Cr Connie Boglis OAM

14/01/2026

Did you know MOSS Housing works with individuals and families experiencing homelessness, housing instability, family and domestic violence.

This event is a great chance to come together as a community and support their continuing work. I'll be there!

📅 Saturday 31 January
🕖 7pm – late
📍 Hayes Park, Thornbury

27/12/2025

As a councillor in Australia, it is difficult to imagine a mayor intervening to stop a performance on the basis of language or culture without serious concern being raised about misuse of power and the suppression of cultural expression.

Florina has long been home to Macedonians, with a continuous presence that predates modern borders. Our language, songs, names, customs, and identity did not appear overnight. They were lived, spoken, and passed down through generations, often at great personal cost.

For decades, Macedonians in the region were subjected to forced assimilation. People were punished for speaking their language. Families were forced to change their names. Cultural expression was suppressed through fear, violence, torture, and state control. These are not abstract claims. They are lived histories carried by our elders and embedded in our families.

To see, in 2025, renewed efforts to erase identity, intimidate people, or harm people for acknowledging who they are is deplorable. Cultural erasure is ethnic cleansing. When people are denied their language, history, and right to self identification, harm is being done, regardless of how it is framed.

Closer to home in Australia, I also reflect on our own unfinished work. We still have a long way to go when it comes to truth telling. History teaches us exactly where silence and denial can lead.

Human rights are not selective. Cultural erasure, whether historical or ongoing, anywhere in the world, should concern us all. Being Macedonian is not an act of provocation. It is a globally acknowledged culture. No one should be forced to apologise for their name, their language, or their existence.

Thank you United Macedonian Diaspora for your ongoing advocacy 🇲🇰

19/12/2025

WORLD CLASS PANETTONE IN PRESTON!

has just placed third in the World’s Best Panettone competition, that was recently held in Italy.

An extraordinary local achievement on the global stage. I couldn't leave without buying one for Christmas. Well done to the whole team 🧑‍🍳

18/12/2025

Welcome Hands-on Health Australia 🎉

16/12/2025

Victoria is proud to be home to the largest Jewish community in Australia. That brings with it a responsibility for all of us in local government to ensure that our Jewish residents feel safe, respected, and heard. Safety is not abstract. It must be reflected in our decisions, our policies, our language, and the way we engage with community.

At a time of deep grief and heightened fear, we must listen carefully, act responsibly, and stand firmly against antisemitism in all its forms. Our Jewish community deserves to know that their council stands with them, not only in words, but through consistent and considered action.

My thoughts are with the victims, their families, and everyone impacted. We stand with you.

Statement from Darebin Mayor on events at Bondi:

“I’d like to express our deep shock and sorrow at the terrorist attack at Bondi yesterday,” Mayor Emily Dimitriadis said.

“We send our condolences to the families and friends of all who lost their lives, and our thoughts are with those injured, and the Jewish community across the country, not least here in Darebin.
“This display of hatred and terror towards Australia’s Jewish community, or any part of our community, has no place in Australia and we are heartbroken at this senseless act of violence. Everyone has the right to feel safe and welcome in our community and to celebrate their faith freely. In our City and across Australia, diversity is one of our biggest strengths.”

If you need assistance and support at this time, please contact:

Lifeline – 13 11 14, text 0477 13 11 14 or chat online
Beyond Blue – phone 1300 22 4636, or chat online

12/12/2025

11/12/2025

Photograph: Mayor & her Councillor.
Circa 1980's, Christmas capsule edition.
Darebin City Council, Melbourne.

09/12/2025

So proud to celebrate the Macedonian Teachers Association of Victoria and our outstanding graduates🎉

Our graduates have reached a milestone that reflects many years of effort and commitment to learning. Their success is not only a wonderful personal accomplishment but also a contribution to the future of our Macedonian culture for generations to come 🇲🇰

09/12/2025

Today I am standing with neighbourhood houses across Victoria as they call for a sustainable future for the vital programs they deliver. These local centres provide connection, learning, safety, and belonging for so many residents. They are often the first place people turn to when they need support or community.

Neighbourhood houses are asking the Victorian Government to secure long term funding so they can keep their doors open and continue serving our communities with confidence. I am encouraging our community to join this state wide action by sending a postcard to the Minister to highlight how important these services are for residents in Darebin and across Victoria.

When we strengthen neighbourhood houses we strengthen the fabric of our community. I am proud to add my voice to this call and I encourage you to do the same. Neighbourhood Houses Victoria

09/12/2025

05/12/2025

🎉 Great evening at the Northern Business Achievement Awards at the Novotel on Bell Street in Preston.

Very proud to see three standout winners from Darabin showcasing what local excellence truly looks like.

🎉 Congratulations to:
Young Business Achiever - Anastasia Sarikizis
Workplace Diversity - Your Community Health
Philanthropy and Community Service -

Thanks to the Novotel Preston for hosting us!