The Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) has today launched its 2026 State Election Campaign with a clear message to MPs and candidates: ‘The future is local. The time is now’.
The Association says Victorian communities are facing rapid and complex change, and Councils are on the frontline of both responding now and preparing for the future.
They are first responders in times of crisis; and they are long-term partners in community recovery, resilience, and innovation, said MAV President and Macedon Ranges Shire Councillor, Jennifer Anderson.
“Communities are feeling the pressure of climate impacts, rising costs, digital disruption and demographic shifts. And when these pressures intensify, people turn to their local council,” said President Anderson.
“Local government is the first tier of government where democracy meets daily life – where trust and resilience is built through services, spaces, and connections that sustain over seven million Victorians.
“We’re the level of government people experience every day, through sport and recreation facilities, footpaths, libraries, maternal and child health services, waste collection, open spaces, planning and building, and community programs.
“The future is local. The time is now,” she said.
All 79 Victorian councils have come together to identify the five statewide priorities they say matter most to communities:
- Growing Futures: Connected Housing
- Local Futures: Safe and Cohesive Communities
- Productive Futures: Safer Roads and Local Transport Connections
- Regenerative Futures: Community Legacy Benefit Sharing
- Transformative Futures: Securing the Future of Local Government
These priorities form a blueprint for a stronger, fairer and more resilient Victoria, said the MAV President.
She said Councils were working from a strong base of innovation that shows local government and communities have what it takes to deliver local solutions to global problems.
“We see innovation that makes a real and positive impact across Victoria every day.”
The MAVlab Innovation Case Study Library tells the story of more than 160 innovative ways Councils are delivering on climate resilience, AI innovation, social cohesion, community resilience, infrastructure and financial sustainability.
“Councils are ready to work with the next State Government to deliver local solutions. This campaign is about ensuring we have the partnerships and funding in place to deliver for our communities,” President Anderson said.
