A word from your Councillors
South Ward
Cr Lambros Tapinos
What is your favourite pastime, hobby, sport/activity?
In my spare time I enjoy reading books about history and politics, playing soccer with friends at the new Clifton park synthetic soccer pitch, riding my bike around Merri Creek and going to the football to watch Carlton play in the AFL.
Do you have a compost or worm farm?
Not at this stage however I am looking to develop compost in the backyard soon.
What drives you to stay active?
Positive outcomes for the community - being able to deliver a quality service or project gives me great satisfaction and drives me to continue working for the common benefit of the entire Moreland community.
What are the big issues in your ward?
a) Footpath, road and bike path repairs across the city to make them safe for pedestrians and cyclists.
b) Improving access to services like meals on wheels, home help, the Brunswick library and Brunswick Baths.
c) The environment and working to decrease Moreland’s carbon footprint by investing in clean energy alternatives.
What has been your most rewarding experience at Council?
Improving City Amenity by running the Clean City campaign to remove dumped rubbish and illegal graffiti from Moreland whilst investing in more footpath repairs, street seating, tree planting and cycling hoops.
What are some of the things you hope to achieve in the next 12 months?
Keeping active is very important for the community the major objective for the next year will be the redevelopment of the Brunswick Baths, expanding tennis courts and building new Netball courts in Brunswick. Improving our parks and open spaces with new playground equipment and increase public open space in Brunswick.
Contact details:
Mobile: 0433 419 075
Fax: 9240 1179
Email Cr Lambros Tapinos
Cr Jo Connellan
What is your favourite pastime, hobby, sport or activity?
Reading, Sudoku, planting, films, bushwalking – and being on Council I have almost no time for any of them.
Do you have a compost or worm farm?
Yes – I have several compost heaps.
What drives you to stay active?
I need to be active to stay healthy so I can do my two jobs.
What are the big issues in your ward?
Multi unit development, housing affordability, traffic and lack of trees.
What are some of the things you hope to achieve in the next 12 months?
First project commenced in the Coburg Initiative, Fleming Park master plan well underway, bike, laneway, open space and street landscape strategies adopted.
Contact details:
Phone/Fax: 9387 8254
Mobile: 0428 348 447
Email Cr Jo Connellan
Cr Alice Pryor
What is your favourite pastime, hobby, sport/activity?
Gardening in my veggie patch
Do you have a compost or worm farm?
I have a bokashi bin
What drives you to stay active?
My 1 year old boy makes sure I’m active. I need a lot on energy to keep up with him!
What are the big issues in your ward?
Climate Change, parking, better investment in infrastructure and services and urban development
What has been your most rewarding experience at Council?
It’s always the little things like helping new parents access a local playgroup or fixing the broken street light or drinking fountain. The simple things can make a big difference to a person quality of life.
What are some of the things you hope to achieve in the next 12 months?
The opening of the redeveloped Brunswick Baths, the pilot project of the Coburg Initiative, but most of all the planning, site selection and first sod turning of the Oxygen Project co-located Youth Centre!
Contact details:
Mobile: 0427 505 582
Phone/Fax: 9381 4964
Email Cr Alice Pryor
North-West Ward
Cr Kathleen Matthews-Ward
What is your favourite pastime, hobby, sport or activity?
I love walking, especially along the creek or taking the kids to the park, but I also love walking along the beach and bush walking.
Do you have a compost or worm farm?
Luckily I have room for both, I particularly like the worm farm because it’s more versatile, you can put most food scraps in it and it doesn’t take up as much space.
What drives you to stay active?
I mostly enjoy it, but sometimes you have to push yourself a bit, especially when it’s cold.
What are the big issues in your ward?
Development, rubbish and traffic, especially on Glenroy Road.
What has been your most rewarding experience at Council?
The improvements we’ve made to a number of sporting facilities, parks and playgrounds and seeing people get active in a nice environment.
What are some of the things you hope to achieve in the next 12 months?
More improvements to open spaces and shopping strips, a review of our planning policies and the implementation of a developer contribution scheme, plans finalised for the upgrade of the Oak Park pool and the new Sussex Neighbourhood House, improved pedestrian conditions including a number of new pedestrian crossings on busy roads like Cumberland Road, the completion of the Upfield shared path and I’m also working hard to try to convince Vic roads to put in noise walls when they upgrade the Ring Road.
Contact details:
Phone/Fax: 9300 3567
Mobile: 0428 573 785
Email Cr Kathleen Matthews-Ward
Cr John Kavanagh
What is your favourite pastime, hobby, sport/activity?
I have a passion for history, politics, a long proud tradition of supporting the Carlton Football Club and walking my two Golden Retrievers Mozart and Kirra.
Do you have a compost or worm farm?
I don’t have a worm farm or compost but I am very vigilant about recycling.
What drives you to stay active?
This year I have started to swim each morning before work and I walk my dogs in the evenings. I do these things because I enjoy them and provide me with immense health benefits.
What are the big issues in your ward?
The people in my community are concerned about overdevelopment of units and townhouses, improving community assets including parks and sporting facilities and fundamental things like footpaths. Making sure we revitalise our retail shopping strips is also very important.
What has been your most rewarding experience at Council?
There are two that come to mind; after two years of fighting, getting Edgars Creek back to the local community; and being instrumental in the Sewell Reserve/Glenroy renovations.
What are some of the things you hope to achieve in the next 12 months?
In the next year I want to see the completion of the Oak Park Aquatic Centre Master Plan, the opening of the Gowanbrae Community Centre and the opening of the multi use tennis and netball courts in Glenroy.
Contact details:
Phone/Fax: 9383 6190
Mobile: 0427 550 935
Email Cr John Kavanagh
Cr Enver Erdogan
What is your favourite pastime, hobby, sport or activity?
Playing soccer - I play for the Oak Park Soccer Club.
Do you have a compost or worm farm?
I don’t have one because I don’t have a garden but I would consider having a worm farm.
What drives you to stay active?
The fitness aspect of it. Being fit helps me to focus and keeps my mind sharp. I also love the social element to it, especially on game day on the weekend.
What are the big issues in your ward?
The Glenroy railway crossing is a big issue that affects residents and visitors alike. Generally though, over-development is a massive issue, cleanliness, the condition of our parks and gardens, sports grounds and footpaths.
What are some of the things you hope to achieve in the next 12 months?
I want to see progress on the proposed development of the Oak Park Aquatic Centre.
Contact details:
Mobile: 0412 266 245
Fax: 9240 1179
Email Cr Enver Erdogan
Cr Oscar Yildiz JP
What is your favourite pastime, hobby, sport or activity?
Playing and watching sport. I’m a big footy fan and love playing soccer with my mates during the week.
Do you have a compost or worm farm?
I try to compost as much as I can and utilise my backyard as efficiently as possible.
What drives you to stay active?
My wife and kids. I want to stay healthy and active so we can enjoy doing activities as a family for as long as possible.
What are the big issues in your ward?
Rubbish dumping, traffic management, access to facilities and vandalism.
What has been your most rewarding experience at Council?
I have been active in assisting charities, community groups; opening of Clifton Park; getting the green light for the Skate Park; NBN broadband and promoting Moreland’s own CALDCOM storyboards for newly arrived migrants.
What are some of the things you hope to achieve in the next 12 months?
Better use of Council funds for projects that engage the entire community. I want to see facilities in the north get the level of attention they deserve and I want better communication with our ever growing CALD community. I want us to expand our level of communication to residents and tap into the potential available through online functions.
Contact details:
Mobile: 0413 850 357
Fax: 8300 8668
Email Cr Oscar Yildiz JP
North-East Ward
Cr Toby Archer
What is your favourite pastime, hobby, sport or activity?
My favourite pastimes are reading, watching football, and spending time with friends and family. Sports wise, I like to spend my summers playing (more often wishing I was playing) cricket for the Reds Cricket Club. I average 100kms a week on my bike and jog whenever I can.
What drives you to stay active?
In the last 12 months I have recovered from a knee injury which I tried to ignore for several years. Now after avoiding getting professional advice for years I am finally able to exercise when I want, how I want, and for as long as I want.
It’s a great feeling and I don’t ever want to go back to just wishing I could go for a run or a long bike ride and not being able to. I also want to be able to keep up with my 2 year old daughter as she grows up.
What are the big issues in your ward?
Managing development to ensure higher densities, better quality development is concentrated in Central Coburg. We have a baby boom on our hands, so we need to improve the quality of our parks and invest in quality early years services.
What has been your most rewarding experience at Council?
At a high level, we have endorsed key strategies on strategic planning, transport, early years services and public health and well being which will benefit our community for the next decade if councillors properly resource these plans through the annual budget.
At a local level, council being able to facilitate the development of the Merri Corner Community Garden has been fantastic.
On a personal level, being able to work with talented and passionate advocates for change, including Council Officers and organisations like the Moreland Energy Foundation (MEFL) and Performing Arts Moreland.
What are some of the things you hope to achieve in the next 12 months?
Improved accountability and transparency for the Council and the organisation generally.
Contact details:
Mobile: 0466 004 652
Fax: 9240 1179
Email Cr Toby Archer
Cr Michael Teti
What is your favourite pastime, hobby, sport/activity?
I’ve always been an outdoors man and enjoy camping, riding motorbikes and shooting for sport.
Do you have a compost or worm farm?
No I don’t really get the chance to compost but I would consider it if I was to get into gardening.
What drives you to stay active?
As a Councillor I need to be in touch with a range of different people so being active and healthy
is a must. By enjoying outdoor sports I keep my mind and body active enough to tackle the issues of my community.
What are the big issues in your ward?
The people in my community work hard and at the same time expect essential things such as roads, footpaths, trees and community facilities to be up to scratch and meet their needs.
What has been your most rewarding experience at Council?
I will always remember the reaction we got from the community when we unveiled the Coburg outdoor gym. People were so happy and it made me proud to be able to provide such a simple yet rewarding facility to people.
What are some of the things you hope to achieve in the next 12 months?
I want to see the Fawkner Skate Park at CB Smith Reserve completed along with the new soccer complex and educational facility.
Contact details:
Mobile: 0435 105 368
Phone/Fax: 9387 5217
Email Cr Michael Teti
Cr Stella Kariofyllidis
What is your favourite pastime, hobby, sport or activity?
Walking my dog, gardening, watching movies, reading and a bit of Greek dancing.
Do you have a compost or worm farm?
No I don't really get the chance to compost but I would consider it if I was to get more time to do gardening.
What drives you to stay active?
It provides a way to keep in touch with people I love. If I wasn’t active I wouldn’t be socialising with friends and family, which I love doing.
What are the big issues in your ward?
My ward is large so different parts have different concerns. In the south there is the issue of over development and traffic management. In the north there is the issue of a lack of youth facilities and ageing infrastructure.
What has been your most rewarding experience at Council?
The handover of Edgar’s Creek Reserve to Council by the State Government. This was a long issue that touched a lot of people and we finally had a win during my time as Mayor.
What are some of the things you hope to achieve in the next 12 months?
I want to see the start of the upgraded CB Smith Reserve and the start of The Coburg Initiative. While this has started I want to see the construction begin.
Contact details:
Mobile: 0466 004 650
Phone/Fax: 9384 6243
Email Cr Stella Kariofyllidis
Cr Anthony Helou JP
What is your favourite pastime, hobby, sport or activity?
I have lived in this community for over 30 years and I truly enjoy helping others get on their feet and making Moreland their home.
Do you have a compost or worm farm?
No because my yard is too small but the idea has always attracted me and I congratulate all those who do have one.
What drives you to stay active?
There is an old Lebanese saying that if you want something done you ask a busy person. I am always busy in my work and helping my community.
What are the big issues in your ward?
I am thrilled that we were able to save Edgars Creek as a local park. Now my main concerns include protecting neighbourhoods from ever increasing through traffic and providing support to our many community and sports clubs.
What has been your most rewarding experience at Council?
Saving Edgars Creek is up there with many others.
What are some of the things you hope to achieve in the next 12 months?
I want to ensure that we get value for money for our hard earned rates.
Contact details
Phone: 9384 3147
Fax: 9384 1328
Mobile: 0419 515 593
Email Cr Anthony Helou JP
