Max Hatzoglou
New Brimbank chief executive Fiona Blair says she is enjoying getting to know the community and issues it faces.
Since starting the role in January, Ms Blair has been visiting different parts of Brimbank.
She said her main focus was ensuring the community recovers well from COVID-19.
“How we respond and recover from the pandemic is going to be really important,” Ms Blair said.
“We need to keep looking at ways of being as efficient and effective as possible with the resources we have.”
She said advocacy and community engagement was a priority so the city could strive and grow in the best possible way.
“It is always really important that the community have the opportunity to be heard regarding projects that directly impact them,” she said.
The former Department of Transport executive director for transport planning said working with council will be an important part of her role.
“My role is to work with the council to implement council plan actions and that’s a first and front of mind priority and these are obviously the plans that have been developed with consultation with the community and that’s the roadmap,” she said.
“We are already looking to see how we can be delivering the services in the most effective, efficient and responsive way and being able to provide services that the community needs now.”
Ms Blair said she believes the Sunshine Transport superhub will be good for Brimbank if the right outcome is achieved.
“I think a key opportunity for Brimbank is working with the state government around the opportunities in Sunshine and Sunshine as the superhub, and ensuring that we get a precinct outcome there and not just a transport outcome,” she said.
“It’s something that is really important and the council is currently really advocating strongly to the state government to try and make sure we have some dollars come Sunshine’s way to ensure that we can do that.
“So some of those large projects are really important and something I am working on.
Ms Blair also said elements from the pandemic will be some other key issues to address.
“The recovery from covid, unemployment, health and wellbeing, mental health are all important issues for Brimbank.
