Councillor Dr Josh Fergeus
Monash City Council,
Oakleigh Ward
Upcoming neighbourhood meetings:
Dr Josh Fergeus is the first ever Greens Councillor to serve the City of Monash. First elected in 2016, he was re-elected to represent Oakleigh Ward in 2020 alongside Dr Anjalee de Silva (pictured) who was elected to represent Mount Waverley Ward.
Biography
Outside of his duties as a Councillor, Josh is the Chief Executive Officer of the charity Kevin Heinze GROW (KHG). KHG has operated for more than 40 years providing people in need with safe and supportive environments in which to benefit from the health and wellbeing impacts of access to nature and gardening.
Josh is a member of Victoria’s Mental Health Tribunal, assessing applications for compulsory treatment orders within the health system, and the Suitability Panel, ruling on allegations of abuse and neglect within the out-of-home care system. He is also a member of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Interim Regional Body covering South-East Metropolitan Melbourne, tasked with the redesign of the regional mental health system.
Josh is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD) and has extensive professional and governance experience in a range of areas including child, youth, and family welfare, public health, mental health, disability and education. He in an elected Board Director of the Victorian Local Governance Association and was elected Vice President in 2023.
Born and raised in Monash, Josh has also lived in London while working on development of the National Health Service with local groups including the Haredi and Afro-Carribean communities, and in Nepal while working with local women and children.
Josh comes from a fostering family and is a former President of the Foster Care Association of Victoria. He is passionate about creating and maintaining a safe and nurturing environment for all children and young people, education, social justice, and human rights.
Josh completed his PhD thesis titled ‘The needs of foster and kinship carers and the mental health and wellbeing of children’ at Melbourne University, and holds a Master's Degree in Social Work and Bachelor's Degrees in Arts and Teaching.
The City of Monash sits on the land of the Wurundjeri and Bunurong Peoples of the Kulin Nation. This land was never ceded.
While on Council Josh has successfully championed a range of issues including:
Zero-net emissions targets for Council
Major investment in sustainability measures, footpaths and bicycle paths
The creation of Council strategies dealing with Vegetation, Open Space and Social Inclusion
Local initiatives to #BanTheBag and other single-use plastics
Securing Council support for Makarrata
Food Organics Green Organics (FOGO) composting program and other waste initiatives
Support for renters
Council's first Affordable Housing Strategy and Social Housing Framework
Precinct plans for Huntingdale, Clayton and Mt Waverley
Support for marriage equality, the establishment of an LGBTIQA+ Advisory Committee and Action Plan
Divestment from fossil fuels
The Scotchmans Creek Skink Link Project
Creation of the first ever local government Loneliness Framework for addressing social isolation
Leading Council’s advocacy to reduce wood smoke pollution
Creating smoke-free areas in major activity centres
Transparency measures including live-streaming and archived video of Council meetings
Featured News
Featured News
The City of Monash officially supports the YES campaign for the Voice to Parliament referendum.
Council has marked the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) by raising the Pride Flag at sites a cross Monash including the Civic Centre.
Given recent debates about climate action at the City of Monash, it’s important to understand some history from this Council term. Here’s a handy breakdown.
Here's my opening speech in support of Council's Environmental Advisory Committee motion to acknowledge the climate emergency and take urgent action.
Contact Josh
Contact Josh