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Moreland Council 2020 election – candidate forums and climate info

July 26, 2020 at 1:37 am morelandclimategroup Leave a comment

Moreland Council election

Moreland Council, along with many other municipal and shire councils in Victoria, will go to the polls on 24 October 2020. Nominations close at 12 noon, 32 days before the election day on 22 September. (See Knowyour Council guide to Elections)
Enrolment closed at 4 pm on Friday 28 August 2020. You can check your enrolment at the Victorian Electoral Commission and update details.

Postal voting starts 6 October, 2020. The election will be by postal ballot. Please use the hastag #MorelandVotes on election social media.

Climate Action Moreland surveyed candidates, asking them to sign a climate emergency declaration, which is in keeping with the existing declaration by Council in 2018. Forums for candidates were run for each of the three Council Wards.

Responses will be published on posts for each ward that will contain the list of candidates, party affiliation or alignment (if any), public contact information (website, facebook, twitter if available), and their answers. We may also add extra information or links to 3rd party websites where we think it empowers voters on making an informed decision at the ballot box.

• South Ward Candidate List and responses – 3 councillors to be elected
• North East Ward Candidate List and responses – 4 councillors to be elected
• North West Ward Candidate List and responses – 4 councillors to be elected

Some questions in our climate survey had ranged responses from Agree strongly to disagree strongly, or a sliding scale of 0-100. This allows us to compile those responses.

There was overwhelming support by the candidates that responded for upgrading the Upfield Line and extending the No 58 tram line and the No 19 tramline.

Most candidates strongly supported advocacy and community education for promoting a primarily plant based diet for nutrition and to reduce emissions, as recommended by recent climate science reports.

Cement emissions form 8 per cent of gloabal emissions, and if Moreland Council can shift its procurement policies for low emissions or zero emissions cement for its own operations, this will be a significant action at the Local Government Level. This can be included as part of the sustainability criteria for Procurement, and is in accord with reducing Moreland Council’s operational emissions and reducing the need for offsets to be purchased for these emissions.

Most Council Candidates supported the idea of forming Climate Citizen Assemblies in Moreland.

We also asked all candidates to endorse a climate emergency declaration and send us a photo of their endorsement, in keeping with the current Moreland Council declaration of a climate emergency. A few candidates did so, some requested we utilise file photos. See Climate Emergency candidates for MorelandVotes 2020

In the current term of Moreland Council the following major climate policy areas were addressed (It doesn’t mean there isn’t more work to do):

• Moreland Integrated Transport Strategy adopted
• Zero Carbon Moreland first 5 year action plan 2020-2025
• 2040 Zero net Community Emissions target
• Zero waste to landfill by 2030 target
• Urban Forest Strategy adopted
• Moreland Nature Plan
• Cooling the Upfield Corridor Strategic plan adopted
• High Speed rail advocacy
• Opposition to Adani mine, amending sustainability filter for Procurement policy on businesses involved with coal
• Fast-track Pedestrian and Cycling Infrastructure as part of Covid19 transport response

Moreland Council wards

We need councillors who will continue with the City of Moreland’s strong leadership role on both reducing emissions and community adaptation to the climate changes already happening.

Other Information

Other progressive groups such as Moreland Bicycle User Group, may also do surveys or hold forums and we will undertake to link to this information.

Moreland Bycycle User Group cycling survey:

• North East Ward
• North West Ward

South Ward

Walk on Moreland survey (Walking):

• North east Ward
• North West Ward
• South Ward

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Entry filed under: election, Moreland Council, news, Policy, Vote Climate. Tags: candidates, election, Moreland Council, MorelandVotes, morelandvotes2020, voteclimate.