Mayor Joins Minister’s Mayoral Advisory Panel

Published on 15 March 2024

Mayor Damien Gallagher.png

Murrindindi Shire Mayor Joins Minister’s Mayoral Advisory Panel for 2024

On Wednesday 13 March, Minister for Local Government Melissa Horne announced the Local Government Mayoral Advisory Panel for 2024, with 10 mayors from across Victoria, including Murrindindi Shire Mayor Damien Gallagher.

The Local Government Mayoral Advisory Panel (LGMAP) is appointed and chaired by the Minister for Local Government. The panel advises the Minister on a range of legislative, regulatory, strategic and policy decisions which impact the local government sector. Meetings of the LGMAP are usually scheduled between March and October to account for mayoral terms and to enable the Minister to select and appoint new members each year.

Comprising mayors from urban, regional and rural communities, the mayors will meet with the Minister for Local Government Melissa Horne four times this year. The first meeting is scheduled for 21 March.

The panel changes every year and is set up to offer the Minister advice on legislative, regulatory, strategic and policy issues that affect councils across Victoria.

This year’s panel is expected to focus its work on governance, representation and inclusion.

The members of the 2024 panel are:

  • Cr Clare Le Serve, Bass Coast Shire, representing Peri Urban Councils Victoria
  • Cr Fiona Stitfold, Bayside City Council, representing the Inner South Metropolitan Mayor’s Forum
  • Cr Naim Kurt, Hume City Council, representing Interface Councils
  • Cr Jenna Davey-Burns, Kingston City Council, representing the Association of Bayside Municipalities
  • Cr Cuc Lam PSM, Maribyrnong City Council
  • Cr Damien Gallagher, Murrindindi Shire
  • Cr Robert Vance, Pyrenees Shire, representing Rural Councils Victoria
  • Cr Shane Sali, Greater Shepparton City Council, representing Regional Cities Victoria
  • Cr Ian Bye, Wellington Shire, representing One GippslandCr Denise Massoud, Whitehorse City Council, representing the Eastern Region Group of Councils

Murrindindi Shire Council has proudly had mayoral representation on the LGMAP each Council term since the panel’s inception, bringing our rural perspectives and experiences to the table with the Minister for Local Government.

For more information on the LGMAP visit the Local Government Victoria website here.

Mayor Damien Gallagher said, 'Now more than ever, rural and regional Victoria needs to be at the heart of strategic and policy decisions made by the state government.

I’m looking forward to working with panel members to support the implementation of Minister Horne’s local government reforms and to seeing strong, effective, and respectful representation in Victorian Local Government. There are some amazing Victorians representing their communities, and it’s important that those contributions are celebrated.

With Local Government elections later this year, it would be great to see many more passionate, skilled, and informed candidates for Council.

It really is a privilege to represent the community of Murrindindi Shire in this important LGMAP forum.'

Tagged as:
Back to top