Focusing on community health and wellbeing

AT THE City of Greater Geelong, the health and wellbeing of our community is central to everything we do.

We acknowledged this commitment in 2021 by integrating our Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing plan into our four-year Council Plan.

This integration, a first for us, ensures our policies and investments are guided by a focus on community health and wellbeing.

We will again integrate these key strategies for the next four years, with work underway on our Council Plan 2025-29.

And your input is crucial to ensure the Council Plan reflects the values and aspirations of our community.

We need to hear from as many voices as possible, so please visit yoursay.geelongaustralia.com.au/CP202529 before Monday, 16 September, and fill out our Council Plan survey to share your thoughts.

The survey takes about 10 minutes to complete, and your feedback will help address critical challenges and seize opportunities to improve the quality of life for all residents.

For those who prefer to deliver their feedback in person, community engagement sessions are also planned across the Geelong region.

Four remaining sessions are planned across Greater Geelong for Saturday, 7 September:

Geelong West Town Hall forecourt, 153 Pakington Street, 2.30-3.30pm;

Frank Ellis Reserve Playground, 2-60 Flinders Parade, Barwon Heads, 9.00am-10.00am;

Boronggook Drysdale Library forecourt, 2-8 Wyndham Street, 10.30am-11.30am; and

Portarlington Rotunda, Newcombe Street, 12.30pm-1.30pm.

Attendees will be able to directly share their feedback with council officers to help ensure the next Council Plan accurately captures the community’s wishes and needs.

Voicing your opinions and sharing your experiences will influence decisions that will shape our region’s next four years.

Additionally, the City of Greater Geelong’s four-yearly Geelong Preventative Health Survey is currently underway until Friday, 6 September.

This important survey helps Council to better understand the health status of the Greater Geelong community.

As the Chair of the City of Greater Geelong’s Inclusion and Care portfolio, this is something I care deeply about.

Ten thousand households will be randomly selected to take part and responses are anonymous.

Selected households will receive an email invitation, a letter with reply-paid envelope or a phone call from independent researcher ASDF Research.

Participation is voluntary, but I strongly encourage everyone contacted to respond, especially those unfamiliar with health and wellbeing issues.

It is crucial that we hear from a diverse range of people across the Geelong region to ensure our planning considers your specific needs.

The information collected in the survey will help the Council plan infrastructure, initiatives, programs and advocacy to meet the community’s health and wellbeing needs.

The survey’s results will help us understand health trends in the municipality, including emerging concerns like vaping.

The phone number from which you may receive a call is 0489 926 599 – important to know, so you can be assured it is not a scam.

You can find out more about the survey on our website: www.geelongaustralia.com.au/gphs.

As always, if you have an issue you’d like to discuss, please get in touch. I can be reached at [email protected] or 0418 649 755.