by Cam Lucadou-Wells
A green group has thrown down the gauntlet, escalating its campaign against a Greater Dandenong Council accused of lagging on climate change action.
Ahead of the council’s draft 2024-’25 budget, Greater Dandenong Environment Group (GDEG) has launched a petition calling for the council to boost funding to tackle climate change.
“As reported recently in the media Greater Dandenong is both the most disadvantaged local government area in Melbourne but also one of the hottest,” lead petitioner Gaye Guest said.
“Each year extreme weather events – heat, storms or flooding – are increasing.
“Funding both Council action and funding, supporting and educating our residents – some of Victoria’s most vulnerable – to deal with climate change is not a luxury.
“It is a critical social justice and health issue.”
A 2023 council report showed that short-staffing and budget cuts were hampering the council’s environmental agenda such as its 2020 Climate Emergency Strategy.
At current resource levels, only six of the council’s 44 sustainability action items will be completed by 2026, the report stated.
Nineteen of the incomplete action items were rated as high or extreme risks.
GDEG president Isabelle Nash said she was disappointed to learn that the items won’t be formally reviewed by the council until 2025-‘26.
“Many of these risks relate to the health and wellbeing of Greater Dandenong residents. “However they are currently just another item in the to do list and that is not good enough.
“This year we want see action not more words or more delay.”
On 1 April, the council’s City Futures executive director Sanjay Manivasagasivam said the 44 climate change risks were continuously monitored but not publicly released.
“Where these risks concern the safety of Greater Dandenong residents, appropriate action is taken to communicate and address them.
“A recent example is the heatwave health and safety campaign, which addresses several risks.”
Chief executive Jacqui Weatherill said the council would respond to the petition by mid April.
“Officers and Council are committed to climate change but it is dependent on the budget.
“Community members interested in climate change are encouraged to participate in the budget process.”
