Latest news with #NickReece
Sydney Morning Herald
4 days ago
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘I'm a big believer in democracy': Electoral reform on cards for City of Melbourne
The City of Melbourne's unusual rules allowing businesses two votes in council elections could be wound back and candidates forced to declare donations before election day if Lord Mayor Nick Reece succeeds in convincing the minister for local government to commit to an overhaul. The formal request, made by Reece in a letter to minister Nick Staikos this week, was triggered by a recent council resolution following a Victorian Electoral Commission report on the 2024 council elections which revealed Melbourne's voter participation of 70.79 per cent significantly lagged the state average of 83.79 per cent. It comes after a campaign by The Age during Victoria's local council elections in October last year which highlighted major inadequacies in the City of Melbourne Act 2001, which dictates election rules including that campaign donations don't need to be made public until 40 days after the election. The Act hasn't been reformed since 2001 under the Bracks Labor government. Reece, on behalf of the council, has requested a full review of the Act. The request explicitly asks for the review to consider banning donations from property developers and gambling interests as well as introducing so-called continuous donation reporting. It also seeks a review of the 'appropriateness' of the current voter entitlements. 'I'm a very big believer in democracy. Democracy is a verb. It's something that you do, and it's something you need to keep working on,' he said. Reece said the review should examine whether foreign property owners should still be given a vote, giving an example of a person living in 'Shanghai, who has an apartment in Melbourne, but very rarely visits' and who may have a 'low connection to the city'. In contrast, he said it was also worth reviewing how to better inform international students they are able to vote. Melbourne is the only capital city in Australia where eligible businesses get two votes in council elections, while residents only get one. The NSW government in 2023 repealed a similar rule for the City of Sydney elections, with the-then NSW Labor local government minister describing the system as 'something of which North Korea would be proud'.
The Age
4 days ago
- Business
- The Age
‘I'm a big believer in democracy': Electoral reform on cards for City of Melbourne
The City of Melbourne's unusual rules allowing businesses two votes in council elections could be wound back and candidates forced to declare donations before election day if Lord Mayor Nick Reece succeeds in convincing the minister for local government to commit to an overhaul. The formal request, made by Reece in a letter to minister Nick Staikos this week, was triggered by a recent council resolution following a Victorian Electoral Commission report on the 2024 council elections which revealed Melbourne's voter participation of 70.79 per cent significantly lagged the state average of 83.79 per cent. It comes after a campaign by The Age during Victoria's local council elections in October last year which highlighted major inadequacies in the City of Melbourne Act 2001, which dictates election rules including that campaign donations don't need to be made public until 40 days after the election. The Act hasn't been reformed since 2001 under the Bracks Labor government. Reece, on behalf of the council, has requested a full review of the Act. The request explicitly asks for the review to consider banning donations from property developers and gambling interests as well as introducing so-called continuous donation reporting. It also seeks a review of the 'appropriateness' of the current voter entitlements. 'I'm a very big believer in democracy. Democracy is a verb. It's something that you do, and it's something you need to keep working on,' he said. Reece said the review should examine whether foreign property owners should still be given a vote, giving an example of a person living in 'Shanghai, who has an apartment in Melbourne, but very rarely visits' and who may have a 'low connection to the city'. In contrast, he said it was also worth reviewing how to better inform international students they are able to vote. Melbourne is the only capital city in Australia where eligible businesses get two votes in council elections, while residents only get one. The NSW government in 2023 repealed a similar rule for the City of Sydney elections, with the-then NSW Labor local government minister describing the system as 'something of which North Korea would be proud'.
Herald Sun
30-06-2025
- Business
- Herald Sun
City of Melbourne raids Covid cash to pay for bike lanes
Don't miss out on the headlines from News. Followed categories will be added to My News. The City of Melbourne is still raiding a Covid-era economic recovery fund to bankroll its bike lane rollout into next year. The council's annual budget for cycling infrastructure is set at $3.5m, including a $539,000 parcel from the Melbourne City Recovery Fund (MCRF). The fund, announced by then premier Daniel Andrews almost five years ago, was a $100m pot – jointly funded by the state and Town Hall – to encourage people to return to the CBD over the 2020-21 summer. Remnants from the fund are now being directed into the council's 2025-26 cycling budget, amid claims the scheme was being used as a slush fund for the city's capital works. It comes as Lord Mayor Nick Reece on Monday night caved to pressure from the cycling lobby and tipped a separate $4.5m over the next three years into building new bike lanes. Mr Reece had been facing pressure from the cycling lobby, with the lord mayor saying he'd heard them 'loud and clear'. On the issue of the recovery fund, it was previously reported $825,000 had been diverted for road projects, including creating speed limits in East Melbourne and North Melbourne. Another $10m was pulled from the scheme for 40km of bike lanes, prompting criticism from Small Business Australia head Bill Lang over the fund's intentions. The recovery fund's aim was to kickstart economic activity, provide Covid-safe dining and improve CBD streetscapes, including wider footpaths, bollards and planter boxes to promote outdoor dining. But the money will now be spent on suburban bike lanes and other traffic infrastructure. A 2km section of Queensberry St, Carlton, has been identified as a priority project. The bike lane funding was queried by Greens councillor Olivia Ball at a recent council meeting. 'I thought MCRF ended in 2023,' Dr Ball said. Council infrastructure manager Rick Kwasek confirmed the money was being used in the budget, although it was not listed as a separate line item. 'There are components of the MCRF funding which remain, which is the $539,000,' he said. 'And that will support the cycling budget.' A City of Melbourne spokesman said a key purpose of the recovery fund was to invest in new infrastructure. 'We've made it safer, more enjoyable and more convenient to walk, ride and visit the city,' the spokesman said. 'This includes the Exhibition St upgrades, where we've transformed the theatre district with wide bluestone footpaths, greenery and protected bike lanes.' The council received 1466 submissions over its cycling infrastructure spending. More than $200,000 had also been pulled from footpath expenditure for cycle infrastructure.
The Age
19-06-2025
- Business
- The Age
The future for Melbourne's new parks is small and strategic
Melbourne's newest park is now open as the City of Melbourne looks to squeeze more green space into the city by converting car parking and neglected space into pocket-sized places for leisure. Seafarers Park, next to the historic Mission to Seafarers building on the edge of the Yarra River, is Melbourne's first new riverside park in 20 years. The 3500-square-metre park was opened by Lord Mayor Nick Reece on Thursday as part of the $600 million redevelopment of the precinct, which includes the 227-room 1 Hotel and luxury apartments by developer Riverlee. Reece said the park – which includes grassed areas, trees, bench seating and a small playground with a climbing frame and trampoline – was the first new major park along the Yarra since Birrarung Marr was opened in 2002 and would be 'transformative' for the city. Riverlee bought the Goods Shed site on the north bank of the river from the state government in 2015 and part of its tender was to provide a refurbished park at Seafarers which would then be handed back to the City of Melbourne and state government. Loading 'We committed to refurbishing the wharf that we see in front of us, as well as the delivery of a new public park,' co-owner David Lee said. 'We designed it and delivered it, but ultimately, it's a true collaboration between the state government, Riverlee, and council, who will effectively manage it from today onwards.' In his first budget as lord mayor last month, Reece pulled funding from Greenline, the ambitious $316 million linear park proposed for the north bank of the Yarra River. Despite this, Reece said the completion of Seafarers Park showed the potential for Greenline. 'We are a river city and today we're delivering a major new river park, which is part of the Greenline project, which is going to transform the north bank of our river,' he said. 'At the election last year, my biggest election commitment was to make Melbourne a garden city with a major investment in new parks and gardens, and today we're seeing the first new park to be opened.'
Sydney Morning Herald
19-06-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
The future for Melbourne's new parks is small and strategic
Melbourne's newest park is now open as the City of Melbourne looks to squeeze more green space into the city by converting car parking and neglected space into pocket-sized places for leisure. Seafarers Park, next to the historic Mission to Seafarers building on the edge of the Yarra River, is Melbourne's first new riverside park in 20 years. The 3500-square-metre park was opened by Lord Mayor Nick Reece on Thursday as part of the $600 million redevelopment of the precinct, which includes the 227-room 1 Hotel and luxury apartments by developer Riverlee. Reece said the park – which includes grassed areas, trees, bench seating and a small playground with a climbing frame and trampoline – was the first new major park along the Yarra since Birrarung Marr was opened in 2002 and would be 'transformative' for the city. Riverlee bought the Goods Shed site on the north bank of the river from the state government in 2015 and part of its tender was to provide a refurbished park at Seafarers which would then be handed back to the City of Melbourne and state government. Loading 'We committed to refurbishing the wharf that we see in front of us, as well as the delivery of a new public park,' co-owner David Lee said. 'We designed it and delivered it, but ultimately, it's a true collaboration between the state government, Riverlee, and council, who will effectively manage it from today onwards.' In his first budget as lord mayor last month, Reece pulled funding from Greenline, the ambitious $316 million linear park proposed for the north bank of the Yarra River. Despite this, Reece said the completion of Seafarers Park showed the potential for Greenline. 'We are a river city and today we're delivering a major new river park, which is part of the Greenline project, which is going to transform the north bank of our river,' he said. 'At the election last year, my biggest election commitment was to make Melbourne a garden city with a major investment in new parks and gardens, and today we're seeing the first new park to be opened.'
