In this edition of NCA Snapshot I’m pleased to report that, at our last NCA Forum, we formally endorsed a new transport advocacy campaign – Connect Melbourne’s North: It’s time to transform our transport.

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The campaign is calling for critical improvements to transport across our region. Our residents and businesses face increasing challenges that include significant traffic buildup, difficulties getting to work, education and health services, and social isolation. These issues are impacting the lives of thousands of our residents.

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As part of the campaign, we are calling on the federal and state governments to duplicate and extend the Upfield rail line to support existing and future populations in Merri-bek, Hume, Whittlesea and Mitchell.

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Our transport campaign was launched at Upfield Station

in August, and received significant media

coverage, which you’ll see detailed elsewhere

in this newsletter.

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We’ve also established a new website that focuses on

this important and ongoing initiative and will provide you

with updates on our progress. I encourage everyone to visit www.connectmelbournesnorth.com to find out more and to register your experiences of transport in our region.

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It’s very important that we continue, as a region, to demand better transport outcomes for our residents because we know that good connections are vital to having a healthy and happy life.

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This is the final NCA Snapshot that will feature our current Mayors, as Council elections are held later this year.

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I would like to sincerely thank my friends and fellow Mayors – Cr Louise Bannister (Mitchell), Cr Naim Kurt (Hume), Cr Susanne Newton (Darebin), Cr Adam Pulford (Merri-bek) and Cr Ben Ramcharan (Nillumbik) and also Lydia Wilson, Chair of Administrators (Whittlesea) – for their dedication and collaboration, which has led to the significant regional advocacy work outlined above.

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Melbourne’s north is lucky to have such dedicated and wonderful leaders who represent their community in an outstanding manner. For those seeking re-election, good luck. Your community would be crazy not to vote for you!

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I would also like to thank Melissa Atallah, our NCA Executive Officer, for her hard work, friendship and dedication. It’s not easy organising Mayors and she has done a brilliant job. We are very lucky to have her, and we greatly appreciate her support.   

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Cr Tom Melican
Mayor, Banyule City Council
Chair, Northern Councils Alliance