Edition 8: April 2025 Councils across Melbourne’s north have been successful in recent advocacy campaigns, bringing much-needed investment into our region. Banyule, Hume, Merri-bek and Mitchell provide examples of how their advocacy efforts have resulted in gains for their communities. ​ Mitchell Over the last few years, Mitchell Shire Council’s advocacy has resulted in over $2.73 billion of investment within the Shire and the region. This includes more than $1.08 billion in

Edition 8: April 2025 Our Connect Melbourne’s North: It’s time to transform our transport campaign is seeking urgent action to improve the transport system across our region. ​ The goal of our campaign is to transform the transport infrastructure in Melbourne's north to address severe traffic congestion, lengthy commutes, limited access to essential services and increasing social isolation. ​ Melbourne’s north region is home to one million people, accounting for 20 per cent

Edition 8: April 2025 Healthcare in Melbourne’s north is at a critical juncture. With a rapidly growing population and existing health services stretched beyond capacity, urgent investment is required to meet the increasing needs of our community. ​ The NCA is calling for a firm commitment from federal and state governments to deliver a new public hospital in the outer north – one that provides vital emergency care and specialist services, including obstetrics, dialysis, o

Edition 8: April 2025 ​In 2025, the NCA will continue with strong advocacy for better transport connectivity, ensuring Melbourne’s north has the services and infrastructure it needs to thrive. Improving the Upfield rail line remains a top priority for us, with a focus on increased frequency, electrification beyond Upfield and better connections to key employment and education hubs. ​ In addition, we are pushing for an expansion of bus services across the region, including a

Edition 8: April 2025 Commitments by the Federal Government and Coalition for Upfield Line improvements NCA advocacy for the duplication, extension and electrification of the Upfield Line to Wallan has resulted in both parties prioritising funding for this important project. At the NCA, we welcome the recent announcement of the Federal Government’s investment of $7.05 million to develop a comprehensive business case for the much-needed uplift of services in the Northern Gr

Edition 8: April 2025 Welcome to the first edition of NCA Snapshot for 2025. This year, our focus remains firmly on advocating for the services and infrastructure that will strengthen communities across the seven municipalities that comprise Melbourne’s north. Transport continues to be a pressing issue for us, and we are working hard to push for more frequent bus services, seamless connections between different transport options, duplication and extension of the Upfield

Edition 9: November 2025 NCA advocacy leads from the seven Councils attended Parliament House in September to learn more about committee inquiries and various functions of the Victorian Parliament. We met with parliamentary committee managers and discussed opportunities to participate in parliamentary committee inquiries. We also met Press Gallery President, Kieran Rooney, who spoke to us about political reporting and press coverage of issues. ​ You can read more about Par

Edition 9: November 2025 In October we were proud to host a professional development session for Councillors from NCA member Councils, part of annual requirements under the Local Government Act 2020. Mayors, Councillors, CEOs and staff from six Councils came together to deepen their understanding of integrity and accountability in local government. The themes and conversations that emerged from the session were insightful and thought-provoking. Our panel of speakers featured

The NCA Mayors were once again featured on Nine News Melbourne, highlighting the NCA and NORTH Link delegation’s visit to the Victorian Parliament. They called for urgent investment in transport, health, education and jobs to support our region. Led by our Chair, Cr Helen Davidson, Mayor of Merri-bek, and supported by Cr John Dumaresq, Mayor of Nillumbik, the news coverage highlighted the urgent need for increased investment in transport. ​ The NCA Mayors remain committed t

Edition 9: November 2025 Two Northern Study Hubs, sponsored by La Trobe University and funded by the Australian Government, have been established in Broadmeadows and Epping to provide space for tertiary students to learn, connect and access support. ​ Each hub offers free access to quiet study spaces, academic support and high-speed wi-fi – all in a welcoming, inclusive environment. They are perfect for students who are studying online, those who need support to stay on trac

Edition 9: November 2025 In October we launched another stage in our Connect Melbourne’s North transport campaign, designed to improve transport options across the region. ​ Each of our seven Mayors has delivered a strong message via a video link, which was widely circulated across social and other media. The focus being on encouraging local residents and businesses to share their stories about transport. ​Our community experiences severe road congestion, fragmented transpo

In September, an NCA delegation met with the Hon Nick Staikos MP, Minister for Local Government and Minister for Consumer Affairs. ​ A range of issues were discussed, including the need for local government to have a voice in Victorian Government planning reforms and other issues relevant to local government. Importantly, we demonstrated the value of Councils working together successfully to benefit a region. We also presented an overview of our achievements so far to underpi

Edition 9: November 2025 A high-level delegation from Melbourne’s north also visited Canberra in August, achieving a series of productive meetings with key federal leaders. ​ Organised by the NCA and local economic development organisation NORTH Link, our visit highlighted the region’s pressing infrastructure needs and its potential as a hub of jobs, education and innovation. ​ The delegation brought together a broad representation of senior decision-makers, including Mayors

Edition 9: November 2025 In a focused effort to advance regional priorities, the NCA and NORTH Link brought together Mayors, council CEOs and regional leaders for a delegation to Victorian Parliament in mid-October. Our delegation comprised a strong cross-section of leaders, including Mayors and CEOs from member Councils and senior representatives from Melbourne Polytechnic, Northern Health and Kangan Institute. Through discussions with Ministers and the Opposition, we highl

Edition 9: November 2025 Over recent months, the NCA has taken significant steps to advance the interests of Melbourne’s north through high-level delegations to state and federal parliaments. ​ These delegations brought together Mayors, council CEOs and regional leaders to present a united voice on the urgent need for coordinated investment in transport, employment and health. ​ Our discussions with Ministers and Opposition representatives at both levels of government were c

Photo (L–R): Cr Naomi Joiner (Mayor, Nillumbik Shire Council ), Cr Emily Dimitriadis (Mayor, Darebin City Council ), Cr John Dougall (Mayor, Mitchell Shire Council ), Cr Nat Abboud (Mayor, Merri-bek City Council ), Cr Alison Champion (Mayor, Banyule City Council ), Cr Carly Moore (Mayor, Hume City Council ) and Cr Lawrie Cox (Mayor, City of Whittlesea ) The new Mayors of the Northern Councils Alliance (NCA) continue to advocate in support of Melbourne’s growing north

Our latest newsletter - NCA Snapshot edition 9 is currently out. Highlights include a message from the NCA Chair, a rundown of our delegations to both the Canberra and Victorian Parliaments and an update on our campaign to improve transport activity. This edition and previous editions can be found here: Newsletters

The NCA is calling on residents and local businesses in Melbourne's north to speak up about the real impacts of inadequate and unreliable transport in their daily lives. From overloaded roads across our region, to unsafe bike links and inadequate services in rural areas, and lack of connected services in our inner suburbs, each council has highlighted its local issues. But they share a common goal: better transport for everyone in Melbourne’s north. Visit www.connectmelbourne

NCA Mayors. Back L>R: Cr Martin Taylor, Mayor City of Whittlesea; Cr John Dougall, Mayor Mitchell Shire Council and Cr John Dumaresq, Mayor Nillumbik Shire Council. Front L>R: Cr Kristine Olaris OAM, Mayor City of Darebin, Cr Elizabeth Nealy. Mayor Banyule City Council, Cr Helen Davidson, Mayor Merri-bek City Council and Chair of the NCA, and Cr Jarrod Bell, Mayor Hume City Council. In late August, the Northern Councils Alliance, together with NORTH Link, travelled to Canberr

The NCA welcomes the Federal Government’s investment of $7.05 million to develop a comprehensive business case for the much-needed uplift of services in the Northern Growth Corridor, including on the Upfield and Craigieburn rail lines. Cr Helen Davidson, Mayor of Merri-bek and Chair of the NCA, welcomed the announcement, emphasising the critical role of rail investment in shaping the region’s future. “This funding is a major step toward delivering vital transport infrastructu