expectations. The most significant outcome from the project is the cementing of relationships, mutual respect understanding and collaboration achieved between Council, Aboriginal and non Aboriginal artists, committee members and members of the broader community.

PROFILE WINTER 2018 | 19

2018 LGPRO AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE

WINNERS & FINALISTS SPECIAL PROJECTS INITIATIVE

WINNER

Greater Shepparton City Council, Greater Shepparton – Great things happen here (GTHH)

This campaign is a celebration of all the great things that happen in Greater Shepparton. Its purpose is to tell Australia and the world about the opportunities and possibilities available in the area and to showcase successes and strengths.

Sometimes it’s easy for negative perceptions to prevail, but Greater Shepparton has so much to be proud of and believes its potential is boundless.

However, this campaign is about more than just talking the region up. By showcasing experiences and success of the area’s businesses/entrepreneurs, it demonstrates what can be achieved by choosing to invest and grow in Greater Shepparton.

The primary objectives of GTHH are to strategically attract investment, new residents and visitors to the area, while reinvigorating local pride.

This is a bold initiative that publicly targets Melbourne, regional Victoria and southern New South Wales. It is innovative in using “storytelling” to showcase possibilities; uses a high profile and appropriate ambassador, 60 Minutes reporter Charles Wooley; with collaboration between from Council, Shepparton Show Me and the business community underpinning its success.

Further innovation includes specific targeting of potential investors with promotion occurring on Qantas flights between Melbourne and Sydney, metropolitan based billboards and undertaking a partnership with Nitro Athletics as a key form of activation.

Tangible outcomes have already been achieved with the campaign influencing a significant growth in the local economy including: • $1.37 billion worth of commercial projects • 90.9% of commercial premises within the CBD are now occupied with the lowest recorded number of vacant shops since data collection commenced in 2012

20 | PROFILE WINTER 2018

• 250 new businesses registered in Greater Shepparton in the 2016/2017 financial year • Multiple business expansions • A decrease in unemployment rate by 1.4% Any Council can emulate the campaign by profiling their region’s strengths and points of difference and Greater Shepparton has received enquiries about the campaign from several Councils.

GTHH is designed to be sustained over a three to four year period to maximise outcomes and results.

In year one the primary focus was on “Investment Here” (which is ongoing), year two is “Live Here” and year three “Visit Here”.

The campaign is a bold undertaking by a regional Council. It is high profile and high impact. It has wow factor in terms of selecting Charles Wooley as the campaign ambassador, with a media placement strategy that is targeted and out of the box.

The investment has already paid off with the campaign influencing a surge in the Greater Shepparton economy, while creating a positive vibe about the region.

FINALIST

Darebin City Council, Darebin Pitch IT Program Darebin Pitch IT involved a competition where local university students, graduates, professionals, businesses and residents were invited to ‘pitch’ their IT start-up ideas to a panel of expert judges.

Finalists went into an accelerator digital business program to continue developing their start-up.

The program showcased how the technology industry, education providers, Darebin’s business incubator the Melbourne Innovation Centre, and Local Government can partner to provide up and coming entrepreneurs with the right business tools needed to launch in today’s digital economy.

Darebin Pitch IT was an action delivered from the Council’s Digital Strategy 2013-2018 ‘to foster emerging businesses in the digital economy’. It focused on providing support and encouragement to assist businesses to adopt digital technology and included city wide digital marketing campaigns and individualised digital mentoring and the provision of digital workshops in partnership with providers such as Broadsheet, Pozible, Instagram.

The driving force behind the project was to: • • • •

Provide support and reward for innovative small and micro businesses operating in the digital economy Develop a dynamic self sustaining ecosystem of innovation, entrepreneurship and trust Leverage a combination of Council, business, education and community resources Address the culture of ‘disruption’ in today’s digital marketplace in search of the ‘next big thing’

Entrepreneurs don’t typically associate their local Council with the tech space. But the Council didn’t need to be as it brought in the big guns. Council’s role in this program was more to connect locals with the wider tech industry and to provide the platform for business ideas to be heard. Partners in the program were a strategic mix of industry leaders and local content.

Pitch IT helped to change the mindset of the Darebin business community that Local Government can provide proactive support to assist start-up businesses.

PRODUCING CAPABLE AND CONFIDENT LEADERS The LGPro Executive Leadership Program (XLP) continues to produce capable and confident leaders in our sector.

Since the program started in 2010,

At the time Craig applied for XLP he

“Like most senior officers I have undertaken

nine participants who commenced

was relatively new to Local Government

many formal and informal courses of

the program as Directors are now Chief

and was keen to gain an understanding

study, learning and reflection during my

Executive Officers in Councils across

of both the mechanics and strategic

career. XLP was different. The quality of

Victoria, and of these, three are women.

approaches taken by Councils. He also

material, speakers and insightful and careful

Another two program graduates also

wanted to revisit his understanding of

facilitation set this program apart.”

went on to CEO roles, one in a New

leadership approaches and relate them

South Wales Council and the other at

back to his broader executive experience.

a Victoria Resort Management Board.

with a deeper understanding of the

and of these, two were women.

benefits of strategic thinking and gave

when he was Director of Presentation & Assets at Greater Bendigo City Council. He was appointed as CEO at Murrindindi Shire Council late last year and took up the role in January.

in XLP open in September.

He said the program provided him

Eight CEOs have taken part in XLP

Craig Lloyd participated in XLP in 2017

Nominations for the 24 places available

him time, in a safe setting, to explore his own career thinking. “An unexpected bonus was the incredible group of people I got to know during our time together, and the enduring professional

PROUD SPONSORS OF XLP IN 2018

connections I gained,” he said.

PROFILE WINTER 2018 | 21

TAILORED STAFF ENGAGEMENT SURVEYS. ANYTIME, ANYWHERE. The McArthur LG Life app allows Managers and staff to access tailored surveys quickly, easily and in real time, and delivers a range of business-critical benefits: • • • • • • •

Improve retention and engagement Foster a listening culture Connect instantly with staff Develop shared leadership Be responsive Be an employer of choice Save time and resources

To find out more, contact Andrew Alford t: (03) 9868 6565 e: andrew.alford@mcarthur.com.au w: mcarthur.life

NEWS

TWO NEW ONLINE COURSES AVAILABLE Our online learning courses are now being used by 22 Councils across Victoria and two new courses will be added to the line up next month.

The new Enforcement and Volunteer

• Compliance modules –

David says feedback from Councils

Induction courses will be available

Occupational Health and Safety;

using our online learning courses

early in the new financial year.

Information Privacy; Equal

continues to be positive and the

Employment Opportunity; Workplace

Councils particularly like the fact that

Bullying and Harassment; Fraud and

the courses use Local Government

Corruption Awareness and Charter

language, scenarios and case studies.

As with all of our online learning courses, the two new ones have been designed with significant input from people working in the sector.

The Enforcement course addresses the need for a whole of Council approach including responsibilities of the Executive Team, HR & OHS and specific practical training for officers with enforcement responsibilities.

of Human Rights and Responsibilities • Child Safe Standards – training

“Councils can purchase one or more of our online learning programs

to help full and part time Council

depending on their needs and

staff and volunteers and contractors

interested Councils can trial the

to understand their responsibilities

courses before they purchase them,”

and obligations under Child Safe

he said.

Standards legislation

“All of the courses offer flexible delivery,

• Council Induction – to introduce Members of our Volunteering SIG

can be loaded onto any SCORM

new members of the organisation

designed the Volunteer Induction

compliant Learning Management

to the Council’s unique values,

course to ensure that volunteers

System (LMS), are compatible with any

systems, community, and more

receive training to enable them

device and will automatically reconfigure

using our template and the

to better fulfil their roles, know

to suit the device being used.”

Council’s specific content David is happy to hear from Councils

what support is available to them and understand the role of Local

LGPro CEO, David Preiss expects

about any online courses they would

Government and the important

uptake of the two new Enforcement

like to see developed in either an

part they play in it.

and Volunteer Induction courses to

online or blended format. He can

be high given that Councils have

be contacted on (03) 9268 6400.

Our other online learning offerings are:

asked for them to be developed.

MAKING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACCESSIBLE LGPro is all about making professional development as accessible and flexible as possible for people working in Councils across Victoria.

Our programs can be tailored for

delivering 18 Council only sessions of

individual or groups of Councils

LGPro programs. And for the first time

and run either on site at Councils

this month we are running our new

or at a suitable central venue.

Ignite for Outdoor Workers Program for

Many Councils are opting to have an

a team of staff at Latrobe City Council.

LGPro program run for their staff at

For further information on how

their location using scenarios relevant

your Council can have tailored

to their organisation in the content.

programs delivered on site contact

In 2018, the LGPro professional

our Professional Development

development team is already

team on (03) 9268 6412.

PROFILE WINTER 2018 | 23

NEWS

LGPRO PROGRAM TRIFECTA Simon Kinsey, Manager City Works at Whitehorse City Council, is on his third LGPro program and says he has found each one invaluable.

He participated in Mastering

I originally joined as a Mentor to give

fleet management

Management in 2016, as a Mentor in the Mentoring Program in 2017 and is currently completing the Executive Leadership Program (XLP).

back to the sector but found there

and operation of the

was just as much receiving as giving

recycling and waste centre.

“All of the programs have provided me with practical skills and experiences, as well as fantastic opportunities to network and meet people in a variety of roles in Councils throughout Victoria,” he said.

Simon says there was a natural progression through the programs allied with his role at the time.

“Mastering Management was of great benefit to me in moving from a Team Leader/Coordinator position into a management position. It provided me with the skills, knowledge and mindset to lead with confidence and broadened my understanding of the complexity and competing agendas in the Local Government sector.”

from the program. It was a great opportunity to build networks and share experiences with peers from other Councils. It was very rewarding assisting others at the same time as furthering my own skills.”

He said a huge part about what he enjoys with LGPro programs is the contact with a variety of officers from other Councils. “This has provided me with the opportunity I would not otherwise have to meet officers from

Participating in XLP is providing

Councils that are a large distance from

Simon with an understanding of

where I work.”

senior executive roles in Council and is assisting him to shift his thinking to a more strategic focus. “I feel it was beneficial in preparing me to act in the role of General Manager which I had the opportunity to do recently.”

Simon has worked in Local Government for 16 years, the last 13 years at Whitehorse where he has been involved in the design and construction of civil infrastructure capital works projects and in his

“The Mentoring Program allowed

current position as Manager City

me to consolidate my learnings

Works he is responsible for cleansing,

in leadership and management.

civil infrastructure maintenance,

“It has broadened my understanding of Local Government and has given me ideas that I can directly apply in my role. I enjoy that despite our differences in roles and locations, we share the common passion to provide services to the local community.”

There are LGPro programs on offer for people working at all levels in Councils across Victoria. To talk to a member of our programs team phone (03) 9268 6412.

AWARDS RECOGNISING EXCELLENCE IN THE SECTOR LGPro offers a range of awards that recognise the outstanding work being done by individuals and teams in the sector. Below are the awards available this year.

Please consider nominating yourself, a colleague or a team in your Council.

Aged & Disability Services Awards –

Corporate and Community

2019 Awards for Excellence –

celebrate the success of individuals

Planning Award – open to teams

offered in 10 categories to celebrate

and teams working in the aged and

and individuals working in the Victorian

the success of individuals and teams

disability services sector in Local

Local Government community planning

working in Local Government in

Government. Nominations for the

sector with a focus on initiatives that

Victoria. Nominations open on

2018 awards are now open and close

demonstrate excellence. Nominations

Monday 13 August and close on

on Monday 23 July. The winners

open on Monday 16 July and close on

Monday 22 October. The winners

will be announced at the Aged

Monday 3 September. The winner will

and finalists will be announced at the

& Disability Services Seminar on

be announced at the Corporate Planners

LGPro Annual Conference Dinner held

Wednesday 5 September.

Network Conference on Friday 26

in February.

October at Arts Centre Melbourne.

For general information on LGPro awards contact the LGPro office on (03) 9268 6400.

PROFILE WINTER 2018 | 25

MEMBERSHIP NEWS

BOOST TO LGPRO MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS From 1 July 2018 we are introducing changes to our membership to ensure it is high value, accessible to people working at all levels in the sector and is tailored to our members’ needs.

The new structure features improved benefits to our Council Subscription, Fellow and Professional categories, whilst maintaining strong support for

COUNCIL SUBSCRIPTION LGPro Council Subscription is open to all Councils in Victoria. Council

• Offering the Awards for Excellence and other specialised awards • Supporting LGPro to develop and

Subscribers receive a range of

deliver sector excellence through

benefits, as well as supporting LGPro

services that continue to build the

We are committed to putting our

to undertake work that benefits

present and future capacity and

members first. You are the first ones

the sector as a whole such as:

capability of the sector

Young Professionals in the sector.

we tell of new developments in the sector, the first asked for input and feedback on important submissions

• Advocating with a unified voice

Changes to the Council Subscription

• Representing the officer perspective

will see complimentary Professional Membership offered to the EA/PA to

and the first invited to participate

to State and Federal Government

on LGPro committees and award

and other key stakeholders

judging panels.

• Supporting an extensive Special Interest Group network that

the CEO and to anyone wanting to take up a leadership role in the Special Interest Group network to become a SIG Convenor.

encourages collaboration and best practice Below is information on the new structure and the benefits offered in our Individual Membership categories:

PREMIUM LEVEL: FELLOW MEMBER This category is for leaders and mentors in Council who are invested in supporting their team. Fellow membership provides another opportunity to give back to the sector, reward or recognise emerging leaders and contribute to a colleague’s career development. From 1 July 2018 Fellow Members have the additional benefit of being able to gift two complimentary memberships and one half price membership to others in their organisation. Fellow membership offers exceptional value.

CLASSIC PLUS LEVEL: PROFESSIONAL MEMBER This category is best suited to people working in Local Government who want to access all member benefits.

Changes will see Professional Members being able to contribute to a colleague’s career development by gifting one half price membership, where they too can access full member benefits.

CLASSIC PLUS LEVEL: YOUNG PROFESSIONAL MEMBER This category is best suited to Young Professionals (36 years and under) who are actively developing their career and expanding their networks. Young Professionals are supported with specifically tailored learning and development either offered at no cost or at a significantly reduced rate.

If you have any queries on LGPro Membership contact us on (03) 9268 6400.

26 | PROFILE WINTER 2018

NEWS

ELP GRADUATE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD Sophie Holdsworth, a graduate of our 2017 Emerging Leaders Program (ELP), is now working as a Policy Planner for the Greater London Authority (GLA) which is an administrative body for Greater London.

We caught up with Sophie to talk about her new job and life on the other side of the world.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR NEW JOB? I am lucky enough to be working on the new London Plan – the Spatial Development Strategy for Greater London that sets out an economic, environmental, transport and social framework for development.

My particular role is working on the Spatial Development strategies regarding London’s many Town Centres which is great as I can build on the skills that I developed at Glen Eira City Council in activity centre planning.

WHY THE MOVE TO LONDON? My partner Adam and I had been planning to live overseas for a while and the time came in February 2018 for us to make the big move to London.

I was sad to be leaving my team and the great work we were doing but I was also really looking forward to living somewhere different, gaining international work experience and having Europe at my doorstep!

We did some travelling early on including skiing in Bulgaria and watching the Northern Lights in Iceland, and I started in my new role in March.

WHAT WAS YOUR ROLE AT GLEN EIRA?

DIFFERENCES YOU HAVE NOTICED?

I started out in the Statutory Planning Department, but moved into a Town Planner position once I graduated.

GLA is a unique form of Local Government here in the UK which consists of the Mayor of London, the London Assembly and the GLA staff.

I gained some great experience in Statutory Planning but I always knew my passion was in Strategic Planning so I moved across to the Strategic Planning team after about a year.

In 2016, a new department was formed at Glen Eira which consisted of Strategic Planning, Business Development, Place Making, Urban Design, Strategic Transport and Heritage Planning. We embarked on a comprehensive strategic work plan where I was involved in a number of exciting new projects, including setting a new vision for the future of Glen Eira.

In early 2017, I was appointed Coordinator City Strategy and Place Planning which is a position that I really enjoyed. I had the opportunity to lead an amazing team and to be part of some really exciting strategic planning projects.

The Mayor provides guidance on everything from transport, policing and fire services to the economy and the environment, and he develops plans and policies which are then scrutinised by the elected officials of the Assembly. In terms of planning, the GLA sets overarching policies that London Boroughs (Councils) are required to adhere to, particularly in terms of spatial development (such as the London Plan).

Funnily enough, so far I’ve noticed more similarities between GLA and Victorian Local Government than differences, especially in regards to the culture and the political nature of the work.

WHAT WAS YOUR INVOLVEMENT WITH LGPRO? I joined LGPro in 2016 and was part of the Emerging Leaders Program 2017 which was such a fantastic experience, I can’t recommend it highly enough.

I also attended a number of events including the Young Professionals Network, Women’s Network Dinner and the Annual Conference and Dinner.

HOW DID YOU BENEFIT FROM ELP? ELP was a really engaging way for me to undertake professional development. I don’t particularly like to sit and read a book about how to do something, I like to learn by doing and this program followed an experiential model that let me to do just that.

Professionally, ELP taught me a great deal about leadership and about the sector in general. It opened my eyes to the challenges faced by different types of Councils and the great work that is being done to overcome these challenges.

Mostly though, the learnings were about my self development as a leader.

I learnt leadership techniques and heard stories first hand from other leaders within the sector.

However, one of the best things about the program was that I got to meet an incredible bunch of like-minded people who made the experience unforgettable and who I continue to be friends with today.

The Emerging Leaders Program is designed to develop and inspire future young leaders working in Local Government. Applications for the 24 positions available open in September.

PROFILE WINTER 2018 | 27

2018 LGPRO SOCIAL MEDIA CONFERENCE Around 130 people working in communications came together for the sixth LGPro Social Media Conference on Wednesday 9 May. They heard speakers and attended sessions around the theme Making Social Media Engagement Matter which explored what constitutes meaningful engagement, content strategy and the value behind it.

28 | PROFILE WINTER 2018

STRAPLINE

WE THANK THE FOLLOWING SPONSORS FOR THEIR SUPPORT OF THE 2018 LGPRO SOCIAL MEDIA CONFERENCE

MAJOR SPONSOR

SUPPORTING SPONSOR

2018 Risk Report

A focus on Australian Local Government Top 10 Risk Concerns 2018 vs 2017 results 1) Infrastructure

+1

2) Financial sustainability and stability -1 3) Health & Safety

+2

4) Cyber

+4

5) Reputation

+2

6) Human Resources

-4

7) Asset Protection

-4

8) Funding

-2

9) Planning Decisions

New

10) Weather

-6

86%

of respondents made a Claim in the last 12 months.

top two

The incidents were

Trips & Falls (24%) and Storm Damage to Council Assets (21%).

Did you know?

1 in 5 councils have no process for Risk Profiling

Risk Profiling is a tool to help identify risk exposures, to allow councils to determine a comprehensive view on how to protect themselves.

Quick question Are you clear on the differences between a Business Continuity Plan and an Emergency Plan?

2 out of 5 respondents had not tested their Emergency Plan in the last 12 months.

Work Health & Safety is the Number 3 Risk Concern

1 4 of council respondents to the Aon online survey were placing their risk outside of a mutual scheme.

18% have not audited

their Work Health & Safety Risk Management Policy!

Download the full report at: aon.com.au/2018RiskReportaustralianlocalgovernment

Š2018 Aon Risk Services Australia Limited ABN 17 000 434 720 AFSL No. 241141 The information contained in this flyer is general in nature and should not be relied on as advice (personal or otherwise) because your personal needs, objectives and financial situation have not been considered. So before deciding whether a particular product is right for you, please consider the relevant Product Disclosure Statement or contact us to speak to an adviser.

COM0456 0518

OUR SIG NETWORK IS GROWING We are happy to launch a brand new group, the Resilience Special Interest Group (SIG).

There is much we can do to assist

use community asset with public

more effort into preparation can lead

our communities be more resilient

seating and natural shade, that can

to more effective emergency response

to the challenges of the 21st century.

also serve as a retention basin in the

and recovery; and those who develop

Individuals, communities, businesses

face of flooding.

strategic documents such as Council

and institutions can work together to adapt, survive and thrive: by reducing our exposure to future shocks/stresses; withstanding disruptions to bounce back better than before; and improving our liveability.

The Resilience SIG is for people with an interest in urban resilience, or who deliver community planning and see the importance of fostering strong and inclusive communities who are

Plans and Health & Wellbeing Plans, or are working on precinct planning and want to learn more about how to foster community resilience in an uncertain future.

well positioned to support each other

If you would like to join this SIG

Urban resilience can be as specific as

through good times and bad.

or learn more, please let us know at

improving the resilience of a specific

It also targets people responsible for

sig@lgpro.com and we’ll subscribe

infrastructure asset, or an entire energy system i.e. a basketball court as a multi

emergency management in Councils

you to this new and exciting group.

and those who are interested in how

HELP SHAPE THE SECTOR, BECOME A SIG CONVENOR We are excited to be rolling out a new technical platform through our website to help our SIGs connect and to offer a complimentary Professional Membership to our SIG Convenors, recognising the great work that they do.

Our SIG Convenors play a pivotal

Becoming a Convenor is a fabulous

• Community Safety

role in helping LGPro connect people

opportunity to further networks and

working across the sector enabling

build relationships across Councils

• Executive & Personal Assistant Network

them to come together to discuss,

and the role is supported by the LGPro

inspire, learn and access practical

office. We currently have Convenor

knowledge from others working in

vacancies in the following SIGs:

• Health & Wellbeing • Indigenous

a similar environment.

If you are interested in becoming a Convenor, please contact Michelle Cox on either (03) 9268 6400 or michellec@lgpro.com

CORPORATE SERVICES SIG FOCUSES ON COLLABORATION Members of our Corporate Services Special Interest Group organised a successful session recently focusing

Case studies presented were: • City Central Collective’s (CCC)

Metropolitan Region Aged Care Reform Project • Whittlesea and Nillumbik Councils

on collaboration.

Collaborative Procurement, outlining the formal agreement that was signed

shared their secondment experiences,

Titled – Beyond Collaboration, Next Steps – the session featured case studies which highlighted some of the great ways Councils are working together

by four inner Melbourne Councils

including a summary of LGPro’s

on practical and insightful projects.

• Maribyrnong and Hobsons Bay

Sector Secondment Program

City Councils presented their collaboration on the Western PROFILE WINTER 2018 | 31

NEWS

CELEBRATING WOMEN IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT Women from across Local Government were invited to celebrate International Women’s Day in March at a special function organised by the Minister for Local Government, the Hon Marlene Kairouz.

There was a wonderful turn out of senior women in the sector. Dalene Voight, Acting Director Corporate Services at Indigo Shire and Lisa Knight, Director Corporate & Community Services at Mt. Alexander Shire, who received scholarships from Local Government Victoria to participate in our 2018 XLP program, also attended.

Local Government leaders with the Minister on International Women’s Day.

XLP scholarship winners, Lisa Knight (left) and Dalene Voight (right) with the Minister for Local Government.

WODONGA COUNCIL RESPONDS TO OMBUDSMAN’S REPORT Wodonga City Council has written to the Victorian Premier, Daniel Andrews condemning the Ombudsman’s report released in late April into the Council’s overcharging of a waste management levy.

The letter, which was also sent to all Victorian MPs, Mayors and Council CEOs, said the report and the associated media release had unfairly represented the actions that Council had undertaken since 2002.

Wodonga Council has been working with the Ombudsman’s office for more than 12 months to provide the information requested, the letter said.

In the letter, Wodonga Council

used to raise the revenue that was,

said it should be noted that the

in fact raised,” Council’s letter states.

Ombudsman’s Report did not find any offence had been committed under the Local Government Act and that it had recognised that Council had undertaken extensive consultation in relation to budgets and the rating strategy.

“The Ombudsman acknowledges

The Ombudsman’s Report related to a waste management charge levied by the Council which had raised $18 million surplus over the last decade.

The report said over 30 per cent of the revenue raised from the levy was used to fund services other

that there is no express reference

than waste management.

believing that section 162 could be

32 | PROFILE WINTER 2018

in the wording in section 162 of the Local Government Act about the extent to which a waste charge must reflect the cost of providing

“The vagueness of the language of section 162 had led Council to form the belief that it was entitled to levy the waste management charge in the way that it did.”

The Council has accepted the Ombudsman’s recommendations to reduce its waste management charge within three years to reflect the reasonable costs of the kerbside service and will address this as part of its annual budget process.

the services. At all times Council

Click here to read Wodonga

has acted in good faith genuinely

Council’s letter in full.

LEADERSHIP IN THE SPOTLIGHT Participants at the first LGPro Young Professionals Network event for 2018 heard an honest and candid account of the turbulence, difficulties, highs and lows, challenges and complexities of being in leadership. The conversation was rich, inspiring, and real.

Our host and interviewer for the event was Young Professional and LGPro member David Power from Port Phillip City Council. He asked guests, Darebin CEO Sue Wilkinson and CEO of Tezamen, Dr Herbert GJ Hermens the tough questions including: • Have you ever felt that someone was holding you back, how and why?

• Who do you think, dead or alive, is the weakest leader of our time and why?

• What do you hate most about being a leader?

• Your biggest regret as a leader?

• What advice would you give your 20-year-old self?

• What do you like most about yourself?

• The worst criticism you ever received, what was it and what

• Your most confronting moment as a leader?

• The one thing you would love to shout at the top of your lungs, but can’t, because you’re a leader?

• What do you think someone who dislikes you would say?

• What is the worst thing that some else has done to you during your leadership journey?

• Is it true what they say that it’s lonely at the top?

• How do you believe someone can win at life?

• Do you think your staff trust you?

did you do about it?

• What are the non-negotiable in your career?

Feedback from attendees at the event was overwhelming positive, with every person I spoke to confirming that they got a whole lot more than they banked on.

A huge thank you to Sue and Herbert for being so generous and sharing their time and wisdom with Young Professionals in the sector.

It was an incredibly successful night, one which we hope becomes an annual event.

Contributed by: Lisa Ippolito, Team Leader Learning & Development, Hume City Council and LGPro Young Professional

Dr Herbert Hermens, David Power and Sue Wilkinson.

Young Professionals found the event inspiring.

PROFILE WINTER 2018 | 33

COUNCIL NEWS FROM ACROSS VICTORIA

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT

FREE CATCH UP VACCINATIONS FOR REFUGEES

LEADING THE WAY WITH INTERNAL COMMUNICATION

›

Glen Eira City Council is the first Victorian Council to launch the revolutionary online communications platform — Workplace

by Facebook.

Workplace is a collaborative platform run by Facebook Inc. that enhances communication by offering organisations familiar tools and features like newsfeed, chat, groups, video and more to stay connected and informed.

Increasing conversations across the organisation was a high priority Glen Eira CEO, Rebecca McKenzie when she took on the role in 2016.

A Whittlesea Council staff member explains the benefits of the program to local residents.

›

“I wanted to provide staff with a platform where they could share information, findings, innovations and successes to break down silos and encourage collaboration and diversity — Workplace by Facebook allowed us to do this seamlessly,” Ms McKenzie said.

Whittlesea and Hume Councils are trialing a new State Government program offering refugees and people seeking asylum free catch up vaccines.

Prior to launching this platform, research was undertaken by the Media and Communications team into multiple options in the market to ensure a best fit approach for the organisation.

In the past two years the two Councils have welcomed up to 4,000 people from a refugee background and those seeking asylum from Iraq and Syria and many of these people have missed their regular vaccinations.

Media and Communications Coordinator, Sarah Finlay said adoption is one of the biggest challenges within any organisation, so research into the market was imperative.

Through the program they are able to catch up on missed or unavailable vaccinations. As many of them have come from war-torn countries, they may not have had access to regular vaccinations or access to their vaccination records.

Australia has a different immunisation schedule to other countries and it’s important for the health and wellbeing of newly arrived residents and the rest of the community that everyone is vaccinated.

The City of Whittlesea has the highest immunisation rates in metropolitan Melbourne – at nearly 98%. The Council has worked hard to get immunisation levels to this rate, especially considering the challenges such a large number of residents who are new to Australia face, including language barriers.

The refugee immunisation program has employed an Arabic speaking community liaison officer and an immunisation nurse who are working with community leaders and GPs to let people know about the program.

Staff help to translate off shore records and create catch up schedules so everyone is up to date.

34 | PROFILE WINTER 2018

“Local Government is such a diverse level of government, made up of multiple functions and we wanted to introduce something that wasn’t too complicated or overwhelming for staff,” Ms Finlay said.

“Incorporating a platform with an almost identical user experience to the original Facebook, meant we could introduce a product that staff already felt familiar with. This made launching this engagement tool a no brainer.”

Since integrating the platform in October last year, more than 400 staff have signed up for accounts. The Council has seen an instant boost in communication, collaboration and employee engagement, with many employees stating they feel more involved and part of the bigger picture.

MEMBER NEWS

WELCOME TO NEW INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS We would like to welcome the following new members who joined LGPro between 27 February and 9 May 2018. We look forward to working with you to shape our wonderful sector.

Jette Achleitner, Darebin City Council

Jessie Donehue, Southern Grampians Shire Council

Catrina Hutton, Mitchell Shire Council

Guy Price, Warrnambool City Council

Mary Agostino, Mitchell Shire Council

Juan Donis, Warrnambool City Council

Darren Jackson, Whittlesea City Council

Jordan Royal, Latrobe City Council

Janine Alexander, Latrobe City Council

Angeline Dooley, Hepburn Shire Council

Megan Kelly, Moyne Shire Council

Peter Rudge, Hindmarsh Shire Council

Debbie Allum, Kingston City Council

Chris Dube, Strathbogie Shire Council

Lauren Kerber, Hindmarsh Shire Council

Charlie Ryan, Glenelg Shire Council

Zachary Archer, Latrobe City Council

Neroli Dunn, Pyrenees Shire Council

Michelle Lawrence, Hobsons Bay City Council

Ajay Sharma, Moyne Shire Council

Liam Arnott, Moyne Shire Council

Deepen Dutta, Horsham Rural City Council

Alexandra Lindsay, Horsham Rural City Council

Shannon Shepley, Latrobe City Council

Phuong Au, Northern Grampians Shire Council

Sarah Ellis, West Wimmera Shire Council

Sharon Lozsan, Mornington Peninsula Shire Council

Nicole Smith, Mansfield Shire Council

Janet Aumann, West Gippsland Regional Library Corporation

Jackson Fary, Warrnambool City Council

Kirralie Lumsden, Warrnambool City Council

Lauren Snowdon, Latrobe City Council

Robbie Feil, Latrobe City Council

Jenny Madden, Moyne Shire Council

Robert Somers, Horsham Rural City Council

Damien Ferguson, Southern Grampians Shire Council

Natalie Martin, Northern Grampians Shire Council

Catherine Stach, Hobsons Bay City Council

Anthony Finocchiaro, Latrobe City Council

Shelby McDonald, Warrnambool City Council

John Staines, Glen Eira City Council

Grant Foreman, Moyne Shire Council

Georgina Meyrick-Garnier, Glenelg Shire Council

Alan Stone, Glen Eira City Council

Kerrie Gibson, Northern Grampians Shire Council

Annie Mintern, Horsham Rural City Council

Henry P. Tamasese, Wyndham City Council

Ashley Goad, Hepburn Shire Council

Selina Morley, Latrobe City Council

Danielle Thompson, South Gippsland Shire Council

Teneha Greco, Hobsons Bay City Council

Rachel Murphy, Hepburn Shire Council

Helen Thomson, Hindmarsh Shire Council

Vivienne Green, Hepburn Shire Council

Dominic Murphy, Hepburn Shire Council

Loren Tuck, Moyne Shire Council

Glenn Greetham, Glen Eira City Council

Ella Nesbit, Glenelg Shire Council

Dane Vise, Southern Grampians Shire Council

David Gyford, West Wimmera Shire Council

Scott Nippress, Southern Grampians Shire Council

Vicki Wall, Wimmera Shire Council

Sam Hattam, Hepburn Shire Council

Melissa Peacock, Bayside City Council

Hannah Westgarth, Latrobe City Council

Jennie Hauselberger, Hindmarsh Shire Council

Kirsty Pearce, Port Phillip City Council

Larnee Whelan, Latrobe City Council

Jennifer Hogan, Glenelg Shire Council

Jillian Pearce, Horsham Rural City Council

John Whitfield, Melton City Council

Renee Hollier, Northern Grampians Shire Council

Kathleen Petras, Banyule City Council

Peter Williams, Loddon Shire Council

Trent Homden, Northern Grampians Shire Council

Nicole Potaris, Moorabool Shire Council

Jessica Wood, Warrnambool City Council

William Hughes, West Wimmera Shire Council

Giacomina Pradolin, Bayside City Council

Sarmed Yassin, Greater Shepparton City Council

Brian Bainbridge, Hepburn Shire Council Amy Blazewski, Stonnington City Council Fiona Blick, Moira Shire Council Martin Bride, Horsham Rural City Council Tyler Briggs, Latrobe City Council Sheena Brown, Pyrenees Shire Council Scott Brown, Horsham Rural City Council Julie Buck, Moyne Shire Council Emma Butterworth, Latrobe City Council Hanna Butuyuyu, Yarriambiack Shire Council Julia Coates, Northern Grampians Shire Council Amelia Coleman, Latrobe City Council Gaylene Cowan, Glen Eira City Council Trent Davis, West Wimmera Shire Council Glenn Dixon, Horsham Rural City Council Kel Dodge, Baw Baw Shire Council

*This is not a full list of new members. Some members requested not to be listed.

PROFILE WINTER 2018 | 35

RORY NEESON & ERIN SOUTTER Rory Neeson is the Manager of Growth and Engagement at Corangamite Shire Council, a position he has only been in for a few weeks. Prior to this he was the Manager Community Relations at the Council. The new position is a combination of his previous role which included communications, community planning, customer service, arts, events and the management of the Camperdown Theatre with economic development and tourism.

Rory Neeson What he enjoys outside of work

Amusing situations faced at work

I enjoy playing and watching

Dealing with the office flooding due to a blocked drain at Southern Grampians Shire Council and being the only one of the second floor to respond.

football and basketball and spending time with my wife Sarah and daughter Georgia who is 22 months old.

Favourite sports to watch and play I am a Swans supporter and love to watch AFL.

Last holiday destination Port Douglas with my family and it was great, will head back at some stage. I would also love to visit Europe again, except this time with my family instead of backpacking.

Latest book read Paul Roos autobiography which was a great read as a Swans supporter.

What really annoys him People who complain but are not prepared to do anything to actually fix their issue.

Three famous people he would like to invite to dinner Buddy Franklin, LeBron James and Tiger Woods. I’m sure they would all be able to share some very interesting stories from their lives.

Erin Soutter is a relative newcomer to Local Government. She started as Healthy Ageing Engagement Team Leader at Macedon Ranges Shire Council five months ago.

Erin Soutter Her favourite film this year, and why

What her last meal would comprise

The worst job she has ever had

I watched The Danish Girl recently and it opened my mind about what it might be like to be transgender. It made me think about how stories and film can be used to portray messages about important social issues.

It would have to be a nice comfort food meal like vegetarian lasagne (with beef) or bangers and mash.

There’d be vegetables and bread on the side and fresh fruit and chocolate for dessert… And a glass of red.

A traineeship in a fast food store (while I was studying to be a dietitian) that paid $11 per hour.

36 | PROFILE WINTER 2018

What she enjoys most about her job Bringing out the best in others and contributing towards making our community more inclusive and fair.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CALENDAR

DIARY DATES

PROGRAMS

PROGRAMS

Connect with us at

LGProVIC

DATE

INFORMATION

Nominations open in September for the 2019 program

To equip and support senior executives in Local Government.

To learn more visit XLP

Nominations open in September for the 2019 program

For those who aspire to positions of leadership and to those who aspire to provide leadership in a particular area of interest in Local Government Victoria. To learn more visit ELP

Series Two commences on Thursday 9 August

Program to help people develop the competencies required to manage and lead people. To learn more visit Ignite

Series Two commences on Tuesday 7 August

Targeted to outdoor workers without formal experience in managing and leading staff to develop skills required to be successful in their role, To learn more visit Ignite for Outdoor Workers

Series Two commences Wednesday 15 August

A cross-Council program bringing together Council Officers from all levels to learn from each other by sharing knowledge, expertise and skills. To learn more visit Mentoring

Wednesday 23 August, LGPro office

To help Local Government staff use new communication technologies to better engage with residents and communities.

To learn more visit Engaging Citizens

Thursday 2 August, Latrobe City Council

For non-specialist governance staff whose roles require them to have a clear understanding of the governance context and arrangements. To learn more visit Good Decision Making

Tuesday 26 June, LGPro Office Thursday 19 July, Rural City of Wangaratta Tuesday 14 August, Latrobe City Council Tuesday 21 August, LGPro Office Wednesday 29 August, Greater Bendigo City Council

Designed for those who are new or recently appointed to the sector. To learn more visit Induction to Local Government

Thursday 26 July, Melbourne Park Function Centre

A forum to address the issues, opportunities and challenges facing women in the sector. To learn more visit 2018 Women’s Professional Development Forum

Thursday 26 July, Melbourne Park Function Centre

Great networking opportunity for women working in Local Government. To learn more visit 2018 Women’s Network Dinner

CONFERENCES

EVENTS

EVENTS/ACTIVITIES

LGPRO WOMEN’S NETWORK DINNER

CONFERENCES/SEMINARS Wednesday 5 September, Arts Centre Melbourne

A one day seminar for all Local Government staff working in the areas of aged and disability services

Friday 26 October, Arts Centre Melbourne

For Local Government staff working in the areas of corporate, community and social planning

Nominations close on Monday 23 July

Open to individuals and teams working in the aged & disability services sector in Local Government

LGPro Excellence in Local Government Corporate and Community Planning Award

Nominations open on Monday 16 July and close on Monday 3 September

Open to individuals and teams working in corporate and community planning in Local Government

LGPro Awards for Excellence

Nominations open Monday 13 August and close on Monday 22 October

Acknowledging the excellent work being undertaken in the Local Government sector

2018 Corporate Planners Network Conference

PROFILE WINTER 2018 | 37

37363

AWARDS

AWARDS