Consider joining an Advisory Committee 2025

December 2025 - Council resolution

That Council:
1. Alter point 2 of Council’s resolution passed on 17 November 2025 for item 11.7 Advisory Committees Expression of Interest – Community Members (R-244-2025) which states: “2. Conduct a second EOI process for the Sustainability Advisory Committee and Bushland & Natural Heritage Advisory Committee”, so the actions in points 2 and 3 of this motion below are undertaken instead.

 2. In relation to the Bushland and Natural Heritage Advisory Committee appoint the community members as listed in Confidential Attachment 1 to Item 11.7 in the November business papers, with the names to be identified in the resolution. 

3. In relation to the Sustainability Advisory Committee appoint the community members as listed in Confidential Attachment 1 to Item 11.7 in the November business papers, with the names to be identified in the resolution. 

Bushland and Natural Heritage Advisory Committee
Kay Donovan
Margaret Hutchinson
Edward Coats
Mark Crew
Christina Hoffman
Michel Walker
Jason Seale
Matthew Keighery
Ross Wellings
Vicki Craig
Lorraine Cairnes

Sustainability Advisory Committee
Lisa Selbie
Vanessa Rendall
Ana Melo
Janet France
Garth Newtown
Sharon Williams OMA
Peter Hayes
Eva Coulam
Audrey Thomas
Gay Spies

Read the report to Council and the minutes using this link

October 2025 - Update on Expressions of Interest process

On the 28 April 2025, Council adopted four Advisory Committees. Council ran the first EOI process in July/August 2025 and this is currently being finalised for the following committees:

• Active and Integrated Transport Advisory Committee
• Bushland and Natural Heritage Advisory Committee
• Sustainability Advisory Committee

Council ran an additional expression of Interest period for the following committee from 23 October 2025 - 5 November 2025 

• Access & Inclusion Advisory Committee only.

November 2025 - Update on Council decision

At its meeting on Monday 17 November Council considered a report to Council to appoint the new members. Read the report here

Council resolution:

1. Appoint the community members to the Access and Inclusion Advisory Committee and the Active and Integrated Transport Advisory Committee as listed in Confidential Attachment 1, with the names be identified in the resolution;

Access & Inclusion
Wendy Norton
Audrey Thomas
Taylor Bellomo
Ella Gillis
Darwin Yan
John Mills

Transport
Vincent Saxon
Mary Ann Irvin
John Chase
Carolyn New
Heidi Key
Oliver Watt
Charles Shale
Rowan Brown 

2. Conduct a second EOI process for the Sustainability Advisory Committee and Bushland & Natural Heritage Advisory Committee

3. Write to all the applicants and advise them of the outcome of the Expression of Interest process and outline the next steps for the process and to thank them for their interest and applications.  

Next steps

We'll conduct a second EOI process in 2026 for the Sustainability Advisory Committee and Bushland & Natural Heritage Advisory Committee 

Background

Advisory Committees are made up of community members and are established to contribute a community voice and perspective to the development of strategic initiatives. By sharing their local knowledge, lived experience and expertise, they add value to complement the knowledge and expertise of staff, consultants and Councillors. They are part of Council’s Community Engagement Framework and assist in local decision-making processes by providing information, input and advice on Council's key strategic priorities.

What will the Advisory Committees do?

The scope of each Advisory Committee is outlined in its Terms of Reference (find them on the right hand side of this page). The Terms of Reference outline the purpose of each committee, how they align with Council’s strategic objectives, subjects considered in scope and out of scope for consideration, key deliverable objectives and other governance arrangements.
Advisory Committees are established for the term of each council. The previous Committees were disbanded from 16 August 2024.