Jason GoroncySep 1, 2025

So I wrote a wee thing for the local paper:

#Melbourne #HobsonsBay #Council #Budgets #Funding #Roads #Community #Poverty #Environment

https://maribyrnonghobsonsbay.starweekly.com.au/news/the-ledger-of-our-lives-the-hobsons-bay-blues/

The Ledger of Our Lives: The Hobsons Bay Blues | Maribyrnong & Hobsons Bay

When Hobsons Bay resident Jason Goroncy received council’s ’Budget at a Glance’ flyer in his letterbox, he was moved to put pen to paper and write a playful response in the form of a poem. In the halls of Hobsons Bay, they’ve drawn their battle lines, There’s squillions for the roads, while community declines. Seven […]

Maribyrnong & Hobsons Bay
Shannon Meilak - AdvocateNov 6, 2023

Last week I spoke with Harry from Senator Jane Hume's office. I was honest and upfront in saying that we have had a gutful of #Labor MPs either refusing to meet with us, or having met with us, taken no actions to bring our concerns to #CatherineKingMP - and so that is why I am now approaching shadow ministers and the opposition.
Harry was not aware of our campaign or what our concerns regarding the 3rd runway are. I gave him a bit of a background of the project, presented him with our main concerns and advised him of what our keys asks are. For those of you who are new to our campaign, our key asks are as follows:

1. Insist on an independent impact assessment focusing on 4 key parameters; #Environment, #Climate, #Health & Economic impacts.

2. Ensure adequate independent #community consultation, is conducted in all impacted municipalities (as identified by Melbourne Airport); #Darebin, #HobsonsBay, #Hume, #Macedon Ranges, #Maribyrnong, #Melton, #MooneeValley, #MerriBek, #Whittlesea and #Brimbank.

3. Ensure the project proposal application is declined, should the #independent assessments determine that the negative impacts outweigh any potential or perceived benefits of the project.

Harry listened to the concerns I raised attentively, seemed to agree that our requests were reasonable and informed me that he would take all of this to Senator Hume and to all members of her office. He was open to ongoing conversation and advised that we were welcome to reach out at any time, should be have further questions or concerns regarding the runway proposal.
I requested that if it was within his power, to reach out to any mainstream media outlets and call on them to cover this story, whilst we wait for Senator Hume to (hopefully) raise the issue with Catherine King and the Federal government.
By the meetings end, I felt heard and optimistic. I have since followed up with an email to Harry containing further information and a link to our Facebook group. I hope that Senator Hume will be more proactive than our Labor MPs, in representing our community concerns and help us to ensure there is #no3rdtullarunway!

Want to learn more about the campaign? Check out the No 3rd Tulla Runway Campaign's LinTree. Link in bio.

#MelbourneAirport

Peter RileyOct 20, 2023

“On #WorldHomelessDay, #HobsonsBay Councillors voted behind closed doors to evict us. We #technopark heard the news from a council media release.”

https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-mass-eviction-of-residents-of-techno-park-in-williamstown/u/32017541?

“Another kick in the guts”: Hobsons Bay Councillors vote behind closed doors

Dear friends On World Homeless Day, our Councillors voted behind closed doors to evict us. We heard the news from a council media release. Hobsons Bay City Council had said they would respond to our petition at last week’s council meeting. But there was no vote on whether to “work in partnership with the residents of Techno Park to find a permanent solution that allows us to remain in our homes,” as the petition calls for— only a vote on how to get us out.  In the words of resident John O’Hagan, “the Council's latest media stunt is yet another kick in the guts for me and my family. The so-called ‘Techno Park Housing Solutions Group’ the Council claims to be setting up is just a re-branding of their existing plan to force people from their homes. They are completely ignoring residents' pleas to work with them to find solutions that allow people to stay in their homes, and rigging the game by ruling out any such solutions in advance. As usual, Council plays fast and loose with the truth, twisting facts to justify their plan.” The day before the meeting we had sent a letter to all Councillors, highlighting the incomplete, false, and misleading information in Council officers’ response to the petition, and urging them to vote against the recommendations.  About 40 minutes into the council meeting, the Mayor announced that to protect Council’s ‘legal privilege’ they would not be answering any public questions about Techno Park, and that the discussion and vote on Council’s response to the petition would be happening in private. So nobody knows which councillors voted to evict us, and the public is barred from asking questions from now on. As John says: “They hide behind phoney legal reasons, pretending they can't answer questions or debate Techno Park publicly, but are somehow able to issue a press release dressing up the mass eviction as some kind of public service.”  We need your help to push back against this eviction. Please share our petition, connect with us on Facebook and Instagram, and help spread the word.  Thank you for the support you have already provided by signing our petition and for your solidarity. It means the world to us.  [Pictured: some of the Techno Park community who had attended the council meeting to hear the discussion and vote]

Change.org
Juliet and Indiana JonesOct 20, 2023

Victorian Environment Minister Steve Dimopoulos has announced $900k for more trees for Melbourne's west.

We think this is a great initiative. More canopy shade to combat #UrbanHeat as temperatures rise with climate change (Silly humans not reigning in #Fossilfuels fast enough so now you have to adapt). And more places for us to leave scent messages (peemails).

Western Melbourne has the lowest tree canopy cover in metropolitan Melbourne, with just 5.5% of urban tree cover in Melbourne as of 2018.

Now if only State Planning Department would update the data on vegetation and urban heat which is now 5 years old.
#ChihuahuasForClimateAction #Trees #ClimateAdaptation #ClimateDiary #HobsonsBay #Maribyrnong, #Brimbank, #Melton, #MooneeValley, and #Wyndham
https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/thousands-new-trees-headed-melbournes-west

Thousands Of New Trees Headed For Melbourne’s West | Premier of Victoria

The Allan Labor Government is delivering more green spaces and improving air quality in Melbourne’s west – planting 56,000 new trees across local communities in early 2024. Minister for Environment Steve Dimopoulos announced a $900,000 Labor Government investment to launch the fourth phase of the More Trees for a Cooler, Greener West program.