Hi to everyone keeping up with Borderlands and with the many good things people are doing in the world. We hope our Newsletter gives you at least a tiny snapshot.
I am sure there’s many of you who may not be following it, but there are billions tuned into the FIFA World Cup, many of us with a very sour taste in our mouths. Knowing what has happened to futbol and to so much sport.
I’ve been heartened by all the voices who have sought to reclaim a sport most often played in slums and not on multi-million dollar manicured lawns.
As a child, I learnt to play futbol on the dirt streets of Juan Antonio Rios in Santiago Chile. My first ball was made of old socks, rolled up together and strengthened with string. After one of our friends on the block got our first real ball, it became seared into my memory. Brown leather, heavy compared to the modern day, no special tec, but I am sure we thought we could make it do special things.
“Nothing lukewarm, not football, nor love, nor politics – football is for the people, not the bourgeoisie!” is one of my favourite slogans going around Latin America.
I am watching the World Cup hoping to hear one player echo the words of Sócrates who, in my opinion, captained the greatest Brazilian side of all time. The legendary 1982 Brazilian World Cup team, operating a fluid 4-2-2-2 formation, included greats such as Zico, Falcão, Júnior, Éder and of course Sócrates.
I doubt but hope to hear one player stand up like Sócrates did: “Give my goals to a better country.”
As usual our newsletter is an invitation to everyone to join us in working for something better …
Housing solutions for Footscray
People’s Plan for Footscray Dinner Conversations
Thursday July 9, 6.30pm @Borderlands
With:
- David Kelly (Centre for Urban Research),
- Sandra Geitz (public housing advocate),
- Taylah (Renters & Housing Union RAHU)
The projected housing pipeline in Footscray involves building thousands of small investor-owned apartments, the death of public housing, a growing private rental market, and rising rents.
This Dinner Conversation will explore:
- vacant land, vacant housing and the supply myth
- urban reform / renewal programs (Braybrook, Gaskin Gardens, Activity Centres)
- crisis accommodation, support systems, policing of the west
This is the second of a series of People’s Plan Dinner Conversations exploring how we might democratise urban decision-making, provide collective goods, and protect vulnerable communities.
The People’s Plan for Footscray has been hosting Dinner Conversations on major themes and issues that have been raised in community discussions and events. Many of these themes emerged during the People’s Plan Community Mapping Session in March this year. These are summarised in the first People’s Plan For Footscray Newsletter.
The first Dinner Conversation was Mapping the political economy of planning, exploring how planning is shaped by the interaction of economic interests, the power these have over state institutions and decision-makers, and the ability of communities to push back. Maggie Cook, senior planning strategist, led us through an interrogation of how different interests and actors in Victoria influence and shape land, resources, and development outcomes.
SHARE HOUSING SOLUTIONS FOR FOOTSCRAY HERE
Cities for Everyone
Beyond neoliberal urbanism, the future of public life and space
Saturday August 29, Borderlands Cooperative, Footscray
(Bluestone Hall, 32A Pickett Street)
Organised by: People’s Plan for Footscray
Supported by: Borderlands Cooperative, Footscray Community Response
Why this gathering
Throughout Australian cities, as the housing crisis and economic divide grows, local and state governments are enacting policies and increasing the deployment of police and security to criminalise poverty and homelessness.
In Melbourne, a growing number of local councils are using bylaws, private security and arrangements with police, to push homeless people and others considered “undesirable” out of public view and public life.
Community safety is being increasingly recast as: fewer poor people in public space; fewer visible people with addiction and other health issues; less youth presence; less informal street culture; fewer public housing residents; and more regulation of public behaviour.
The Cities for Everyone gathering hopes to bring people together who oppose this, recognising that public space is not restricted for commerce and transit, and involves basic human and democratic rights that guarantee and support participation in public life for all.
The idea behind the gathering is to connect campaigners, build our campaigns and impact on public debate.
The gathering aims to help us explore how neoliberal policy frameworks reshape urban space — through privatisation, securitization, financialisation, and “activation” — and how communities can resist, reclaim, and reimagine public life.
The gathering will be organised around two open conversations and a mapping activity. The conversations will involve a facilitator, a panel of contributors and discussion open to all participants.
Submission to Maribyrnong Council
The People’s Plan for Footscray 28/06/2026
Footscray Opportunities Paper |THE FUTURE OF FOOTSCRAY
Plans for the betterment of Footscray must be anchored in an honest and transparent interrogation of the distinct needs, interests and varying aspirations across the community. The choice of policies and operational levers to effect housing development, employment and commercial patterns, services and other infrastructure, and environmental and social wellbeing, are determined by how we define liveability and who is included in conceptions of ‘community’.
Descriptions of Footscray as a “special place” with “rich culture”, “lots of energy” and “diversity”, should not be used to smokescreen real issues and challenges, and disguise policies which may only benefit a section of the population that lives, works, studies and plays in Footscray.
If liveability in Footscray is to be improved, it must start with a focus on existing inequities and a meaningful commitment to the role of local (and state) government in planning for equitable development, where urban growth ensures all residents — particularly marginalised groups — benefit from investment and have a voice in decision-making.
Call for a Moratorium on Victoria’s Data Centre Build Out
TONITE! Organising Meeting, Wednesday 1 July 6:30-8:30 @ BORDERLANDS
Data Centres are popping up everywhere in the Western Suburbs without anything approaching adequate public scrutiny.
Our State Government has drunk the AI Kool-Aid. It is overriding local democratic controls to position Victoria at the cutting edge of a big tech dystopia …
Data Centres consume vast amounts of electricity, potentially increasing consumer energy prices and, at a time when we should be rapidly decarbonising, giving a new lease of life to fossil fuel power generation …
There may be up-sides, but, if so, they need to be articulated and subject to public scrutiny …
Communities across the world are fighting back against something that’s being sold as both beneficial and inevitable.
We need to get organised.
When: Wednesday 1 July 6:30-8:30
Where: The People’s Place, 30A Pickett Street, Footscray.
For more information contact Peter Gartside: peter@borderlandscooperative.net
Footscray People’s Cup
“Football is the ballet of the masses” …
The Footscray People’s Cup is an intentionally counter event: instead of the elitism and commercialisation of the FIFA World Cup, we want to celebrate the joy and wonder of football, bringing people together to celebrate our struggles for a world built on solidarity.
Anyone and everyone is welcome to participate – you can bring a team, join a team, or come and be part of the day without kicking a ball!
Put together your 5-a-side mixed ability team for the Footscray People’s Cup on Saturday July 18, starting 11am at Footscray Park Western Oval.
For a reflection on the current World Cup, see Nothing lukewarm, not football, nor love, nor politics – football is for the people, not the bourgeoisie!
People, Place and Power
Borderlands Co-op is now running a second radio program, in addition to its Think Again show on 3CR Radio. People Place and Power is a monthly show on Westsider Radio. A show that will bring you conversations on the issues that affect everyday life for people in the Western Suburbs; issues like housing, transport, the place of arts and culture in civic life, urban planning and so on.
Episode 1 includes conversations with long-time Western suburbs community development worker Helen Rodd about community development, community leadership and the importance of participatory democracy, and with Grace Eyre from Friends of the Earth about the campaign for decent bus services in the West.
Winter Lantern Gathering in Seelaf Square!
Tuesday June 23, the People’s Plan for Footscray participated in the third annual Winter Lantern Gathering in Seelaf Square, organised by one of the People’s Plan partners, Angliss Neighbourhood House. Some 200 people participated – heaps of local families and kids!
One of the many children’s activities included mapping a potential Superblock in Footscray.
Stop the closure of Foley House supported accommodation!
The Salvation Army is closing Foley House, a long-term residential program providing intensive personalised support and accommodation for older men in Footscray. Men were told this was their “forever home”.
Residents have histories of homelessness and complex needs, including acquired brain injuries and mental health diagnoses requiring significant support. Foley House is described as the “gold standard” for supported accommodation. People who are not so lucky as to be accepted into Foley House sleep rough or survive in harmful forms of invisible homelessness in our community like rooming houses, as their health deteriorates further.
Support the 2026 3CR Radiothon!
3CR’s annual Radiothon fundraiser is now on, and this year they’re celebrating 50 years! The aim is to raise $300,000 to keep the station strong! No donation is too small or big, and all donations over $2 are tax deductible.
Borderlands Think Again Program (every Friday morning) is asking all our supporters to come behind the 3CR Radiothon, especially so in this incredible 50th year of the Station’s history.
You can join the celebration on Saturday 4 July 11am-4pm at the Collingwood Town Hall. There’ll be stalls, music, food, activities, a raffle, posters, photos from across our five decades, and much more! Borderlands will be there!
Community Builder’s Journal book launch & connection event
Following the Regenerating Communities Conference in October 2025, the organising group heard loud and clear that people would like to continue to connect to build on some of the conversations initiated during the conference. Various organisations will host different offerings throughout the year.
Hot House Living Lab, with kind support from Maribyrnong City Council, hosted The Community Builder’s Journal book launch and connection event, with two of the authors, Peter Westoby and Rachael Donovan (Community Praxis Co-op). It proved a great gathering of community leaders, volunteers, community development workers and others interested in strengthening community.
As a result of this gathering a reading group was set-up to reflect on and work through some of the activities and thinking in the Community Builder’s Journal. The second meeting of the reading group is Monday July 27, 6.30 – 8.00PM at The People’s Place, Borderlands Cooperative. For more information contact Hot House.
Footscray Community Leadership Program
People with a strong connection to Footscray (18+ years), who are keen to build skills, strengthen connections, and bring community-led ideas to life, can apply for a leadership program delivered by local community development practitioner Helen Rodd, Hot House Community Projects. Applications open now and close on Tuesday 7 July.
St John’s Food Program
Borderlands Cooperative is grateful for the support we receive from St John’s in Footscray. It’s not only a shared physical home for us, but also a shared mission of sorts. If we were to make use of Gustavo Gutierrez’s theology of liberation, we would say we share a similar “option” for the exploited and oppressed, intentionally aligning our actions, resources, and structural choices to defend and empower the most vulnerable.
In practical and contemporary terms, St John’s has been very active in supporting food programs and in advocating for many communities in the west of Melbourne who are being left behind and discriminated against.
Open Letter for Better Buses for the West
Sign on to the Better Buses for the West Open Letter of Support. To sign on as an organisation, email contact the Sustainable Cities Campaign.
Go here for more information about the Better Buses Campaign (Friends of the Earth).