In 2014, a group of Phillip Island residents gathered in Cowes to draw attention to their desire to secede from Bass Coast Shire Council. They had drawn high-profile support in the form of Hollywood actor Liam Hemsworth, who grew up in the region, and former federal minister Peter Reith, and The Phillip Island Progress Association was formed.
About 8,500 people had petitioned the Victorian Government, demanding that State Government conduct an Independent Municipal Review to ascertain the viability of Phillip Island again having its own Shire, following the 1994 amalgamation of the Phillip Island Council with mainland municipalities.
Read the ABC News article here
Following a clear statement from the Victorian Labor government in 2018 that they would never consider a Municipal review, the Association refocused efforts on advocating to all levels of government to deliver better outcomes for the island community, and Island Voice was born!
