Latest news
A Fairer Victoria: Standing together through tough times
A Fairer Victoria 2009, launched by the Premier on 7 May, commits $925.6 million to protect the vulnerable and address social disadvantage across a range of initiatives.
Read more about A Fairer Victoria: Standing together through tough times.
Planning For New Communities Takes a Step Forward
The Victorian Government has introduced the Growth Areas Infrastructure Contribution into Parliament and tabled Amendment VC55, taking another important step towards delivering Melbourne’s newest sustainable communities.
‘Beyond the Bushfires’ Spring 2009 edition of network magazine
In this special 75th edition ‘Beyond the Bushfires’, we honour the courage, strength and leadership of rural women across Victoria. Since the Black Saturday fires of 2009 many women are rebuilding their homes, lives and communities. Many other women are working and volunteering to help with the recovery.
2009 Urban and Regional forums - Victoria in Future 2008 population projections
Department of Planning & Community Development is hosting a series of forums across Victoria during September, October and November to present the story behind the Victoria in Future numbers.
October is Women and Money Month
Women across Victoria are invited to register now for free Women and Money Month workshops and seminars. The Office of Women’s Policy is proud to coordinate Women and Money Month, aimed at raising awareness of the financial issues faced by women and helping women improve their money management skills through workshops, seminars and online information.
Women’s Leadership Grants 2010
At the 2009 Premier’s Women’s Summit held in Melbourne on 8 September, Premier John Brumby launched Victoria’s new Women’s Leadership Grants program. The Leadership Grants Program 2010 is aimed to extend and support new networks of women interested in taking up leadership roles.
Bar None Kit helps create a welcoming and inclusive community
Schools across Victoria recently received the innovative Bar None resource kit as part of a push to help them become even more welcoming to students with a disability. The Bar None Community Awareness Kit for Schools includes activity resources for prep to year 8 students.
Real life doesn’t need retouching
The Office for Youth has created the latest awareness campaign for young people stating ‘Real life doesn’t need retouching’ as part of its Positive Body Image Strategy.
To view the ad or to send it to other young people, please go to youthcentral.
Government response to the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission Interim Report
Read the Victorian Government’s response to recommendations of the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission interim report.
Download a copy of the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission Interim Report.
Liveable Communities - a new online newsletter
Read about the diverse work of the Department of Planning and Community Development in our new quarterly newsletter, Liveable Communities. Discover five million reasons why planning matters, and how the Laurimar Alliance is helping to develop a strong, connected community on Melbourne's northern fringe.
Multicultural Multi-faith Youth Network open for new participants
The Multicultural Multi-faithYouth Network (MMYN) is calling for new participants from different faiths, cultures and geological locations between the ages of 16 – 25 years old to provide advice on youth issues to the Victorian Government. Go to www.multicultural.vic.gov.au for more information.
Funding boost for youth mentoring
The Minister for Youth Affairs, James Merlino, announced recently a $730,000 boost in funding for youth mentoring services through the Mentoring and Capacity Building Initiative. Find out more details about the funding boost for youth mentoring
Expert Assistance and Creating Better Places program launch
DPCD has launched the 2009-10 Melbourne 2030 Activity Centres Expert Assistance Program and Round 5 of the Creating Better Places Program providing $5.8 million to councils for their planning and development needs.
Best ever Active Girls Breakfast
What happens when you get a gaggle of school girls, Bollywood dancers, a Gladiator named Angel and a very limber 83 year old yoga expert together in a room?
You have an Active Girls Breakfast!
The Victorian Climate Change Green Paper
The Victorian Government has released a Climate Change Green Paper for public comment. Submissions closed on 30 September 2009. For more information about the Green Paper visit www.climatechange.vic.gov.au.
NAIDOC Week 2009
NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia each July to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NAIDOC is celebrated not only in Indigenous communities, but by Australians from all walks of life. The theme this year is Honouring Our Elders, Nurturing Our Youth.
Visit the NAIDOC website for further information.
Research Matters turns 50 - The Gold Edition
Research Matters, a quarterly publication from the Spatial Analysis and Research (SAR) branch of DPCD, celebrates its 50th edition. It includes a retrospective piece looking back over some of the findings from the last 50 issues, as well as providing an update on emerging research and activities undertaken by the department.
Read the June 2009 edition.
More than $9 million to say thanks to volunteers
Making it easier for more Victorians to volunteer, especially young people, is a key focus of the new $9.3 million Victoria's Volunteering Strategy (PDF 1019 kb) or (Word 1496 kb).
It outlines a number of ways the government will support organisations to meet changes in the way people want to volunteer and to attract new, younger volunteers.
Victorian State Budget 2009-10
The Victorian State Budget was delivered on 5 May and a number of major funding initiatives have been allocated to DPCD. You can find details about these initiatives at the Victorian Budget website.
Build for Life – making homes practical, stylish and accessible
Premier’s Active Families Challenge is now closed for 2009
More than 50,000 Victorians took the Premier’s Active Families Challenge.
Although the Challenge is now closed for 2009 check out the range of ideas and tips available.
Celebrating 100 Years of Victorian Women’s Right to Vote
The Minister for Women’s Affairs, Maxine Morand MP, paid tribute to eight remarkable Victorian women in fields as diverse as science, industry, cultural affairs and government when she launched their digital stories at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) on 16 April 2009. Find out more about the Digital Stories.
New building standards for bushfire areas
The Premier, John Brumby, today announced a new building standard that will provide improved fire safety and measures to speed up the rebuilding process. For more information go to www.buildingcommission.com.au
Outstanding achievers honoured as part of International Women's Day
The Minister for Women's Affairs, Maxine Morand MP, has announced 20 new inductees to the Victorian Honour Roll of Women for 2009 in the lead-up to International Women’s Day on Sunday (March 8). Find out more about Victorian Honour Roll of Women.
Planning amendment helps bushfire recovery
Amendment VC53 has removed the need to obtain a planning permit in certain circumstances to support bushfire recovery operations. These operations include site clean-up and the provision of temporary accommodation, and also buildings and works with an estimated cost of $1,000,000 or less, carried out by or on behalf of a municipality.
New Vision To Redevelop Melbourne’s Home of Grand Slam
A major stadium redevelopment and a piazza-style Town Square are part of a new vision to ensure Melbourne Park remains a world-class sporting precinct and the home of the Australian Open tennis tournament until 2036. Read more about the Melbourne Park redevelopment.
Celebrating rights in plain English
The Office for Disability celebrated the UN International Day of People with a Disability on December 3 with Minister Neville launching the plain English version of the new UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disability–dignity and justice for all. Read more about the Plain English version of the UN Convention.
Melbourne 2030: a planning update
Melbourne @ 5 million
Melbourne 2030: a planning update Melbourne @ 5 million is the Victorian Government’s response to the recent analysis of the 2006 Census and Australian Bureau of Statistics information which projects an increase in population and household growth for the metropolitan area. This update has a strong focus on creating jobs and services in key Central Activities Districts and employment corridors that are closer to people’s homes.
Victoria in Future 2008 - Population Projections
The Victoria in Future 2008 projections cover total populations, age structure and households, and extend to 2056 for Victoria, the metropolitan area and Regional Victoria. They also cover total population for all Victorian local government areas and dwelling data for metropolitan local government areas.
Heritage information now available through online planning services
Updated versions of Planning Maps Online and the Planning Property Report have been released and include information about Victorian Heritage Register listings, aerial imagery and historical planning scheme maps for the Melbourne metropolitan area.
Submissions sought on Retail Policy Review Discussion Paper
The Minister for Planning has announced the release of the Retail Policy Review Discussion Paper. Submissions will be received until 27 February 2009.
Victorian Government Indigenous Affairs Report 2007-08
On average, Indigenous Victorians die 17 years younger than non Indigenous Victorians. Closing this gap in life expectancy is at the heart of the Victorian Government’s work with Indigenous communities. The 2007-08 Indigenous Affairs report outlines what the Victorian Government has done over the last year and sets out the next steps to close the gap. Read the report.
Councils Reforming Business
On 16 September 2008 the Minister for Local Government launched the 2008-09 Councils Reforming Business initiatives, which will reduce costs, improve services and cut red tape for businesses working with councils. Read more about Councils Reforming Business.
Sugarloaf Interconnector Pipeline corridor approved
The Minister for Planning has approved a pipeline corridor for the construction of the Sugarloaf Pipeline. The conditions of approval, pipeline corridor maps and Advisory Committee Report can be downloaded from the Sugarloaf Interconnector Pipeline page.
Shared Facilities Partnerships
The Shared Facilities Partnerships guide is a new tool to help encourage better sharing of infrastructure between schools and community organisations.
Read the Shared Facilities Partnership guide.
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