VLGA Connect
Episodes
485 episodes
16-26 - VLGA Connect - Friday 22 May 2026
This week, Mayor of Latrobe City Council, Cr Sharon Gibson joins Chris Eddy to discuss the unique challenge facing the Gippsland region due to the impacts of the closure of the power station and how the region is advocating for support to adapt...
15-26 - VLGA Connect - Friday 15 May 2026
This week on VLGA Connect, Chris Eddy is joined by two mayors to break down both sides of the glass bin debate. Mayor of Merri-bek City Council, an early adoptor of the four-bin system, Cr Nat Abboud and Mayor of Manningham City Council, part o...
14-26 - VLGA Connect - Friday 8 May 2026
With the release of the state budget this week, Chris Eddy speaks to Mayor Stefan Koomen from the City of Casey to hear the views of the Outer Melbourne Councils on the pros and cons from the budget for this rapidly growing area.Mayor o...
13-26 - VLGA Connect - Friday 1 May 2026
This week on VLGA Connect, Chris Eddy chats with Evan King, CEO of the City of Ballarat to talk about how the ongoing fuel crisis is having a financial impact on council as well as the implications of a recent ruling on contracts from the Fair ...
12-26 - VLGA Connect - Friday 24 April 2026
With a state election just around the corner, Regional Cities Victoria has made a $3B pitch as part of its advocacy campaign to secure the future of regional Victoria. Chair of RCV and Mayor of Warrnambool City Council Ben Blain joins Chris Edd...
11-26 - VLGA Connect - Friday 17 April 2026
This week on VLGA Connect, James Collins, CEO from Cardinia Shire Council reflects on his first six months in the role and talks with Chris Eddy about how things are travelling in a rapidly changing municipality with some big interface and grow...
10-26 - VLGA Connect - Friday 10 April 2026
This week on VLGA Connect, mayor of Kingston City Council, Georgina Oxley joins Chris Eddy to talk about why Kingston is expanding its presence in aged care service delivery while many other councils are going in the other direction.The...
09-26 - VLGA Connect - Friday 3 April 2026
This week on VLGA Connect, host Chris Eddy is joined by Hayden Raysmith, Liana Thompson and Dr Josh Fergeus to reflect on 30 years since the return of elected representatives following the council amalgamations that led to the creation of the V...
08-26 - VLGA Connect - The VLGA Victorian Councillor Census Launch - Special Edition
Join us for a special episode of VLGA Connect this week as we unpack the results of the latest VLGA Victorian Councillor Census. Chris Eddy is joined by VLGA President Dr Josh Fergeus; John Armitage from Qdos Research, and Dawn Bra...
07-26 - VLGA Connect - Friday 20 March 2026
Discussing a report tabled to Parliament this week, Victorian Ombudsman Marlo Baragwanath returns to chat to Chris Eddy and unpack the outsourcing by councils of "under-excess" small claims.Hunt & Hunt Lawyers Managing Principal Ton...
06-26 - VLGA Connect - Friday 13 March 2026
This week on VLGA Connect, Murrundindi Shire Council Mayor Damien Gallagher gives an update on the recovery efforts following the January bushfires which affected a large area of the region.Northern Grampians Shire Council CEO Brent McA...
05-26 - VLGA Connect - FastTrack 2026 Special Edition
Join us at the RACV City Club for FastTrack 2026: Incivility - A threat to local democracy for this special episode of VLGA Connect. Hear from panellists Dr Josh Fergeus, Virginia Haussegger, Anne Wickham, Steve Huff and Liz Gillie...
04-26 VLGA Connect - Friday 27 February 2026
This week on VLGA Connect, Marlo Baragwanath, the Victorian Ombudsman, sits down with Chris Eddy to discuss a joint paper, prepared with the IBAC Commissioner and the Auditor-General, titled 'Advancing budget transparency for Victoria’s core in...
03-26 VLGA Connect - Friday 20 February 2026
This week on VLGA Connect, Chris Eddy is joined by Warren Davies, the Unbreakable Farmer. Warren is a farmer, a writer and keynote speaker, and a podcaster, shining a light on capacity building, resilience and recovery in the face of increasing...
02-26 VLGA Connect - Friday 13 February 2026
This week on VLGA Connect, Chris Eddy interviews the Victorian Information Commissioner, Sean Morrison, about the risks and pitfalls of using generative AI from a privacy principles perspective - a relevant conversation for every councillor in ...
01-26 VLGA Connect - Friday 6 February 2026
VLGA Connect is back for 2026! VLGA President Dr Josh Fergeus and CEO Kathryn Arndt join host Chris Eddy to give a sneak peek into the VLGA’s premier leadership conference - FastTrack - focusing on the topic of Incivility.T...
VLGA Connect - Friday 19 December 2025
For the final episode of the year, Tony Raunic, Managing Principal of Hunt & Hunt Lawyers and VLGA CEO Kathryn Arndt join Chris Eddy to wrap up what has been an action packed first year of the council term. The team looks at the major issue...
VLGA Connect - Friday 12 December 2025
This week on VLGA Connect, Chris Eddy speaks to Kerryn Ellis and Dan Nicholson from the Victorian Ombudsman about a recently released report into flood risk decisions relating to two housing estates, with broader implications for councils.<...
VLGA Connect - Friday 5 December 2025
This week on VLGA Connect, Chris Eddy sits down with Cr Kylie Spears - the inaugural winner of the Mary Rogers Award for women in local government.Our Meet the Board series continues, with a conversation with Cr Jane Karslake from Glen E...
VLGA Connect - Friday 28 November 2025
This week on VLGA Connect, Maribyrnong Council CEO Celia Haddock joins Chris Eddy to talk about new local laws requiring authorised officers to be trained in the city's homelessness protocol; her challenge to property owners about landbanking i...
VLGA Connect - Friday 21 November 2025
This week on VLGA Connect, Chris Eddy is joined by the CEO of the Independent Broad Based Anti-Corruption Commission (IBAC) Alison Byrne to discuss the latest perceptions of corruption report and findings released by the agency. To...
VLGA Connect - Friday 14 November 2025
On VLGA Connect this week, Chris Eddy meets the mayor of Corangamite Shire, Cr Kate Makin, to talk about a number of local and regional challenges council is actively advocating on including the condition of regional roads, some initiatives in ...
VLGA Connect - Friday 7 November 2025
Chris Eddy and Julie Reid unpack the biggest planning reforms in decades have been introduced to the Victorian Parliament and explain what they mean for councils.Plus, we put the spotlight on one of the country’s fastest growing areas -...
VLGA Connect - Friday 31 October 2025
This week, Tony Raunic from Hunt & Hunt Lawyers and Chris Eddy discuss some breaking news from the sector this week, including a proposal to introduce term limits for councillors, new Aged Care Act responsibilities for councillors, and as m...
VLGA Connect - Friday 24 October 2025
This week on VLGA Connect, Chris Eddy sits down with VEC Commissioner Sven Bluemmel to talk through the official report on the conduct of last year’s Victorian council elections, and the recommendations for future elections.Chris then s...