2) Engaged Voices

I'm always looking for ways to find out what is on the minds of our residents and local businesses - what would you like to see improved, what you love about where you live and how you would like to get more involved in your community.

This year councillors are holding 'meet your councillor' pop ups - like this one I did in Prahran Market and we are evolving how we run 'ward meetings'.

I had never heard of 'ward meetings' before I joined council, and when I asked locals about them, some commented on how the food was rather good, but many talked about how they were set up in quite a confrontational way. There was usually a long table at the front of the room on which sat councillors and senior council staff and then the hall was filled with rows of chairs like from a school assembly facing the front. One person at the time got to ask a question of councillors in front of the whole audience. Everyone in the audience would need to listen to the question and the answer even if it did not concern them. Not everyone in the hall would have the opportunity to talk with councillors. Only people confident enough to stand in front of a hall of people and share their issues would do so.

This year we are going to try doing things a little differently. We will have ward meetings, but they will be more informal. The nice food and cups of tea will still be available, but now there will be several themed tables through the hall which residents can go to to listen to and ask questions relevant to them. There will be a tables for planning matters, community matters and there will be opportunities to discuss consultations that are happening and upcoming council plans. Councillors will be spread through the hall and will be available for informal discussions on the things that matter to you - without the whole hall listening in.

We hope these changes will increase the participation of people attending and make the process less confrontational. But if this version of ward meetings doesn't work - we can aways go back to the old ways of running them or try something different again.

🎼Who are you? Who-Who? Who-Who? I really wanna know! 🎸

Well Stonnington, the initial stats from the 2021 census are in..... Y

ou are so young, smart, healthy... so hot!

👉We have near double the number of 25-29 year old's (12%) than the national average (7%).

👉Twice as likely to have gone to uni or higher education (30%) than national (15%) or Victoria (17%)

👉Less likely to have long-term health conditions (64% vs 60% nationally)

👉More people of Irish (13%), Scottish (11%) and Chinese (9%) heritage than Victoria or Australia.

👉Personal income 1.5x higher than national or Victorian average.

👉53% live in a flat or apartment (vs 12% in Victoria)

👉27% in separate houses (vs 73% nationally and in Victoria)

👉40% of us live alone (vs 26% in Victorian and Nationally).

👉45% of us rent (vs 29% in Victoria)

👉 Have 3.2 coffees a day (vs 2.8 in Victoria and 2 Nationally.)*

👉You are also more likely to volunteer (16% vs 13% Victoria)

👉 Have 23.2 pairs of shoes (vs 16 Victoria and 10 Nationally)*

See more: https://www.abs.gov.au/.../find.../quickstats/2021/LGA26350

Please remember how Stats can be a tad misleading. These are averages as don't take into account quartiles or median values and it is only with these details that a true picture starts to arise. Stonnington is known for great wealth and privilege, but there are other stories to the city that are not represented in these statistics that we need to plan for and care for as a community.

* Made that up.

And I have listened to community through the week and heard:

Reconciliation is not going to be perfect. But that is not a reason not to try. In all our messy, wobbly imperfect ways. Just give it a go. Start the journey at work, in your community and with your friends.

We don’t have to wait for the big moments to think about it. Acknowledgement to country in meetings and on emails is a great. But it would also be great to think about the small and big, everyday moments you can weave it into life. A conversation or acknowledgement at a BBQ, a Bat Mitzvah, a family dinner.

That the Uluru statement from the Heart is a beautiful statement worth reading again slowly and carefully. Turning over its ideas in your mind and reflecting on its power and its uncomfortable truths….

“Proportionally, we are the most incarcerated people on the planet. We are not an innately criminal people. Our children are aliened from their families at unprecedented rates. This cannot be because we have no love for them. And our youth languish in detention in obscene numbers. They should be our hope for the future….

These dimensions of our crisis tell plainly the structural nature of our problem….

We seek constitutional reforms to empower our people and take a rightful place in our own country. When we have power over our destiny our children will flourish. They will walk in two worlds and their culture will be a gift to their country….

Photo: With the Murrundaya Yepengna Dance Troop, directed by Amos Roach at the Yarning Circle Event on Saturday at Prahran square. I have to say, when people are dancing around you and playing a sax over your shoulder it is always going to be a fabulous photo and group to be invited to pose with.

That it was only in the 1967 referendum that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were considered members of the Australian population.

That “my mother was only considered to be flora and fauna for the first years of her life” (Alex Kerr – Son of Anti Di Kerr)

“That language, dance, song, family connection, traditions, names and children were taken when families were kidnapped in Australia. But identity was not lost.” (Aunty Di Summers)

That the Day Sorry was said “It was the most emotional day in my life. Not for me, but for my family, for the 18 children taken away” (Aunty Di Summers) That we should recognise and acknowledge the wrongs that were done on Sorry Day, but not dwell on them. We need to acknowledge, shake hands, and move on together. (Aunty Di Summers) That we need to remember to tread softly on this ancient land (Aunty Di Summers)

“Telling my story gets my pain out” (Den Fish)

“We need to acknowledge the pain, its not about blame” (Den Fish)

And a song by Monica Weightman “Who will sing my song?”

Image: An afternoon tea for Sorry day at Stonnington with Alex Kerr and his young son Aston representing Wurundjeri Elder and his mother Aunty Dianne Kerr. (L-R, Cr Scott, Alex Kerr, Aston Kerr, Cr Klisaris, Cr Hely (me), Jacqui Weatherill (CEO), Cr Batagol) I also attended a Sorry Day Lunch hosted by Port Philip Citizens for Reconciliation, supported by City of Port Philip. At the Port Philip event, Aunty Di Summers, Dennis Fisher and Monica Weightman told their stories.

The Victorian Pride lobby is a community-based advocacy group that works towards equality, social justice and advancing human rights for lesbian, gay, queer, bisexual and same-sex attracted Victorians.

Their requests from Local Government candidates in the pledge are simple and pragmatic - ensuring that Council-run services have Rainbow Tick accreditation, having an advisory committee, an action plan, flying the rainbow flag on key LGBTIQA+ awareness days and marching in Pride March or participating in local pride events.

I have proudly signed their pledge because I believe in the importance of representing the full diversity of our community. Because I am not LGBTIQA+, I can not fully understand or speak for their needs and community, but fully respect and want to honour their voice within our community.

=> Where do we feel safe or vulnerable in Stonnington?

I have a vision to ensure that Stonnington is a collection of vibrant local communities, and as part of that, we need to ensure that we feel safe.

Below is a link to a project from Plan International in which women from Sydney, Delhi, Lima, Madrid and Kampala marked on a map where they felt safe and where they didn't in their cities. I wonder what these maps would be like in Stonnington? Where are the places we feel vulnerable and where are the areas we feel most confident?

As an extension to this original project, I think it would be great to see the good and bad areas of our city from the perspective of the elderly, young families, disabled, youth, women, LGBTIQA communities and cyclists. This shared visibility of issues could allow united debate and proactive solutions.

Note: Plan International created this study in 2018 as part of a project to understand the street harassment of young girls internationally. They found that in Sydney ¼ young women experience street harassment once a month or more and ⅘ say they first experienced harassment when they were under 18 years old.

A PR release about the 2018 study

This school term has been a very special kind of hell for parents of young kids.

We have been homeschooling a grade prep (6yo) and grade 2 (8yo) while also managing a 4-year-old... all while working... and deciding to run for Council.

I took this photo while I was on a work conference call, as a reminder of what we have been able to manage during this period.

On the plus side, I think all my children will remember of this COVID time is that mum and dad are not the greatest teachers, how to clean a toilet properly, how to ride a bike and that they got to watch a lot of Netflix.

We will get through this!

"A new report from Westminster Foundation for Democracy and the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at King’s College London analysed over 500 pieces of research into the impacts of women leaders. It shows that women in politics play a key role in creating a political system that delivers on issues that create a more equal and caring society.

Women in politics bring more consideration to creating better outcomes for women and girls, but also to issues that directly improve the lives of men and boys.

On average, women politicians work harder than men to accurately represent their constituents, which is linked to a stronger sense among voters that the government is responsive to their needs."

https://womensagenda.com.au/latest/having-more-women-in-politics-leads-to-greater-equality-less-corruption-better-represented-constituents/

With a consumer research and strategic background, I want to help Stonnington engage more diverse voices in a more transparent Council so we can better reflect the ideas and passions of our community.

Kate Hely - North Ward Councillor for Stonnington

2) Engaged diverse voices

Where is it not only the loud and passionate that are heard and celebrated by Council but also the insightful and quiet.

What this involves:

Cultural activities that celebrate our diversity and unite us as a community.

Protect and connect the vulnerable

New techniques to encourage broad community participation in Council activities and decisions.

Housing diversity

Safe and accessible streets and spaces for all

Recent Thoughts

ON ENGAGING DIVERSE OPINIONS

The evolution of ward meetings

JULY 2022

WHO IS STONNINGTON?

2022

Today is the last day of Reconciliation Week.

2022

Yesterday was Sorry Day and this is what I heard:

May 2022

I have proudly taken the lgbtiqa+ Local Government Pledge

September

I want to ensure that Stonnington is a collection of vibrant local communities. To achieve this we need to ensure that we all feel safe.

September

Shout out to all the 'Homeschooling" families in the final week of term/hell!!

HAVING MORE WOMEN IN POLITICS LEADS TO GREATER EQUALITY, LESS CORRUPTION AND BETTER REPRESENTED CONSTITUENTS.

15/08/20

Governments in Australia are not seen to be fair the interests of 'the many'

2020 Edelman Trust Barometer.

I am committed to helping our neighbourhoods flourish:

1) Vibrant local communities

Where enhance our ability to live, work, shop and play within our local communities.

Where all voices are heard and encouraged- not only the loud and passionate, but also those who might be wise, insightful or quiet.

3) Transparency and honesty

Where we build trust in each other by behaving in an ethical way, being open to new ideas and bringing a 'value for money' focus to Council so we can maximise resident and ratepayer benefit.

Kate Hely - for North Ward Stonnington