Councillor Gaetano Greco, City of Darebin, Victoria
Q. How long have you been on Council?
I have been on Council for only a year and a half and it has been a great and rewarding experience so far.
You have to put in many long hours and you quickly become time poor, but for me it is extremely satisfying because I enjoy the interaction with residents and getting things done for the community.
Q. Why did you become involved in Local Government?
I’ve been a community activist for nearly three decades and over that time I have had a lot to do with various community organisations and Council on a range of matters, particularly in relation to social inclusion issues and community solidarity.
With the support and strong encouragement of local friends, I ran for Council and was successful in being elected in 2008.
For me, Local Government provides a fantastic opportunity to make a difference to people’s lives in many different ways that go beyond the usual roads, rates and rubbish services, which are matters that we still need to keep our eyes on.
Q. What makes your Council area special or different?
If I took you for a stroll around our streets and many parks, you would see people from all walks of life and from all corners of the world. Within an area of 53 square kilometres, you could treat yourself to a rich diversity of foods, hear different languages being spoken, see places of worship from a range of faiths and listen to fascinating stories that our older residents have to share. A 12 month trip around the world could not give you the same experience.
Of the 135,000 people who call Darebin their home, over one third speak a language other than English at home, one in four was born overseas in a non English speaking country and one in five Darebin residents is over 60 years of age. In addition, the City has the largest proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents in the Melbourne metropolitan area. Our surveys keep reinforcing that this diversity is one of the very reasons people want to come and live in Darebin.
How we manage this demographic mix to make it part of our core business and service delivery at Darebin is challenging for our staff, but at the same time, it makes it a very exciting place to work.
Q. Last year you donated half of your Councillor allowance to the Inner Northern Community Foundation, which is focused on improving youth unemployment. What influenced this decision?
People have become very cynical of politicians. To a certain extent, I don’t blame them. For instance, the job of a politician ranks pretty low in community confidence, along with used car dealers and real estate agents. Rightly or wrongly, some councillors are seen by some residents to be in it for themselves, as once elected they fail to deliver on promises.
At the outset of my term in office, I wanted to dispel these perceptions and build trust and confidence in my relationship with the community by taking the decision to give back half of my allowance (over $12,000) to a worthy local community foundation. I believe that my personal gesture has in a small way helped to inject credibility into Council life.
Q. Tell us about a memorable moment or a specific success you have had while on Council.
Last October I was fortunate enough to win the Municipal Association of Victoria Local Government Fellowship Award. The study grant will enable me to go on an international study tour this month to visit councils in New Zealand, America and Europe that have installed a wireless network in their cities to provide free or low cost internet services to their residents.
Many cities across the world have been doing this for some time now and I hope to come back with practical insights and information on how we can do the same here in Victoria. This will help councils of the 21st century to become even more relevant to local communities in the age of wireless connectivity and the internet.
In Darebin we are actively exploring ways to make this happen for our residents.
For further information contact Gaetano Greco by email at Gaetano-Greco@cr.darebin.org
Councillor Meg Downie, Manningham City Council, Victoria
Q. How long have you been on Council?
Since December 2008.
Q. Why did you become involved in Local Government?
Initially I became interested in Local Government because I was unhappy about the way dog owners were being treated, in that there were moves to deny them off leash areas in a local park. However, when I finally ran for Council, I was also concerned about a lack of reticulated sewerage in the Mullum Mullum Ward, planning issues and in particular the preservation of our acre blocks and the green wedge, better financial control and developing our pocket parks to be greater assets for the local community.
Q. Tell us about your Local Government area. What do you like most about it?
Manningham is a mixture of town and country. We have high density areas around Doncaster and low density and green wedge in Donvale, Park Orchards and beyond – all of which fall into my Ward of Mullum Mullum.
I love the open space, our parks and the walking/bike paths we have along our creeks and through wonderful bushland.
I love living in a more rural environment and yet not being far from city amenities.
Q. Tell us about your day job as a primary school relief teacher (CRT).
Being a Councillor is so demanding that unfortunately I haven’t had much time to do CRT work. However, as the three spheres of government are now part of the school curriculum, I have been asked to talk to the children about my job as a Councillor. They were fascinated that their teacher was also a Councillor.
Q. You are involved in several of Council’s environment related committees. Is this something you are passionate about?
Yes, I am most concerned about water issues and would like to see all new buildings capture their rainwater for use within.
Q. What other issues are important to you?
Having three Country Fire Authorities in my Ward, I am most aware of the work our CFAs do for the community. I think it is crucial that we maintain the leafiness of our green wedge, along with good fire preparedness practices. I am also working hard to achieve a Dog Activity Centre, which among other things will be a secure area where dogs can be trained and run free.
Q. What is the most satisfying part of being a Councillor?
I love having the direct contact with my community. It is especially satisfying that my dream to establish regular Ward meetings is now happening and attendance at them is steadily increasing.
Councillor Downie can be contacted by email at Meg.Downie@manningham.vic.gov.au
