Outgoing Local Government Minister Jeanette Powell used her last day in the Napthine Cabinet to appoint the community consultative committee for Sunbury’s secession from Hume.
The split-up will now land in the lap of incoming minister Tim Bull.
Mrs Powell said the eight-member committee was charged with consulting widely throughout the Sunbury districts.
“Issues such as possible boundary suggestions, communities of interest, distribution of assets and delivery of municipal services will, no doubt, be topical,” Mrs Powell said. “The committee will complement the work of the Sunbury-out-of-Hume local government panel.”
The committee is:
• Catherine Borazio, of the economic development department of Wyndham council ;
• Susan Duncan, a former president of Lions Club of Sunbury and a member of Bulla Cemetery Trust;
• John Hennessy, a strategic planner;
• Elizabeth Kosanovic, president of the Broadmeadows Progress Association;
• Phillip Lithgow, president of Sunbury Football Club and former business owner;
• Peter Ralph, past member of Sunbury Chamber of Commerce and Sunbury Community Health Centre board;
• Phillip Ripper, Sunbury Community Health Centre chief executive ; and
• Lawrence Seyers, Sunbury Residents Association vice-president.
Woodend-based upper house MP Amanda Miller will chair the community committee, which will hold its first meeting this week. It will plan a schedule of public forums, expected to be held throughout April.
Mrs Miller is due to have her community feedback report ready for the new Minister for Local Government by the end of next month.
Meanwhile, the Sunbury-out-of-Hume panel, headed by economic strategist Brian Haratsis, is working through the complicated process of asset and service division.
One key issue is whether the new municipality will be called Sunbury; the panel will decide on such matters. Its report is due to be presented to the new minister by the end of June.
» dtpli.vic.gov.au/localgovernment
