Break-out
Session 2 ​Details

1:30PM

Please choose one
of the four options

/

​[Rooms 101 & 102]
Inclusion is essential! How and why councils can make sure resilience planning includes everyone in the community

How do councils ensure they account for and include marginalised members of the community often excluded in climate resilience planning? This session will include speakers from diverse communities, with advice based on their direct experience working with councils.

This won't be a 'usual' conference session – participants will have a chance for in-depth conversations with speakers, and will have the option to join one of numerous concurrent conversations rather than absorb successive presentations, and should walk out with helpful new contacts, insights and next steps.

Facilitators: 
Fran MacDonald, Executive Officer, Western Alliance for Greenhouse Action
Bruce Paton, Coordinator Climate Emergency, Glen Eira City Council  (slides)

Leyla Craig, Disability, Inclusion and Engagement Officer, Fire Rescue NSW
Angela Ashley-Chiew & Wesa Chau, Asian Australian for Climate Solutions
Steve O'Malley or Loriana Bethune, Gender in Disaster Australia
Brett Woods & Nicole Danks, CP- ACHIEVE

/
​
[Room 103]
Wicked Debate: Illegal destruction of native vegetation should not be punishable through the P&E Act, councils and magistrates. If community are educated they will follow social norms and less destruction will occur

Local Government has the expensive, and resource intensive task of policing and ensuring Victoria's citizenry comply with its native vegetation laws via the Planning & Environment Act 1987. This includes ensuring trees and vegetation in urban and regional areas on private and public land acquire a permit for removal and any losses are offset.

​However, the 2022 VAGO Report noted the extent of illegal native vegetation removals was largely unknown, not reported or recorded by the state or local governments, and Victoria was not meeting its No Net Biodiversity Loss targets.

Does this signify there’s a lack of community understanding out there that requires better education, or should there be harder crackdowns on offenders to create deterrents to the public? Or will new legislation like the Nature Repair Market change views, values and behaviours toward native vegetation?

Facilitator: Carole Hammond, Executive Officer, Goulburn Murray Climate Alliance  (slides)

For:
Bronwyn Chapman, Coordinator Environmental Programs, Murrindindi Shire Council
Lachlan Campbell, Sustainable Agriculture Facilitator, North East Catchment Management Authority
Simon Blackwell, Sustainable Subdivisions ESD Advisor, Goulburn Murray Climate Alliance
​​
Against:
Beaudine Clark, Climate Change Action & Renewable Energy Officer, Yorta Yorta Nation Aboriginal Corporation
Lynlee Tozer, Environmental Referrals Officer, Manningham Council
Rick Traficante, Manager Planning & Engineering Services, Mitchell Shire Council​

/
​
[Room 104]
Upstream, downstream, and community emissions

As councils across Victoria work towards achieving their corporate emissions reduction targets, many are turning their attention to Scope 3 emissions and the influential role that local governments can play engaging supply chain partners and the community to reduce upstream, downstream, and wider community emissions.

​In this session we will explore some of the levers that councils can pull to understand and influence supply chain and community emissions in a range of contexts from councils' FOGO schemes, to divestment, staff commuting, and business engagement.

Facilitator: Annika Kearton, Chief Executive Officer, Central Victorian Greenhouse Alliance
​
Isla Fitridge, Climate Change & Environment Officer, Indigo Shire Council  (slides)
Scott McKenry,  Executive Officer. Eastern Alliance for Greenhouse Action  (slides)
Jodi Newcombe, Circular Economy Officer, Hepburn Shire Council  (slides)
Pete Mercouriou, Senior Sustainability Officer, City of Greater Geelong  (slides)

/
​
​[Rooms 105 & 106]
​Embedding climate action into council policy and decision making

​With councils taking on many areas of responsibility for climate change mitigation and adaptation, there is an increasing recognition that this affects all operations of council. It’s critical that this is reflected by embedding climate actions more broadly across all business areas of councils, particularly for regional and under resourced councils that have small sustainability teams.

​What governance and policy levers can use to help embed climate change and deliver net zero and climate resilience outcomes for councils?

​This session will explore how council plans, climate-related disclose reporting and other mechanisms can support a whole of council approach to climate change. The session will also provide best practice advice for councils looking to embed climate change within the new council plans being developed. 

Facilitators:
Dean Thomson, Executive Officer, Northern Alliance for Greenhouse Action
Tiffany Harrison, Coordinator, Gippsland Alliance for Climate Action

Silvana Predebon, Environmental Policy & Sustainability Officer, Macedon Ranges Shire Council  (slides)
​Imogen Jubb, Innovations Manager, Ironbark  (slides)
Lorna Pettifer, Coordinator Climate Emergency & Environment Strategy, Darebin City Council
& Michele Burton, Coordinator Climate Emergency & Environment Programs, Darebin City Council  (slides)

Go back to Conference Program >
​​​