Achievements

HIGHLIGHTS OF ACHIEVEMENTS OF CATHERINE NG ON COUNCIL

Financially Responsible and Managing Growth

  • 7 years of stable government. End of the ‘Clown Hall” reputation.
  • Strong financial position: maintain debt free with and AAA rating.
  • Rate increases among the lowest of any local council in Victoria.
  • Initiated the development of a 10-year Infrastructure and Resource Plan.


Planning and  Built Environment

  • $10 million redevelopment of the Bourke Street Mall.
  • Introduction of free bus service around the city.
  • Successfully absorbed the Docklands precinct back into the City.
  • Completion of Future Melbourne Plan 2020.
  • Introduction mandatory height controls to protect city heritage.
  • Tackling noise issues on behalf of residents
  • Completed Kerbside Café Code 2007 to support the vibrant outdoor café culture.
  • Pushed for stronger enforcement of planning permits for licensed premises.
  • Developed draft Laneways Policy to protect Melbourne characters.
  • Developed the Inner Melbourne Action Implementation Plan in conjunction with adjacent municipalities: Stonnington, Yarra and Port Philip.
  • Removed 25,000 square metres of graffiti using our graffiti removal service.
  • Negotiating a vastly improved plan for the Commonwealth Games Village.
  • Successfully challenged several inappropriate developments.
  • Pushed for Council review on planning policies around liquor licensing

 

Transport & Access

  • Developed Transport Strategy ‘Moving People and Freight’, advocating for significant spending on infrastructure over the next two decades.
  • Significant improved and expanded Melbourne's City Bicycle Network, including a new ‘Copenhagen’ style bike lane installed in Swanston Street.
  • Completed the North West Melbourne Heels and Wheels Program to improve access and local parking.
  • Widened footpaths to improve pedestrian amenity.  

 

Sustainability

  • Successful development of first six-star green office building, Council House 2 – the greenest multi-level building in the world.
  • Signed up on to Bill Clinton’s global Energy Efficiency Building Retrofit Program.
     
  • Increased the corporate use of renewable energy from 20 per cent in 2005/06 to 33 per cent in 2006/07
  • Implementing Stage 1 of a Sustainability Water Management Plan to future proof our city parks and gardens - 1 million drought proofing measures for parks and gardens in 2008/09.
  • Introduced water savings programs to further reduce water usage by residents and businesses: Sustainability Street and the showerhead exchange program as well as City Green Hotels.



Community Services

  • Increased 200 new childcare places in the municipality.
  • Called for the extension of customer service hours.
  • Initiated the increase of four enforcement and local laws officers to deal with the liquor licensed premises from planning permit perspective.
  • Approved the purchase of Boyd High School for the future
    development of Southbank Community Centre.
  • Approved the increase of city safety cameras.
  • Redevelopment of the Kings Domain section of the Tan track and better lighting for the “TAN”.
  • Completed re-development of the East Melbourne Library.
  • Supported the development of Multicultural Centre and City Village.
  • Supported Housing for the Arts project.
  • Supported the Relationship Declaration Register, the first of its type in Victoria. The register enables couples, regardless of gender, to formally declare their relationship and may be used to demonstrate the existence of a de facto relationship.

 

Vibrant Business Melbourne

  • Hosted more than 320 major events in the city, including Commonwealth Games, FINA World Championships, the Moomba Waterfest and the Melbourne Spring Fashion Week.
  • Capably managed the most rapid growth in Melbourne’s population since the gold rushes.
  • Completed the development of Tourism Plan 2007-2012 and Retail Strategy 2006-2012.
  • Developed Knowledge City Strategy and set up the Office of Knowledge Capital.