2018 MAV Rural and Regional Planning Conference program

DAY 1: THURSDAY 31 MAY 2018

9:00am Registration and morning tea

9:30am WELCOME to Country Yorta Yorta Nation

9:40am Welcome

Cr Mary Lalios, President, Municipal Association of Victoria

Cr Kim O’Keefe, Mayor, City of Greater Shepparton

9:50am Opening

Conference MC- Jennifer Lilburn, Kismet Forward

10:00am What’s Up in Shep – Geraldine Christou, Director Sustainable Development, City of Greater Shepparton

Geraldine will give delegates an overview of the many major projects currently underway or recently completed in Shepparton.

10:25 am Regional Liveability – Cr Margaret O’Rourke, Mayor of Greater Bendigo and Chair of Regional Cities Victoria

Regional cities outperform the metropolitan Melbourne area in a number of key liveability metrics. Cr O’Rourke will present some of the

findings of the Regional Cities Victoria Liveability Index, undertaken by Deloitte Access Economics. These advantages can provide key

opportunities to councils seeking to attract people to their municipality.

10:45am Empowering Aboriginal Voices – Paul Briggs OAM, Executive Chairman, Kaiela Institute

Paul is a Yorta Yorta man and has been heavily involved in promoting Aboriginal peoples rights and advancement since the early 1970s. He has

had a leading role in establishing institutions such as the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation, the Victorian

Indigenous Leadership Network and the First Nations Australian Credit Union. Paul will speak to delegates about how people and processes

can better empower the voices of Aboriginal Victorians in decision making.

The Kaiela Institute was formed in 2011 and works across four key areas: aspiration, enablement, responsibility and opportunity.

11:10am Concurrent Sessions

SESSION A Community Consultation Elizabeth will present the Victorian Multicultural Commission Civic Participation Kit. The kit grew out of a study into a controversial planning application for a place of worship in Bendigo, and aims to improve consultation processes between planning decision makers and communities.

KJA are a leading firm in strategic communications and community consultation. Paula will present to delegates ideas and case studies for how councils can better engage with their communities on decisions and projects.

Elizabeth Blades-Hamilton, Senior Cabinet Policy Officer, Department of Premier & Cabinet

Paula Lawrence, Program Director, Kathy Jones and Associates

SESSION B Assessing Renewables Ken will discuss key solar power issues with delegates, including photovoltaic farms and the planning implications of solar heating implemented by industry.

Hayden and Alicia will present to delegates on how to assess the visual impact of proposed renewable energy facilities.

Ken Guthrie, Director, Sustainable Energy Transformation

Hayden Burge, Visual Impact, Landscape and Urban Design Practice Lead, ERM

Alicia Burnett, Senior Planning Consultant, ERM

SESSION C Field Trip: SPC Ardmona SPC is in its 100th year and has been a central and iconic part of the Shepparton region. Delegates will have the opportunity to go insde the Shepparton SPC factory.

There are OHS requirements for visitors to SPC which will be circulated via delegate e-mail to all who register. If you have not received this by Tuesday 29 May and are interested in attending this field trip, please contact ebreese@mav.asn.au for a copy of the requirements.

*This field trip is limited to 20 attendees, with sign-ups via a registration sheet in the morning.

12:20pm Lunch

1:20pm Planning for Sustainable Animal Industries– Jennifer Alsfeld, Policy Manager Rural Development and Transition, Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources. The Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources is leading a major review of the handling of animal industries in the planning system. The program has examined land use definitions, permitted uses and conditions, and the development of codes of practices, in attempting to strike a better balance between streamlined processes and protection of the environment and amenity.

1:45pm AirBnB in the planning system – Shannon Davies, Director and Principal Planner, SD Planning. Shannon will moderate representatives from a number of councils in bringing insight to the pros and cons of AirBnB and other shortstay accommodation, whether it should be treated as a planning issue, and if so, how?

2:30pm The Victorian Planning Authority (VPA) in rural and regional Victoria – Brett Davis, Executive Director Regional Victoria, Victorian Planning Authority Brett will outline the work the VPA are doing in regional Victoria, including partnering with rural and regional city councils to deliver projects to increase the regions’ share of population and economic growth. Brett will present details on a number of specific projects, including the work on the Shepparton Precinct Structure Plans. The presentation will also include a briefing on the recently introduced Ministerial Direction 18 ‘Victorian Planning Authority – Advice on Planning Scheme Amendments’ which gives direction and clarity to the role of the VPA as a key stakeholder for the purposes of consultation in planning scheme amendments.

2:55pm Afternoon Tea

3:25pm “EMPA” – Another bloody acronym! - David Bergin, Executive Manager Planning Services and Lisa Sturgess, Team Leader Planning Business Support, Mornington Peninsula Shire Council The presentation by the Mornington Peninsula Shire will provide insight into the trials and tribulations that were faced in the development and delivery of an on-line planning application portal. The planning team at the Mornington Peninsula Shire is the busiest in the State, deciding more than 2,500 planning permit decisions per year, with an additional 1,000 plus secondary consents, extension of times and permit amendments. The initial transition from paper applications, to email and finally the portal will be discussed, with how many of the problems were solved and the creative ‘work arounds’ that were developed. The cost savings and productivity benefits from this fully automated system will be divulged for all who are interested in the automation process. It will also cover why another acronym was created in a planning unit that is loaded with them all over the place!

3:50pm VCAT & Planning Panels Year in Review presented by Holding Redlich- Kathy Mitchell, Chief Panel Member , Planning Panels Victoria; Sam Cimino, Member, Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, & Dr Joseph Monaghan, Partner, Holding Redlich Kathy and Sam will discuss and answer questions on significant decisions from the last year. Sam is one of VCAT’s most experienced mediators, so this is a great opportunity to ask questions about compulsory conferences and alternative dispute resolution.

4:50pm Day one conference close

6:30pm Networking drinks and dinner at the Woolshed @ Emerald Bank, 7719 Goulburn Valley Highway, Kialla, 3631

Sponsored by the Victorian Planning Authority with guest speaker Stuart Moseley, Chief Executive Officer of the VPA

10:30pm Dinner concludes

*Day 2 over page

DAY 2: FRIDAY 1 JUNE 2018

9:00am Secretarial address – Christine Wyatt, Deputy Secretary Planning, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) Christine will share her and DELWP’s vision for rural and regional Victoria, and give insight into what lies ahead in terms of reform and strategy.

9:20am Smart Planning Panel Discussion – Fiona Delahunt, Executive Director Forward Policy and Business Strategy, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning & Melissa Harris, Director Planning Information Services, DELWP Fiona and Melissa along with representatives of councils involved in pilot programs will discuss the Smart Planning project and their experiences with it.

10:10am Event Tourism – Peter Bingeman, CEO, Visit Victoria Event tourism can be an important economic driver for regional areas. What can councils do to best take advantage of these opportunities, both from a facilitation level as well as a strategic one?

10:40am Environmental Sustainable Design Subdivision - Sarah Brennan, Senior Consultant, AECOM & Bridie Guy, Strategic Planner, City of Wodonga AECOM were engaged by eight regional councils to examine how ESD principles can be incorporated into subdivision in regional greenfield areas. Consideration of ESD at the earliest stages of development benefits home owners and the community at large. The findings presented in this session are transferable and relevant to councils across the state.

11:10am Morning tea

11:40am Concurrent Sessions

SESSION A: VCAT How To presented by Harwood Andrews Rural and regional councils are far more likely than metropolitan councils to represent themselves at VCAT. Harwood Andrews have a wealth of VCAT experience and John will share some key points with delegates on how to prepare for a matter going to VCAT, how to present at VCAT, and pointers on how to write policy that will stand up when challenged.

John Hannagan, Senior Associate, Harwood Andrews

SESSION B Planning for natural hazards Land use planning plays a critical role in managing risks which arise from natural hazards.

This session will examine planning’s role in preparing for emergencies and will explore how population analysis can help us to understand community vulnerability and risk.

Georgina Cann, Senior Policy Officer, Planning, Building and Heritage, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP)

Fiona McKenzie, Principal Researcher, Forward Policy and Research, DELWP

Anne Coxon, Land Use Planning Coordinator, Country Fire Authority

Steve Muncaster, Senior Manager, Floodplain Management, DELWP

SESSION C Regional Growth Planning Bridget will present Plan Greater Bendigo, a joint project between Bendigo and the VPA to identify high priority transformational infrastructure projects to assist Bendigo in significant population growth to 2050.

The Infrastructure Contribution Plan model provides a streamlined approach both for councils and developers to provide for infrastructure in growth areas. John will speak about the implementation of ICPs for regional greenfield areas, and the important role they can play, particularly given the resource constraints on regional council planning departments.

Bridget Mapleston, Coordinator Growth and Liveability, City of Greater Bendigo

John Phillips, Director Planning Systems, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning.

SESSION D Field trip: Strategy to Reality – Shepparton’s Maude St Mall Redevelopment Join us on a journey of collaboration and revitalisation. Experience the sights and sounds of Shepparton Maude Street Mall and take a glimpse into a re-imagined Mall of the future.

In collaboration Spiire and Greater Shepparton City Council will share and reflect on the first 10 years of a 30+ year Regional CBD strategy. Hear directly from Council about how a key priority becomes a concept design project and discover Spiire’s design process involving the coordination and collaboration of client, community and disciplines to ensure the revitalisation of the Maude Street Mall is a place where people are drawn to work, play, shop, stroll, recreate and meet.

Jane Macey, Principal Planner and Lauren Gillard, Associate Landscape Architect with Spiire Australia Pty Ltd are joined by Colin Kalms, Manger Building and Planning and Tim Russell, Place Manager at Greater Shepparton City Council.

12:50pm Conference wrap-up and lunch sponsored by Visit Victoria

1:50pm Conference close

**Please note, this program is subject to change. Concurrent sessions have limited capacity, and sign-up is required for them in the registration area on the morning of the appropriate day.