From the Chair: Thanks to the NCA Mayors 2023

​

In September, the final meeting of the NCA for 2023 with the current Mayors took place. New Mayoral elections will occur in October and November this year.

Looking back over the year, much has been achieved and plans are in position for progress over the next 12 months.

I’m proud of what we, as a group, have achieved in our collaborative work across the year. We signed a new Memorandum of Understanding, which outlines our commitment to work together for regional outcomes. We endorsed the Community Electric Vehicle Transition Plan, an important body of work that will guide our transition and emissions reduction actions into the future.

In line with our Jobs and Skills Growth priority from our Strategic Plan 2023-2025, we recently endorsed a collective position on affordable housing for key workers. We continued to advocate for public transport improvements in Melbourne’s north, as outlined in our Northern Region Transport Strategy and Bus Networks Study documents. And our endorsement of an updated Advocacy Priorities document for 2024 provides a blueprint for NCA activity next year.

A number of key meetings with state and federal government Ministers and

advisors over the year gave us the opportunity to speak with decision makers

about regional issues and raise their awareness.

Personally, I’ve found this group to be engaged, dynamic and a pleasure to be

a part of. Attendance at meetings is very high, and as all attendees are

high-profile people with busy diaries, I think this is evidence of the value of

NCA meetings.

By working together and leveraging our combined resources, we know that

our Councils can achieve shared goals and create better outcomes for

businesses and communities across Melbourne’s north.

I look forward to seeing the NCA continue to advocate for our region to the benefit of all of us.

Cr Joseph Haweil
Mayor, Hume City Council
Chair, Northern Councils Alliance