VLGA Connect
Episodes
493 episodes
24-26 VLGA Connect - Friday 17 July 2026
This week on VLGA Connect Chris Eddy is joined by Tony Raunic from Hunt and Hunt Lawyers to unpack one of the biggest stories unfolding in local government - the governance crisis at Hepburn Shire Council. Chris is also joined by Kr...
23-26 VLGA Connect - Thursday 9 July 2026
This week on VLGA Connect Chris Eddy speaks with Hume City Council Mayor Cr Carly Moore about the cost to the community of illegal dumping and how council is tackling the issue.Tony Raunic from Hunt and Hunt Lawyers is also back this wee...
22-26 VLGA Connect - Friday 3 July 2026
This week on VLGA Connect Chris Eddy speaks with the Rural City of Wangaratta Mayor, Cr Irene Grant, about council's push to improve the condition of rural and regional roads. Cr Grant shares what the latest safety data is telling us, which roa...
21-26 VLGA Connect - Friday 26 June 2026
This week on VLGA Connect Chris Eddy speaks with Loddon Shire Mayor, Cr Dan Straub about his council's advocacy priorities ahead of the state election. Cr Straub shares his thoughts on the Murray Darling Basin Plan review process and the impact...
20-26 VLGA Connect - Friday 19 June 2026
This week on VLGA Connect, Chris Eddy interviews Golden Plains Mayor Owen Sharkey to discuss how his municipality is dealing with growing pains and gearing up to make sure its voice is heard in the run down to this year’s state election....
19-26 - VLGA Connect - Friday 12 June 2026
This week on VLGA Connect, Chris Eddy interviews Frankston City Council CEO Tennille Bradley on her first 6 months in the role, council's priorities and taking part in the Vinnies CEO Sleepout to raise awareness of homelessness and advocate for...
18-26 - VLGA Connect - Friday 5 June 2026
This week on VLGA Connect, Cr Lawrie Cox, Mayor of Whittlesea City Council chats with Chris Eddy about the council’s stand on road conditions in the region and its call for the state government to step up and do more to manage its assets.
17-26 - VLGA Connect - Friday 29 May 2026
This week on VLGA Connect, host Chris Eddy speaks with the mayor of Glen Eira City Council, Cr Simone Zmood, about the council’s successful application for a rate cap variation, the reasons behind the request and how they consulted with the com...
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...