As TWiSK goes public, it is even unclear whether councillors will attend the roundtable, even as observers.
On Friday, for the record, TWiSK directed the following question to the Council media unit:
“I will be previewing the roundtable in Sunday’s TWiSK. Can you please share the following in relation to the roundtable: the list of organisations that will be attending, the agenda, and if possible, the briefing document that was sent to participants?
“If there is any reason why these cannot be shared, I am happy to include that.”
The official response in full was:
“We will be providing a public update soon after the roundtable has been held.”
Ouch!
What we DO know is…
What is the roundtable?
It is a meeting of police and service providers (drug and alcohol, housing, mental health, etc.) convened by the council and chaired by retired jurist and St Kilda resident Ian Gray.
Who will be around the roundtable?
This has not been made public, but we assume it will include senior local police. It could also have up to 30 people representing a dozen or more agencies.
What’s on the agenda?
This has not been made public.
What’s in the briefing document sent to participants?
This has not been made public.
When will it happen?
This has not been made public but improbably on Wednesday 19 March at the Town Hall.
Will councillors attend and in what capacity?
This has not been made public.
Hold the phone…
TWiSK understands that councillors were invited to attend by the Chair Ian Gray, possibly with observer status. TWiSK made phone calls to councillors over the weekend to find out more and received a variety of responses.
No councillor we contacted wanted to be quoted
Without betraying any confidences, some said it was appropriate to let the experts do their jobs in private, others feared that councillor participation would politicise the event, while others said it was very important for councillors to attend if they could.
We do not know if councillors are making individual decisions or a group decision to attend or not, but we do know the discussion was, shall we say, robust.
Editorial: A little background might help
Below is the full text of the motion from 11 December 2024 by Cr Libby Buckingham that launched the roundtable and attracted unanimous support from other councillors.
Three months later, TWiSK understands that the roundtable is set to meet on Wednesday this week.
The roundtable is an expert panel of key stakeholders, specifically:
“the City of Port Phillip, health, housing, community legal and social service providers, Victoria Police, and other relevant stakeholders or those with recognised expertise to examine the current situation and review place-based models to address community safety issues in our high streets and surrounding areas.”
So far, so good…
But the motion also foreshadows another process, the revision of the Community Safety Plan, where there will be opportunities for the public to share their lived experiences regarding community safety (see item 5 in the motion).
In the Council’s mind, it is a lengthy two-step process: experts first, then consultation on an updated community safety plan later.
What is a Community Safety Plan?
The current plan expires this year. Do plans like this make a difference? Have a read of the current plan and make up your own mind.
FYI Here’s a link to the current Community Safety Plan 2019 – 2025
A Disconnect Between Council and Community?
The council initiated the roundtable immediately after the Adass Israel Synagogue fire in December last year.
Shocked by the arson, community safety had become an even bigger issue with a palpable sense of urgency.
People connected the dots and wanted action from everyone involved – the council, police, community agencies – there was a powerful mood to make our streets and institutions safe for everyone.
Three months later, it is apparent that the council and public may have gotten onto very different buses – one of them being a slow-moving mystery bus driven by council officers.
Council minutes 11 December 2024
Notice of Motion – Councillor Buckingham – Community Safety
MOVED Crs Buckingham/Thomann
That Council:
1. Reaffirms its commitment to a safe, liveable and just community.
2. Requests that City of Port Phillip initiate a round table of key stakeholders, incorporating the City of Port Phillip, health, housing, community legal and social service providers, Victoria Police and other relevant stakeholders or recognised expertise to examine the current situation and review place-based models to address community safety issues in our high streets and surrounding areas.
3. Requests that the round table:
a) Provide advice and case studies from other jurisdictions on community outreach models and consider opportunities to ensure best practice in the City of Port Phillip;
b) Provide advice and case studies from other Council jurisdictions on how local laws can be used to provide community safety and protect the amenity of public spaces within the City of Port Phillip. The advice is to include consideration of police protocols and operations with the City of Melbourne and their applicability to the City of Port Phillip;
c) Review the merit and feasibility of establishing an ongoing alliance to continue this work over the next four years.
d) Provide recommendations to Council on the above within the short and longterm.
4. Requests that the Mayor write to the Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police seeking advice and recommendations on local laws in the City of Port Phillip, and a proposal on how any changes to the local laws would be used and work in practice.
5. Notes that officers have commenced work on the update of the City of Port Phillip’s Community Safety plan including opportunities for the public to share their lived experiences in relation to community safety and that Councillors will be updated on this regularly.
A vote was taken and the MOTION was CARRIED unanimously.
