Council
3 September, 2025
Moyne supports regional communities
MOYNE Shire Council will put forward five motions at the next Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) State Council in a bid to advocate for stronger support for rural and regional communities.
Mayor councillor Karen Foster said the motions will highlight challenges faced not only by Moyne, but by councils across Victoria.
“These motions are about fairness and sustainability,” she said.
“We’re asking for long-term investment in the things that matter most to local communities – quality early years facilities, safe and reliable roads, support for volunteers and fairer outcomes from renewable energy development.”
Among the motions to be submitted at the MAV State Council in October will be an appeal to boost early years infrastructure, calling for urgent funding and a coordinated approach to help councils meet infrastructure demands of the State Government’s Best Start, Best Life reforms, including the roll-out of 30-hour Pre-Prep by 2026.
Local Roads and Community Infrastructure (LRCI) replacement will also receive a not with council to seek a permanent, non-competitive, formula-based funding stream from the Commonwealth to replace the expired LRCI program.
There will also be advocacy for a per-kilometre road funding model, which calls for funding to be based on actual council renewal needs rather than population size, to better support rural councils with extensive road networks.
The fourth motion will be a call for support for volunteerism, with a motion for the Victorian Government to back councils with leadership, resources and funding to strengthen and grow volunteer programs, particularly in rural communities.
The final motion will centre around renewable energy community benefits, with council to advocate for a consistent and mandated framework to ensure communities share in the benefits of Renewable Energy Zones, including infrastructure upgrades, energy bill offsets and local training opportunities.
Cr Foster said the motions reflect priorities raised by the community and challenges identified in council’s own planning.
“Moyne alone is responsible for more than 2600 kilometres of local roads, faces growing demand for kinder infrastructure and is home to communities working hard to adapt to renewable energy developments,” she said.
“These are not just Moyne-specific issues – they affect councils right across the state.
“By working together through MAV, we can make a stronger case for the resources and policies our communities need.”
The MAV State Council will be held on October 10.