The Greater Bendigo City Council has adopted an Inclusive Greater Bendigo Strategy 2026-2032 and is now inviting community feedback to help develop the first two-year action plan to deliver the strategy.
City of Greater Bendigo Healthy Communities and Environments Director, Jess Howard said the Inclusive Greater Bendigo Strategy provides a single, long term, six-year framework to guide how inclusion is considered across the City’s planning, policies and everyday decisions.
“At the heart of the strategy is a simple idea – there is no ‘typical person’ in Greater Bendigo. People have different backgrounds, experiences, identities, and circumstances, and these can change throughout their lives,” Ms Howard said.
“Rather than focusing on people through a single lens, the strategy recognises that everyone should be able to participate in community life, access opportunities and feel that they belong.
“Many of the actions in these integrated action plans would previously have been included in separate plans, including the Cultural Diversity and Inclusion Plan 2021-2025, LGBTIQA+ Inclusion Action Plan 2023-2025, Youth Action Plan 2023-2024 and the Positive Ageing Action Plan 2023-2025. The strategy and action plan is also complementary to the Gender Equity Action Plan 2026, Barpangu and the Social Justice Framework 2022-2032 and forms part of the City’s Disability Action Plan, which is integrated with the Municipal Public Health and Wellbeing Plan.
“The Inclusive Greater Bendigo Strategy recognises that every person brings unique strengths, experiences and perspectives to our community. It includes responsibilities for groups for whom the City has legislative obligations, alongside others who may face barriers to participation, because a more inclusive Greater Bendigo benefits everyone.
“It sets a long term direction for making Greater Bendigo more inclusive, fair and welcoming by focusing on what matters most and how we will take action over time.
“Implementation of the strategy will occur over a six-year period through three staged two-year Action Plans, Foundation, Growth and Transform.
“The first action plan sets out practical steps the City can take to achieve the aims of the strategy and all feedback received from the community will be considered and used to refine the action plan before it is finalised. Progress will be reported annually to support transparency and ongoing community engagement.”
Members of the community can review the draft action plan and provide feedback until Monday August 17, 2026.
