2025 February Newsletter
Message from the CEO
Welcome to our first newsletter of 2025.
As SECCCA enters its 21st year of operations, we remain dedicated to delivering critical evidence-based projects and initiatives to accelerate our regions transition to Net Zero, to reduce emissions and the costly impacts of climate change.
Extreme weather and climate-related events continue to fill media headlines including the devastating fires in the Grampians and Los Angeles and locally, unprecedented heatwaves and storm activity. With 2024 declared the hottest year in recorded history, understanding the risks and vulnerabilities our communities face is vital to offset the rising cost of adequately protecting ourselves and our assets.
In 2025, SECCCA will prioritise activity focused on reducing risk and building resilience within our councils, including the Financing Flood Resilient Infrastructure (FFRI) project with $4.2M from the Disaster Ready Fund. We will work with case study councils the City of Casey, Mornington Peninsula Shire and the City of Port Phillip, to attract investment for critical infrastructure and better manage the short and long-term risks associated with increasing flood-related events.
SECCCA provides a mechanism to develop a regional response and by working together as an alliance, we can leverage our collective knowledge and resources and benefit from economies of scale, reducing the financial burden on each council in developing climate adaptation solutions.
SECCCA is committed to working with our members to develop innovative and best practice solutions to mitigate climate impact and ensure a prosperous and safe future for southeast Melbourne as we transition to Net Zero. Should you wish to learn more, I invite you to reach out to me or a member of our team.
Helen Steel
SECCCA Priorities in Action
Convene
SECCCA brings councils together to share knowledge, resources, and strategies. In 2025, we’ll convene key stakeholders through workshops and forums focused on risk, resilience, and best practice to achieving Net Zero.
Champion
Effective communication is critical. SECCCA is dedicated to elevating the voice of our members and delivering evidence-based messages to critical leaders and bodies to advocate for our common agenda. This includes targeted campaigns and advocacy delegations on Net Zero and risk mitigation.
Catalyse
SECCCA is continuing to partner with councils, peak bodies, and industry to implement innovative projects such as the Asset Vulnerability Assessment Phase 2 Support and Financing Flood Resilient Infrastructure (FFRI) which will both provide a scaled benefit to members and drive collective progress towards Net Zero.
Focus Project
Financing Flood Resilient Infrastructure
Due to commence soon, the FFRI project will be instrumental in identifying the financing mechanisms required to upgrade critical infrastructure that are at significant risk to climate change impacts.
Key project outcomes include:
Risk mapping: Identification of critical infrastructure at heightened risk from extreme flood-related events.
Community benefits: Evaluation of proposed adaptation options showing significant reduction in climate risk, improving local liveability and equity.
Cost-benefit analysis: Recommendations for innovative funding models for investment in local infrastructure upgrades that provide long-term savings.
The FFRI project aligns closely with our Net Zero goals by highlighting opportunities to reduce emissions through sustainable infrastructure practices.
Project Spotlight
Sustainable Procurement Project
One of SECCCA’s initiatives for 2025 is the Sustainable Procurement Project. Through this project, SECCCA members will be provided with the advice and support to embed sustainability-related considerations into their procurement practices and policies with confidence.
This project will:
Develop a best-practice policy guidance and recommendations for sustainable procurement policies, including model RFQ / tender questions and evaluation templates.
Provide training and resources including a communication tool/template to how to best embed the guidelines.
Local governments have an opportunity to reduce their impact through sustainable purchasing, but more significantly, to encourage the private sector supply of more sustainable goods through their combined purchasing power, to meet community expectations and to demonstrate good practice. More updates will be shared as the project progresses.