Council
23 October, 2025
Unanimous support for advocacy alliance
MOYNE Shire Council is the latest in the region to join a peak regional advocacy association in a bid to secure greater funding heading into an election year.
Councillors voted at a Special Meeting of Council on Tuesday to enter into a three-year Memorandum of Understanding with the South West Victoria Alliance (SWVA).
The SWVA is an association of councils from across the south west, including Corangamite and Moyne, which serves to unite Local Government Areas in regional advocacy.
Key priorities and partnerships are identified among SWVA members which can be developed for targeted advocacy at both the state and federal levels in a bid to yield greater results.
Council’s budget contribution is $30,000, with an additional $5000 in funding anticipated under the current financial year.
Councillor Lisa Ryan moved the motion to enter into the Memorandum of Understanding.
“This is a great opportunity for Moyne as a whole,” she said.
“A regional alliance like this strengthens our collective advocacy voice.
“By working together with our neighbouring councils, we can identify shared priorities and present a unified position to all levels of government.
“It increases our influence on funding and policy, so it’s somewhat of a no-brainer.
“I only see positives as part of this alliance, particularly coming into the state election period and being able to advocate for the best opportunities for our ratepayers.”
Councillor Jordan Lockett, speaking in favour of the motion, said Cr Ryan had summed up the item well.
“As Cr Ryan said, it’s a state election year so it’s super important to have that strength as a region and advocate for many, many things,” he said.
“Obviously there’s roads, which is a huge priority at the moment, and that’s something I think South West Victoria Alliance is doing a phenomenal job advocating for in that space.
“I only hope that they can improve and strengthen that advocacy for the region.
“There’s lots of urgent matters that are required for our region to flourish.”
Councillor Myra Murrihy, as seconder, said she believed the impact the SWVA could have heading into an election was a worthy investment of council resources.
“I just wanted to break down, for the community, some of the terminology and what the South West Victoria Alliance actually is,” she said.
“As councillors we advocate on behalf of Moyne Shire but the South West Victoria Alliance brings together five neighbouring councils to advocate on regional issues that affect all of us.
“Which is roads, child care, aged care – it is all of those things that all of our councils are feeling.
“Having a conglomerate of councils sharing the same thing and advocating for the same thing carries so much more weight at a state and even federal level.
“I think this is such an important thing to be a part of – I think it’s really worthy and I’m really happy to support this.”
Councillors voted unanimously in favour of the motion.
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