In the lead-up to the local Council elections in 2024, Malvern Theatre Company contacted all candidates concerning their support for the Arts, as part of our Advocacy strategy. Below are the collated replies that we received by the date we stipulated, in answer to the correspondence below.

Please note that Malvern was not endorsing candidates by sharing this information, which is supplied without bias. Further information about candidates can be found here: https://www.vec.vic.gov.au/voting/2024-local-council-elections/stonnington-city-council/nominations

9 November 2024 UPDATE: We congratulate the candidates who have been elected to the City of Stonnington Council, as noted below.

COMO WARD

GREVILLE WARD

HEDGELEY DENE WARD

SOUTH YARRA WARD

TOORAK WARD

WATTLETREE WARD

 

TEXT OF EMAIL SENT TO ALL CANDIDATES:

Dear xx,
We understand that you are standing for the imminent Council elections in Stonnington. I am writing on behalf of Malvern Theatre Company to ascertain your stance on supporting the Arts in Stonnington, and Malvern Theatre Company. As background information, our not-for-profit theatre company is 67 years old, and for the last 54 years has operated from what is now the Malvern Community Arts Centre https://www.stonnington.vic.gov.au/Community/Venue-hire/Malvern-Community-Arts-Centre at 29 Burke Rd, where we have been renting one part of the complex from the City of Stonnington. We have invested heavily in outfitting and developing the technical capacity of the venue over the decades and have developed a comfortable, and well-equipped theatre that has a reputation as one of the best community theatre groups in Victoria, through our high-quality productions and welcoming atmosphere. We are the only resident (not-for-profit) community theatre group in the City of Stonnington.

The Company’s Purposes https://malverntheatre.com.au/about/governance align strongly with the City of Stonnington’s Arts and Culture Strategy 2023-26, which includes the statement: “We know that strong creative enterprises give rise to liveable cities of wellbeing, innovation, connection and economic growth; that’s why we are firmly committed to the success and development of arts and culture in our city.”

The Company currently enjoys a positive and productive relationship with City of Stonnington Council officers, including working together to make improvements to the Malvern Community Arts Centre, and promotion of the Company’s activities. However, we face several challenges regarding this relationship:
• Tenure of lease – we are hoping soon to negotiate at least a 10-year lease, to give us more certainty of tenure (currently only five years)
• Affordability of the premises – our current lease includes a 3% annual increase; a large jump in rent and/or the annual increase rate would restrict our operations, or result in a steep increase in ticket prices, and potentially loss of patronage
• Inconsistent investment by Council in the Malvern Community Arts Centre
• More complex Council regulation of the premises, and associated accountability.

We are contacting all candidates for the City of Stonnington Council election and intend publishing their answers to the following questions on our website, as well as via FaceBook and a dedicated e-newsletter to our subscribers in early October once we have compiled all the answers received by then. We would appreciate some specific information from you AT THE LATEST BY FRIDAY 27 SEPTEMBER, directly answering these questions in a total of no more than 500 words:

1. If elected to the City of Stonnington Council, how will you support the Arts in Stonnington?
2. If elected to the City of Stonnington Council, how will you engage with, and support the Malvern Theatre Company? What role do you envisage for the Company in the future, as an important community group in Stonnington with a long-standing involvement with Council? We ask you, in particular, to address the four dot points above, where we have listed out current challenges.

Kind regards,
Andrew Ferguson (Malvern Theatre Company President)

 

COMO WARD (1 vacancy)

Spencer Millear – UNSUCCESSFUL

I am standing for the Como Ward in the upcoming Council Election and i am a supporter of the Arts. My Primary Message in this election campaign is that I place good governance and responsible financial management as being most important as a Council Issue. I am of the opinion that it is an area that local, state and federal politicians need to raise their standards on.

My stance is that Council should be a strong supporter of the Arts and Malvern Theatre so far as extending the terms of the lease and offering any support it could reasonably give.

I am of the view that Council has a responsibility to do good in community and cultural areas where the community cannot do it all themselves and that the Arts and Theatre is more important than some of the populist issues that Council should not be involved in. Personally speaking , my family and i are movie goers and my Personal and Political Mentor enjoys the film festivals to the point of being uncontactable.

I would welcome the opportunity to meet you in person in the near future.

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GREVILLE WARD (1 vacancy)

Mike Scott – UNSUCCESSFUL

Thank you for the email and request for support. As a current councillor, I hope that my recent decision making history provides you with the information you need to demonstrate my support.

I believe in a thriving arts and cultural community and will always support local contributors that enhance diverse cultural endeavours, especially those that include performance.

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HEDGELEY DENE WARD (1 vacancy)

Josh Fast – UNSUCCESSFUL

Thank you for reaching out and for the detailed background on the Malvern Theatre Company and its contributions to the Stonnington community. I am very much in favour of supporting local arts initiatives like yours and believe that organisations such as the Malvern Theatre Company are essential to creating a connected and thriving community. I understand the challenges you have outlined regarding lease tenure, affordability, and regulatory complexities.

In order to provide a comprehensive response to your specific questions, I would need to gain a deeper understanding of the situation, including any previous Council decisions and the current state of negotiations regarding your lease and the Centre’s investment plans. I am committed to ensuring that community organisations such as yours are adequately supported, and I would be happy to discuss this further, either in person or via phone, to better understand your needs and how I might be able to advocate for them effectively.

Thank you once again for reaching out. Should I be successful, I look forward to working together to ensure the arts and community groups in Stonnington are supported.

Sally Davis – SUCCESSFUL

In a general response to your questions, I wish to state from the outset that I am aware of the Malvern Theatre Company and have liaised with members in the past. I know how important this theatre group is to the local community.

1. If elected to the City of Stonnington Council, how will you support the Arts in Stonnington?

Supporting the Arts in the municipality is, in my view, essential for community general wellbeing and as a previous councillor (1999-2004, 2016-2020), mayor (2002-2003), I have always supported the council’s arts and culture programs. If elected, I will be pursuing more background from council on what arts programs are effective – and information on other ways to make programs more accessible for people in the community.

2. If elected to the City of Stonnington Council, how will you engage with, and support the Malvern Theatre Company? What role do you envisage for the Company in the future, as an important community group in Stonnington with a long-standing involvement with Council? 

If elected, I will arrange for a briefing from council on the issues you have raised. I will then contact the MTC president to invite further discussions. It is not feasible for me to envisage the MTC’s future role at this stage: that can only be done following discussions with the board and members – and the council officers overseeing the arts and culture programs.

I am not yet in a position to make an informed or constructive comment on this question about the ‘role of the MTC in the future.’ (sic)

But as I said earlier, I believe arts and culture has an essential role to play in community health and wellbeing.

3. We ask you, in particular, to address the four dot points above, where we have listed out current challenges.

• Tenure of lease – we are hoping soon to negotiate at least a 10-year lease, to give us more certainty of tenure (currently only five years) Noted. I would engage in discussions with the CEO about this proposal.
• Affordability of the premises – our current lease includes a 3% annual increase; a large jump in rent and/or the annual increase rate would restrict our operations, or result in a steep increase in ticket prices, and potentially loss of patronage Noted. I cannot make any commitment until I am better briefed on the subject.
• Inconsistent investment by Council in the Malvern Community Arts CentreNoted. Again I cannot comment until I have further information about the ‘inconsistent investment.’ I do not know what this refers to.
• More complex Council regulation of the premises, and associated accountability. Noted. I am unaware of the definition of ‘more complex regulation.’ 

I trust this provides an overview of my response to your questions.

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SOUTH YARRA WARD (1 vacancy) 

Kate Hely – SUCCESSFUL

Thank you for your questions regarding the upcoming City of Stonnington Council election.

While I understand your desire for specific commitments, as a candidate, I must be careful about any promises made during this period. My primary responsibility remains to ensure a fair and informed vote on any related issues that might come before the council.

However, I want to express my support for the arts in Stonnington. I see the arts as a vital part of creating a vibrant and thriving community, and I’m committed to continuing to advocate for:

• Grants: Continued support for the Arts and Culture grants provide a valuable mechanism for diverse artistic endeavours within the community. I know that LTC has received arts and Culture grants while I have been on council.
• Local Focus: I prioritize projects and artists with strong local connections. This approach fosters community identity and engagement. For example, I have voted against acquiring a piece of art from a Kiwi artist with no connection to Stonningotn or Victoria (even though I am also a Kiwi!) because I think we should invest in local talent when we can.
• Community Partnerships: Encouraging collaboration between the Council and artistic organizations like the Malvern Theatre Company can lead to innovative and enriching projects. I don’t know what the end result will be with the questions you have posed, but I do know that working collaboratively generates better outcomes!

If I am re-elected, I am eager to learn more about the Malvern Theatre Company’s vision and challenges. I have attended your performances in the past, and I hope to see them again.

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TOORAK WARD (1 vacancy)

Marcia Griffin – UNSUCCESSFUL

I am very supportive of the Malvern theatre group as you will see from the 2024 ‘Out of Rounds’ Arts and Culture grants, where I argued strongly for the Malvern to be re-considered for funding. I understand the value of your group to the community and will continue to advocate for it.

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WATTLETREE WARD (1 vacancy)

Kerrie Nasser – UNSUCCESSFUL

I’m a strong supporter of the Arts, as I believe they play a vital role in fostering community connections in places like Stonnington. Regarding your lease, while I wouldn’t support a significant rent increase, I consider a modest annual 3% increase to be fair. I would also support a lease renewal option of 5 years, with an additional 5-year option afterward.

However, I’d like to hear more about the specifics of your lease arrangement to provide a more detailed response. Ideally, if your organisation is in a position to eventually purchase the property, I would be fully supportive of that path as well.

Nicki Batagol – UNSUCCESSFUL

1. If elected to the City of Stonnington Council, how will you support the Arts in Stonnington?

I am an active supporter of the Arts and regularly attend the theatre, dance, live music and more. As a Councillor since 2020 I have supported local Arts organisations including the Malvern Theatre Company, and have enjoyed attending a range of shows. I endorsed the Arts and Culture Strategy 2023-26 and would ensure that the new strategy which is developed by the new Council values the importance of the Arts in our community. I will also continue to support the annual Arts and Grants Program which last year awarded $400,000 to 31 organisations across 5 categories (including the Malvern Theatre Company). Arts are an important part of our community and bring so much joy and social connection to so many, particularly through our local community based organisations.

2. If elected to the City of Stonnington Council, how will you engage with, and support the Malvern Theatre Company? What role do you envisage for the Company in the future, as an important community group in Stonnington with a long-standing involvement with Council? We ask you, in particular, to address the four dot points above, where we have listed out current challenges.
I would continue to work with the MTC and other Arts and community organisations across Stonnington to understand your specific challenges and find a path forward. I was unaware of the current challenges being faced by the MTC as these have not come to my attention as a Councillor, but as with all Council decisions, I would need to be fully informed before making any decisions. However based on what I know so far, I see no reason why a longer lease could not be considered in order to secure tenure. I would need more information on the rent and affordability, however I do know that Stonnington offers significant rent reductions for community services so there might be an opportunity here. In terms of investment, Council is currently undertaking a long overdue Asset Register and maintenance schedule across all facilities to make sure that all assets are adequately maintained. This will ensure that investment is proactively made in existing facilities and is not inconsistent as has been experienced previously. Finally in terms of Council regulation, I would need to understand what is optional versus mandatory from a compliance and regulation point of view. If there is complex regulation for no reason, then this of course should be reconsidered, however if it is mandatory, there may be no option available.

 

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