News from AILA Victoria Chapter 18 November 2022
Dear Members
I’m excited to have participated in the AILA festival recently. The importance of recognising and responding to the roles and contribution of Australia’s Traditional Owners seems to be gaining some real traction across our profession – and leading the way for other professions in Australia. What a wonderful focus for this year’s Festival! I’m also excited to be spending time with colleagues from around the country, celebrating the national awards, and finding some reprieve from Melbourne’s hay fever season.
We are fast approaching Victoria’s State Election, and I encourage all landscape architects to review the newly-released Election Manifesto. Echoing Lisa Howard’s comments earlier this month, I encourage you to speak, quiz or email your local candidates about issues that are important to you – whether climate change, safe and inviting public space, welcoming refugees to our State, gender equity, public transport or combating hay fever.
I also want to encourage members to share some of their expertise and experience in contributing beyond our ‘everyday’ jobs. Volunteering has taken a big hit during Covid – which really impacts on an effective and functioning community. Landscape architects (being the great thinkers and planners that we are) and ideally suited to taking on roles that enriches our communities – whether through participating on an AILA committee, joining a local footy or cricket club committee, or assisting a local planting group select hay-fever ‘friendly’ trees.
I look forward to catching up with everyone next month with the end of year festivities just around the corner. Join the Executive, Board members and our state peers at the End of Year Party scheduled for Thursday 1 December. This event will be great opportunity to also acknowledge Vic’s 2022 RLAs and to congratulate the recently endorsed Vic Fellowships:
Anne-Marie Pisani
Catherine Rush
Emma Appleton
Jocelyn Chiew
Mary Papaioannou
Andrew Partos , AILA Vic Executive