Council to Take Regional issues to State Government

Published on 13 August 2026

Southern Grampians Shire Council is calling for greater flexibility and investment from the Victorian Government on issues affecting regional communities.

Following the 11 August meeting, Council will put four motions to the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) State Council in October. These motions will seek statewide action on glass recycling, Crown land assets, public swimming pools and State-owned roads. The motions follow discussions on local issues that Council believes would benefit from a coordinated approach across Victorian local government.

A key issue is the State Government’s mandated four-bin kerbside waste system, with Council seeking greater flexibility for councils to determine the services that best suit their communities.

In April 2026, Council resolved to delay the rollout of a compulsory glass recycling bin in the Shire, citing the estimated $1 million first-year cost to ratepayers as prohibitive and questioning the need for the service locally following the introduction of the Container Deposit Scheme.

Southern Grampians Shire Mayor Cr Dennis Heslin said local government required greater flexibility to respond to the different needs of communities across Victoria.

“The right solution for Melbourne may not necessarily be the right solution for a regional community,” Cr Heslin said.

“We support recycling as we have demonstrated through initiatives like our FOGO service, or the new Organics Waste Facility under construction at the Hamilton Transfer Station. But we have to be sure that new services provide a genuine value and benefit to our communities.”

Council is also calling on the Victorian Government to provide adequate funding for the maintenance and renewal of State-owned assets managed by DEECA Crown land committees of management, many of which rely heavily on volunteers. It is also seeking a strategy to support the next generation of volunteers to take on these important roles.

A further motion calls for the State Government to fund a statewide condition audit of public swimming pools, with the results used to inform future funding programs for the renewal of these important community facilities. Council is then calling for the release of State Government data on the condition of State-owned roads, providing transparency around the condition and investment needs of these roads.

“These aren't just issues here in the Southern Grampians. Councils across regional Victoria are dealing with ageing infrastructure, increasing costs and policies that don't always reflect the realities of regional communities,” concluded Cr Heslin.

The MAV State Council Meeting will be held on Friday 23 October 2026.

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