Thank you!!! I am very honoured and grateful to have been elected to represent and serve my community on the Hobsons Bay City Council for a 4th term. Thank you to the local community and especially my fellow residents of Altona, Altona Meadows, Altona North, Brooklyn and Seaholme for your amazing support. I was honestly…
Read moreTony Briffa Votes Against Council Rate Increase
As an Independent Councillor focused on representing the community and supporting them during this very challenging pandemic, I am disappointed the 2020-21 council budget provides a rate increase that, while not applied immediately, will be applied at a later date. I support the Capital Works Program 2020-21, but cannot support the rate rise. I do not support…
Read moreCouncil Rate Hike on Local Businesses Despite Pandemic
Despite the financial difficulties many businesses are experiencing due to the pandemic, the Hobsons Bay City Council is determined to push ahead with its planned rate increase. The proposed average rate increase across Hobsons Bay is 2%, but it is 3.89% for commercial properties (e.g. shops, cafes and other small businesses) and 8.78% for Industrial…
Read moreInternational Women’s Day
Happy International Women’s Day to all women; women of colour, lesbian women, intersex women, bisexual women, straight women, trans women, mothers, women that couldn’t have children for whatever reason, disabled women, indigenous women, women of all ages, and any other women. We have come a long way in recent years but there is so much…
Read moreHobsons Bay in-home support services
At the Hobsons Bay City Council Meeting scheduled for 7pm, Tuesday 19 February 2019, the council will consider an item closed to the public in relation to Community Care services in Hobsons Bay, and in particular, in-home support services. I have received many calls and emails about this in recent weeks, so in the interests…
Read moreTony Briffa writes chapter in LGBTI book
Tony Briffa: “The Hippocratic Oath, Western Medicine, and the Children of Hermes and Aphrodite” Tony Briffa has written on being intersex and Maltese Australian in the book Living and Loving in Diversity: An anthology of Australian multicultural queer adventures (chief editor Maria Pallotta-Chiarolli, Wakefield Press). The book was launched at the 2018 Australian GLBTIQ Multicultural Council conference,…
Read moreTony Briffa: My experience as the world’s first openly intersex Mayor
My experience as the world’s first openly intersex Mayor When I was 30, I appeared on a national TV program in Austalia, 60 Minutes, outing myself as an intersex person. I never imagined what the years ahead of me had in store. There was one thing that became obvious fairly quickly though; once “out” I…
Read moreSave Altona’s Kindergartens!
I support the retention and upgrade of the existing kindergartens in Altona and Seaholme. They are wonderful kindergartens that serve our community well and are much loved by many of us. Sadly, council has previously resolved to build an “Early Years Hub” in Altona and to make it viable they closed the Altona West Kindergarten…
Read moreMaking Council Accessible
As a Councillor, Deputy Mayor and Mayor, my main focus was to give the community a voice and to provide leadership to the council and community. I often spoke about integrity, values, openness and transparency, but rather than just speak about them, I made sure I walked the walk. As a Councillor it is important…
Read moreWorking Hard for our Community
As a Councillor I was very active in the local community to ensure I was able to represent and advocate for the community as well-informed as possible. The following is a list of some of my activities in a 11 month period on council (not including Council meetings, briefings, meetings with Council’s CEO and Directors,…
Read moreCouncil run childcare in Hobsons Bay (12 February 2014)
Last November the council made an unfortunate decision while I was overseas. It decided in a meeting closed to the public and without any community consultation to outsource the management of the two council-run childcare centres in Hobsons Bay (Altona Meadows and Altona North). Council management also failed to consult with staff. Incredibly, this motion…
Read moreLots of local events in Melbourne’s West this summer!
Lots of local events in Melbourne’s West this summer! Melbourne’s west is the place to be this summer, so no matter where you live be sure to come and enjoy the events the local councils are supporting! Movies by the Bay – Altona and Williamstown (every Friday in January 2014) Free Dog’s Breakfast (Saturday 4…
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