On Thursday 5th September, 3000 groups of Melbourne residents held their Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the Kelvin Club in Melbourne Place.
In keeping with tradition, Mayor Nick Rees was invited to give an update on City Hall's position on CBD health. Singer “Piano Man'' Alfredo Marabello entertained 82 members and supporters in attendance.
Report of President Rafael Camilo
The Chairman's Report was distributed to all members before the meeting, posted on the website and read at the meeting with further explanation. The report documents how Residents 3000 continued to “connect, support and inform” members throughout the year through a variety of topics, programs and presentations.
Mr Raphael confirmed that the organization remains committed to advocating for issues that are important to its members and supporters, with the aim of contributing to the well-being and quality of life of residents in the CBD.
The year focused on seven important issues for residents.
Medical support for the homeless and rough sleepers, increased police presence in the CBD, continued freeze on late-night liquor licenses, ban on commercial electric scooters, and continued collaboration with the City of Melbourne to work directly with police to improve safety in the city. Work closely to clarify policy and provide information.
This year's Forum 3000 was diverse and related to urban life.
31 August 2023 – General Meeting with Guest Speaker Mayor Sally Capp AO 5 October 2023 – CBD Health and Wellbeing, Local GP Clinic, Keyser Collins Street and City of Melbourne Health Support Services Latest information. November 2, 2023 – Owner company is updated with Faulkner May and Building and Facilities Management is updated with CBD Facility Management. 7 December 2023 – Christmas season celebrations and residential real estate updates at Melbourne Boutique Properties and year-end celebrations at City Region. February 1, 2024 – Metro Tunnel Project Update. 7 March 2024 – City of Melbourne CEO Alison Leighton. 4 April 2024 – Waste and Recycling Update – City of Melbourne. 2 May 2024 – Community Showcase for local community-oriented groups and social activities, in collaboration with City of Melbourne neighborhood partners and with support from City jurisdictions. June 6, 2024 – Queen Victoria Market Redevelopment Overview and Petition with Friends of QVM Group and Mary Lou Howie. 4 July 2024 – Managing Urban Disorder (Protests) Updates from the City of Melbourne, Victoria Police and State MP David Southwick. August 1, 2024 – Local GP clinics and mental health professionals, Keyser Collins Street, Melbourne City Health Support Services and our past, are caring for our mental health. Committee member Dr. Arman Rashid.
A regular general meeting of shareholders followed. Twelve new committee members were elected, keeping the same board members as last year. Our treasurer reported a healthy balance sheet thanks to support from our membership and sponsors.
At the first committee meeting the following week, Mr Raphael announced he was taking time off to run as a politically independent candidate from Team Morgan under the name 'Residents United to Make Melbourne Safe'. Vice President Dr. Sue Sanders will assume the duties of President until the end of the election.
Mayor Nick Rees report
The Mayor was able to report clear findings from two studies released just a few weeks ago. He emphasized how local governments are “closest to the people” and how residents' voices are reflected. The latest move to cancel contracts for commercial electric scooters is a victory for residents.
Our recent 'Participating Melbourne' survey received 4,400 applications. The top three requirements for a more livable city are:
Clean up affordable housing to reduce homelessness – remove graffiti, clean streets and add trees to streets and parks
Cr Reece then briefed the audience on the current steps the council is taking to meet three points.
At about the same time, the results of the annual Victoria Police Community Sentiment Survey 2024 were released.
The top five safety concerns for residents are:
Safety in public places Safety of my property and belongings Drug and alcohol abuse and its effects The need to ensure road safety and driver responsibility Serious organized crime
Residents 3000 has a good relationship with Victoria Police and now provides police updates at monthly meetings.
Safety is a recurring theme in many regions, with many others including cleanliness, better roads and trails, a sense of community, support for people experiencing homelessness, and the need for better green open spaces. related to priorities.
Next Event – Meet the Mayoral Candidates
This special event only happens once every four years. With such a wide and diverse list of candidates this time around, it promises to be interesting, informative, entertaining and not to be missed.
This is an opportunity for residents to be fully informed before deciding how to vote.
The event dates are Thursday October 3rd until 6pm at the Kelvin Club, Melbourne Place. Details will be posted on the website residents3000.org.au and reminders will be sent to members and subscribers via email.
Russell Howcroft will be our special guest, presenting and answering questions with candidates. Russell is a resident of Melbourne's east and is thrilled to be working with the community of 3000 residents for this important night. Throughout his long career in media and marketing, Russell has been one of the most prominent voices on the cultural and economic importance of advertising, particularly through his role as a panelist on the ABC television series Gruen, and currently on 3AW Break. He is the host of First with Ross. & Russell is Melbourne's number one breakfast radio show.
This is a great opportunity for mayoral candidates to explain their views on issues important to city residents, answer questions, participate in debate, and then meet with you afterwards.
The following declared candidates are invited –
Arron Wood (Team Wood) Gary Morgan (Team Morgan Makes Melbourne Safe) Greg Bijinella (Melbourne Spokesperson) Mariam Riza (Melbourne City Liberals) Jamal Hakim (Team Hakim) Phil Reid (Melbourne Labor Party) Nicholas Rees (Team Nick Rees) Eirem Kim (Animal Justice Party) Anthony Koutoufides (Team Kouta) Roxanne Ingleton (Green Party)
Additional candidates will be invited to participate in the event once the organizers have confirmed their nominations.
Residents 3000 is looking forward to this year where we can play our part in making Melbourne (again) the most liveable city in the world. •
