Advocating on behalf of the community

A key function of Indigo Shire Council is to advocate on behalf of the residents to State and Federal governments, other authorities and business on issues that affect us all.

While much of this work is done behind the scenes, it results in tangible benefits for the community. For instance, Council advocated to the State Government last year on behalf of Stanley residents in their efforts to get mobile phone communications in their area. Mobile phone communication was launched in November 2010.

There are other examples:

• Represented the community on a Consultation Group to gather information for the sale of the La Trobe Beechworth campus
• Ongoing efforts to influence policy development through involvement in the Municipal Association of Victoria, Timber Towns Victoria, North East Regional Waste M,anagement Group, Murray Darling Association, North East Greenhouse Alliance
• Support for the Chiltern community in their stance against a quarry on Skeleton Hill
• Successful lobbying of Victorian Deputy Premier Peter Ryan for early release of $1.6 million in Natural Disaster Financial Assistance funding for flood damage repair work
• Successful lobbying for more money for roads
• Indigo joined forces with other small rural councils to lobby state and federal government for a commitment to improved long-term funding after the release in 2010 of the Whelan report on financial sustainability of small rural councils
• Lobbying VicRoads in relation to an intersection at Kergunyah that residents were worried was unsafe
• Industrial signage in Beechworth
• Lobbied State Government for assistance to chestnut growers when chestnut blight hit the region in 2010