New-look residents’ committee

By Sean Car

The Southbank Residents’ Association (SRA) has filled every available spot on its committee for the coming year following its annual general meeting, which was held virtually on September 1.

Current president Tony Penna and committee member Dan O’Keeffe are the only two existing names to remain on the committee, with 10 fresh faces making up the full committee of 12 including: 

Ray Easterbrook

David Hamilton

Richard Hunt

May Kay Rauma

Trisha Avery

Jannine Pattison

Lavisa Kapoor

Asad Khan

Khalida de Ridder

Suwito Linoh

Mr Penna said executive positions would be determined at the first meeting of the new committee on Wednesday, September 8, shortly after Southbank News published its September edition.

He said he was very pleased by the level of interest shown by residents in their community and that there were a number of key issues during the past year which had attracted many of the new faces.

“The main thing people were engaged in was the truck accident [on Power St]. That in conjunction with our forum, which we really pushed out. COVID has probably made people more aware of what’s happening in their neighbourhood,” he said. “Southbank Boulevard delays are another one.”

The new committee features a number of locals well known within the local community, including Dr David Hamilton, who has been a prominent voice on the council’s delays on Southbank Boulevard, as well as Montague Community Alliance convener Trisha Avery.

The virtual AGM on September 1, which more than 80 people attended, featured a presentation from the Melbourne Arts Precinct Team (MAPT), which provided an update on the state government’s $1.5 billion upgrades to the precinct.

Made up of staff from Development Victoria and Creative Victoria, the presentation with SRA kickstarted the government’s stakeholder engagement process for its plans to transform the Arts Precinct, including the construction of the new NGV Contemporary.

For more information visit development.vic.gov.au/projects/melbourne-arts-precinct

For more information on SRA, read president Tony Penna’s column on page 18 of this edition or visit its website below •

For more information: southbankresidents.org.au