Victoria's Secrets

As I walked through the art gallery, my eyes were drawn to a simple graphic t-shirt on display. At first glance, it seemed unremarkable - but then I realized that it could fit a thousand of me! Suddenly, the t-shirt became a work of art, highlighting the importance of relatable scale in appreciating the world around us.

Rather than just rattling off statistics about Victoria, perhaps we should take a moment to truly acknowledge the scale and significance of this incredible place.

Victoria is one of the six states in Australia, located in the southeastern part of the country. In terms of size, Victoria is somewhat comparable to the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which is the fourth largest state in India. However, Victoria is the second smallest state in Australia, following Tasmania. Despite its relatively small size, Victoria is the most densely populated state in the country, and Melbourne, its capital city, has recently surpassed Sydney in being the largest city in Australia after a century.

The Local Government Act 2020 is the primary legislation governing local government in the Australian state of Victoria. It was enacted on 24 March 2020 and replaces the Local Government Act 1989. The act sets out the powers and responsibilities of local councils in Victoria, including the role of councilors, the administration and management of local councils, the financial management of local councils, and the accountability of local councils to the community.

Some key provisions of the Local Government Act 2020 include:

1. The introduction of an independent Local Government Inspectorate, which is responsible for investigating and enforcing compliance with the Local Government Act 2020.
2. The requirement for councils to develop and implement a community engagement policy to ensure that they engage with their communities in a meaningful and effective way.
3. The establishment of a new process for local council elections, including the introduction of optional preferential voting and new requirements for candidate disclosure.

Overall, the Local Government Act 2020 aims to strengthen the accountability and transparency of local councils in Victoria, and to ensure that they are better able to meet the needs of their communities.

Did you know that despite being approximately the same size, Victoria has only 84 local government areas while Uttar Pradesh has over 650? This is because the boundaries of the Victorian LGAs were established based on a variety of factors, such as natural features, community interests, and population size. While population size is one consideration, it's not the only one. The primary goal is to create council boundaries that represent communities with shared interests and a strong sense of identity, and to distribute council resources and services fairly and equitably among them.

However, if one wants to compare the scale of these LGAs with respect to area, they might be equivalent to an Indian district. Uttar Pradesh has 75 districts, each administered and governed by the state or central government, and they are responsible only for the overall administration and development of the area.

In Victoria, under the Local Government Act 2020, the mayor and elected councilors are responsible for ensuring that services are provided to residents, including waste collection, road maintenance, local planning and development, and community services. However, the mayor does not have direct responsibility for governing the council administration on a day-to-day basis. This responsibility lies with the council's chief executive officer (CEO), who is appointed by the council to oversee the council's staff and operations. The CEO reports directly to the council and is accountable to them for the performance of the council's functions and the delivery of services to the community.

The structure of the Local Government in Victoria has enabled them to make commitments to sustainability and environmental protection, and they have successfully implemented policies and initiatives to reduce their carbon footprint, promote renewable energy, and protect local ecosystems by mobilizing communities on various programmes like composting, bike share schemes, and rooftop solar panels on residential and commercial buildings. They are actively involved in promoting community engagement and inclusion, supporting local businesses, and delivering essential services to their residents.

Now that we have a better understanding of Victoria's local governments, let's dive deeper into Victoria's next secret. How does planning navigate through the skyscrapers of the largest city in the country, where sustainability, inclusivity, and diversity are integral to its vision?