The City of Greater Bendigo will farewell Director Health and Wellbeing Vicky Mason, as she seeks to spend more time with family and travel.
Ms Mason joined the City in December 2016 and in that time has championed looking after the mental and physical health of residents and advancing gender equality in the community, led the development of the Council Plan (Mir wimbul) 2021-2025, taken on responsibility for the organisation’s renewed focus on the environment and, most significantly, led the City’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Her key service delivery areas include Maternal and Child Health, Immunisation, Home Support, Early Learning Centres, Environmental Health, Emergency Management, Parking, Animal Management, Building Services and provision of recreation facilities such as swimming pools and sports grounds.
Her units are also responsible for community strengthening and inclusion, health promotion, community infrastructure planning, responding to climate change and protecting the environment.
City Chief Executive Officer Craig Niemann wished Ms Mason well and thanked her for her great contribution to shaping Greater Bendigo.
“Vicky has been a valued member of the City’s Executive Management Team and her skills in strategic planning and public health have been great assets for our organisation,” Mr Niemann said.
“Two key projects Vicky has supported include the Healthy Heart of Victoria initiative, which has seen the City coordinate a program across the Loddon Campaspe region that included the 2019 Active Living Census and is delivering practical projects that help residents to be physically active and eat well, and Healthy Greater Bendigo which built partnerships and capacity to promote community health and wellbeing across Greater Bendigo.
“Vicky also accepted the large task of leading the Imagine Greater Bendigo project, which involved engaging with more than 1,000 residents to develop the Council Plan (Mir wimbul) 2021-2025, the Healthy Greater Bendigo Public Health and Wellbeing Plan 2021-2025 and 10-year Financial Plan 2021-2031.
“I believe her legacy will be her commitment to gender equality, with the City recently finalising its Equality for Action: Gender Equality Action Plan and establishing the Greater Bendigo Coalition for Gender Equity.
“However, it will be her sustained and dedicated leadership to supporting our organisation and community through the COVID-19 pandemic that she can be most proud of. From the outset, Vicky’s experience in public health provided the City and the broader region with excellent knowledge and a practical approach to overcoming the many unknowns of a pandemic.
“We wish Vicky the very best as she takes a well-deserved rest before looking for new opportunities.”
Ms Mason said she thoroughly enjoyed her time at the City and would remain a champion of the organisation and its work.
“I am very proud of all we have been able to achieve at the City with the support of a fantastic team that has continually risen to whatever challenge was in front of us,” she said.
“I leave the role extremely fulfilled and grateful for the opportunity to have made a contribution to this community in areas I am passionate about.”
Ms Mason will finish on July 1. The Director role will be advertised in the coming weeks and the position renamed Director Healthy Communities and Environments, to better reflect the increased responsibilities of the directorate including its new focus on leading the organisation’s response to climate change and preserving our natural environment.
