Bringing Business Together
Our Purpose
Fishermans Bend is the largest urban renewal area in Australia, covering an area of 491 hectares.
Over the next 35 years, Fishermans Bend is expected to be home to approximately 80,000 residents and up to 80,000 jobs across five precincts.
The Fishermans Bend business community needs a collective voice to represent the views of its members and the broader business community especially during the current planning phase.
The purposes of the association are:
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To providing businesses located in the Fishermans Bend Urban Renewal Area (FBURA) with a unified voice
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To engage with political decision-makers at the federal, state and local level to deliver real results for our members and the broader business community
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To provide opportunities for members to network and collaborate in improving individual businesses and the local economy
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To tackle issues that impact on members’ business and ensure that they are on the public policy agenda
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To work with developers, transport authorities, planners and investors to ensure quality outcomes that are conducive to good business outcomes for the Fishermans Bend precinct
Fishermans Bend Business Forum is registered as an associationunderThe Associations Reform Act 2012 Registration number A0102058V ABN 69 826 520 901
VITAL CAMPAIGNS THAT WILL IMPACT
ON YOUR BUSINESS
It is vital that the Government listens to you and other businesses before finalising its planning. The Fishermans Bend Business Forum has driven thinking on three employment and innovation clusters - film technology, the cement industy and automotive/mobility for the future.
Engaging with government on all levels
The Fishermans Bend Urban Renewal project works on many levels. FBBF is active in making representations to planning authorities, consultants appointed by government, property agents, property owners and a broad range of stakeholders. Our officeholders regularly meet with staff from the Department of Jobs Precincts and Regions, councillors from the City of Melbourne and Port Phillip and relevant government ministers. We have established relationships with Yarra Trams, the University of Melbourne Fishermans Bend Project team and sector industry associations such as the Property Council and the Cement Concrete and Aggregate Association.
The Cement Industry Vital for the Victorian Economy
The Melbourne Cenent Facilities on Wharf 26 on Lorimer Street is at the heart of the Victorian Government infrastructure program and the commercial building industry. Each day ships dock bringing cement to feed these vital sectors of the economy.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics shows the value of Victorian building approvals for the year to November 2018 was worth $39.5 billion.
Fishermans Bend is a logical location with port access, road links to concrete batching plans and ready access to the CBD.
There are opportunities for linkages to research facilities locally and internationally.
Mobility for a growing population of workers and residents.
Public transport must be a government priority if Fishermans Bend is the achieve its targets. There is a need for forward thinking not just an extension of current technologies. FBBF believes that technologies that are now becoming available globally must be on the agenda.
This includes trackless trams, shared use vehilces and will eventually lead to autonomous vehicles.
The Committee has established relationships with the Automobile Campus based in Helmond Holland and is supporting the establishment of a Smart Mobility Living Lab in Fishermans Bend. With the work of the General Motors Design Centre and Toyota's engineering facility the future looks bright.
Roads, Road Users and Mobility as a Service
Fishermans Bend offers the opportunity to be a test-bed for innovation in the way people and goods move around the city and state. Currently in the area are:
Australian Road Research Board
ITS Australia
General Motors design centre
Toyota Nation HO and design and enginering centre
iMove- the CRC for Transport
Siemens
GATSO Australia
Uber
Combining these with the University of Melbourne School of Engineering and RMIT University this makes for an exciting innovation and employment cluster.
Mobility as a Service (MaaS) means better use of resources, less congestion and better environment outcomes.
Sandridge Parking Win
FBBF supported businesses in the Sandridge Precinct to overturn parking restrictions that were proposed by the City of Port Phillip. After briefing Councillors an amount of unrestricted (all-day) parking was retained in Area 2 and 80 4-hours free parks were reinstated in Area 1
Business in the Bend
FBBF offers members to network at social events that rotate around some interesting venues in Fishermans Bend. Already connections made between business have resulted in contracts valued in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Executive Committee
Richard Blackman
President
Richard has been engaged with FBBF since its inception. He brings an interest in urban plan, design and community engagement. Richard has been instrumental in developing the FBBF corporate design. He work at CIA Services Group
Murray Nicol
Deputy President
Murray started Financial Planning in 2003 and specialises in providing Wealth Creation, Wealth Protection, Superannuation and Estate Planning strategies. He was a foundation member of the Steering Committee that was established in January 2018 to establish the business forum.
Alysia Reilly
Secretary
Alysia represents Colliers International, brings 13 years’ experience in property sales and leasing much of it focused on inner Melbourne especially in Fishermans Bend. Alysia has her finger on the pulse of tenancy and ownership trends in the area through the development of a comprehensive map database developed by Colliers.
Committee of Management
John Phillips
Treasurer
John is the Group CFO at OptiComm, an Australian Telecommunications carrier. He has many years corporate advisory experience in business strategy and risk management. His interest is understanding the dynamics that impact on tenants operating in the area.
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Peter Smith
Committee Member
Peter is a Director of Connected Six Group that operates the Telstra stores in Port Melbourne and South Melbourne. Peter has many connections across the community that will benefit future Committee deliberations.
Eric Nigol
Committee Member
Eric is a Manager at Melbourne Cement Facilities. A qualified mechanical engineer he has been associated with manufacturing for most of his career. He joined to better understand how long standing industries will integrate in the future of Fishermans Bend.
Committee Members
John Biondo
Committee Member
John comes on to the Committee from Crema Construction Group where he holds the role of Senior Strategic Manager. . John brings strong industry connections from the building materials industry, especially the cement and concrete sectors that as so important to the Victorian economy.
Andy Bowen
Committee Member
Andy is the Chief Investment Officer from Bowens The Builders Choice a family business that has operated for over 125 years. He has a background in international banking and funds management in Australia and New York.
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David Weston AM
Executive Officer
David has had a long career in the private sector and government agencies including roles at CEO level. He understands the processes of government. He has also been actively involved on numerous industry boards and a strategic advisor to business.
Publications and Submissions
Fishermans Bend Business Forum will research and make submissions on behalf of the local business community.
We encourage you to read our submissions and make comments, corrections and additions. We also support submissions made by other groups whose views align with those of our members.
September 2019 Newsletter
September 11, 2019
This issue features articles on the future of the Government ownedformer GMH site. Also the opportunity for an exchange of views with a delegation from Holland coming up in November.
The newsletter has an article about the existing employment and innovation clusters already operating in Fishermans Bend.
Rules of Association FBBF
January 2018
The formation of FBBF as an incorporated association is being managed by a Steering Committee that was formed in late 2017 following meetings with representatives of the Taskforce. The Rules that have been put foward for consideration are based on Model Rules supplied by Consumer Affairs Victoria.
Members have defined eight issues that the Fishermans Bend Framework must consider
March 12, 2018
Transport access along Lorimer St.
Public Transport
Parking
Buffer Zones
Increased rents
Council rates and land tax
Maintaining buffer zones
Transition of businesses
Amenity
Link here to our document
July 2018 Newsletter
July 20, 2018
FBBF is an active voice, raising important business concerns and achieving more positive outcomes for businesses in Fishermans Bend. Now is the time to be involved.
Over the past two months FBBF has helped members in the Sandridge Precinct overturn proposals for restricted parking, engage government at Ministerial level on a number of issues and brought together interest groups to help set the future vision for the area.
State Election Policy Paper
October 20, 2018
FBBF has developed a policy paper outlining five key issues that we are asking candidates and parties at the upcoming state election to address
Submission responding to the Fishermans Bend Framework
December 15 , 2017
This Submission was presented in response to the Framework document that was released in October 2017. It reflects the views of the author (not necessarily the membership which was not in place at the time). It will be followed up with an appearance before the Planning Panel in mid February 2018.
Fishermans Bend Framework
October 6, 2018
The Minister for Planning the Hon. Richard Wynne MP on Friday 6 October released the Fishermans Bend Framework document that brings together the findings of the very long Planning Panel process. FBBF members are encouraged that many issues have been addressed. Prior to the State election the FBBF will be releasing a policy paper.
Looking for a particular report on the Employment Precinct planning?
Contact us today and we’ll be happy to help!
BECOME A MEMBER - PHONE 1300 418 284 OR FILL OUT THE FORM AND CLICK SEND AND WE WILL GET BACK TO YOU.
Fishermans Bend Business Forum is here to support your business have a voice. Become a member NOW by filling out the form below. Join our campaigns and follow our group discussion on LinkedIn.
ABN 69 826 520 901
1300 418 283