Leaders to lay out their visions for Melbourne’s future
Premier Ben Carroll and Opposition Leader Jess Wilson will lay out their visions for Melbourne’s future at a major public forum held on the eve of a consequential and unpredictable state election.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Melbourne Lord Mayor Nick Reece will also be headline speakers at The Age’s Melbourne Assembly, to be held in October.
The three-day forum, hosted in partnership with the University of Melbourne, will bring together some of the city’s brightest minds to discuss ideas for Melbourne’s future, along with international speakers, former New York mayor Bill de Blasio and global planning pioneer Carlos Moreno.
Carroll and Wilson will deliver speeches and then face questions from The Age’s state political editor Chip Le Grand at the forum on October 21.
“On the eve of a state election, Melburnians will be eager to hear competing visions for the future from the people vying to lead Victoria through the next four years,” The Age’s editor Patrick Elligett said.
Albanese, whose Labor government will be paying close attention to the result of the state election, will deliver an address at the event – to be held at The Edge in Federation Square – on October 20.
He will speak to his agenda of boosting funding for schools, hospitals and critical infrastructure, as both Labor and the Coalition face rising voter resentment in the outer suburbs and the growing electoral threat posed by Pauline Hanson’s One Nation.
“Victoria is a great state with a bright future – but we know that the chaos of a Liberal-One Nation Coalition, would be disastrous for Victoria,” Albanese told this masthead.
“Only the Carroll Labor Government will fight for working people, and deliver the future Victorians deserve.”
Housing Melbourne’s growing population and maintaining the city’s liveability will be front of mind for Reece, who will also speak on October 20 between panels and keynote addresses on two of Melbourne Assembly’s four key pillars: shaping the city, and innovation and education. The other two, the focus of the forum on October 21, are healthy places and people, and sport and the arts.
“I believe Melbourne is a city where people look out for each other and think about each other,” Reece said.
“It’s not just about the economic metrics and measures, it’s about who we are.”
Reece will also do a Q&A session with The Age’s city editor Cara Waters to discuss the challenges posed by Melbourne’s growth as it speeds towards a population of 10 million people.
Have your say on what you want to hear from politicians to inform what’s discussed during our civic forum below.
Melbourne Assembly will be held from October 19 to October 21. More information is available on the Melbourne Assembly website.
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