History made as Federal Parliament apologises to Stolen Generations

Indigenous adults and children gave federal parliamentarians a long standing ovation after MPs formally apologised on Wednesday for the pain and suffering inflicted on the stolen generations.

Hundreds of people, including members of the stolen generations, packed into the House of Representatives for the historic apology delivered by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, and communities around Australia marked the occasion with council-organised Sorry Events from Kalgoorlie to Sydney. Local government issued a formal apology to the Stolen Generation over a decade ago at the 1997 National General Assembly. Many local councils are actively involved in reconciliation projects with Indigenous community members.

Mr Rudd said there came a time in history when people had to reconcile the past with their future. He said we had to remove a great stain from the nation's soul and in the true spirit of reconciliation to open a new chapter in our history.

Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson backed the apology which came more than a decade after the release of the Bringing Them Home report, which documented the stories of some of the tens of thousands of Aboriginal children taken from their families by governments between 1910 and the early 1970s.

The wording of the apology is available at: www.pm.gov.au

ALGA's 2008-09 Budget Submission

ALGA President Cr Paul Bell has urged the Federal Government to address the financial relationship between local government and the Commonwealth in the upcoming May Budget.

"Local Government understands the Federal Government's commitment to meeting its election promises and exercising general expenditure, however, one of the highest priorities for local government is the need to reform local government funding," Cr Bell said.

"This reform is long overdue and with the debate on federal-state relations taking place at the upcoming 2020 Summit and through COAG, there has never been a better time for a fresh look at some of the inequities of the current funding model."

Cr Bell said the level of funding available to local government through Financial Assistance Grants has not kept pace with the growth of Commonwealth and State (GST) revenue and local government seeks general purpose funding from the Commonwealth equal to a fixed share of at least 1% of Commonwealth taxation revenue (net of GST).

Cr Bell's call is backed up by research undertaken by Access Economics, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and National Economics over the past two years on behalf of State and Territory Local Government Associations and ALGA. In its national research into the financial sustainability of local government in 2006, PwC estimates that up to 30 per cent of councils are facing severe financial pressures in providing the range of local government services sought by their communities.

ALGA's Federal Budget Submission is available at www.alga.asn.au

$2.2 million safety upgrades for remote airstrips

The Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Anthony Albanese, announced on February 8 funding of $991,000 for remote airstrip projects with a total value of $2.2 million. The balance of the funding of the works is being provided by State and Territory Governments ($619,000) and the local government owners of the airstrips ($554,000).

The funding for the 25 airstrips identified for upgrading in remote and isolated parts of Australia is being provided under the Remote Aerodrome Safety (RAS) Program.

These airstrips are a vital link to food supplies, medical services and supplies, mail and provide access for teachers, doctors and nurses to remote Australia. The airstrip upgrades will also provide better access for the Royal Flying Doctor.

Funding will be used for a variety of works including fencing, lighting, runway extensions, resealing works.

Local Government welcomed this program when it was first announced and is pleased that it has been continued by the Rudd Government to help remote and regional Australia get access to basic services that urban Australians take for granted.

$20 million has been committed to the RAS Program over the next four years. Local government looks forward to further calls for project nominations in the coming months.

From the President

The recent floods in central and north Queensland and parts of NSW have really focused all our minds on disaster management and the need for councils to be as prepared as we can be for unexpected events. This week South-east Queensland is bracing itself for an onslaught of flash-flooding and high winds.

Mopping up after the trail of destruction is continuing in Emerald and I am proud of the resilience and cooperation of our community in dealing with the challenges of the flood. The hard work of volunteers and emergency services workers has been and continues to be a monumental task.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, Premier Anna Bligh, and the Governor General, His Excellency, Major General Michael Jeffery, have all recently visited flood affected areas to support the community and offer practical assistance. Our leaders understand that the effect on communities of these types of natural disasters can be devastating, with the damage bill running into millions of dollars and families literally washed out of their houses.

The Federal Government and State Governments have arrangements in place for concessional loans for primary producers and small businesses. The Queensland Government has also set up a relief appeal to help those affected. For more information please visit - www.qld.gov.au/floods

These arrangements, of course, provide assistance after the event for those affected by natural disasters, but events such as those in recent weeks serve also to highlight the importance of our efforts to mitigate the impact of disasters. The Australian Government is currently considering the future of the Natural Disaster Mitigation Program (NDMP) which lapses on 30 June, 2008 and I have written to the Federal Attorney-General, the Hon Robert McClelland, urging the Government to continue support for that program.

Of particular importance to local government has been the shared funding of disaster mitigation measures through the NDMP, and the previously separate Regional Flood Mitigation Program. These measures have provided essential protection for local communities, particularly those impacted by floods and, as the original Council of Australian Government (COAG) Report estimated, the return on each dollar invested in mitigation has been in excess of $2.10.

I believe strongly that the recent flooding in northern New South Wales and Queensland provides many examples of the effectiveness of such measures and strong evidence, if further evidence is needed, of the effectiveness of the program.

Local government was heartened by the Government's statements, while in Opposition, that the Labor Party is committed to updating and improving the Disaster Mitigation Australia Package, particularly in the face of the challenges posed by climate change. The extension, and potential enhancement, of the NDMP is an important part of that improvement. In this regard local government has found it increasingly difficult to match the funding provided by the Commonwealth and the States and Territories in the mitigation area. From my discussions with councils, I believe there is strong support for the reintroduction of the 2:2:1 formula for funding mitigation projects by federal, state and local government.

The future of the NDMP is likely to be considered as part of the 2008/09 Federal Budget. On behalf of local government, I strongly urge the Government to continue with this valuable and effective program at a level of funding sufficient to meet the growing challenges facing local communities.

I look forward to the Attorney General's response on this matter and will keep you posted!

Cr Paul Bell AM
ALGA President

Quote of the week

"It is a seminal moment in the nation's history. And one that, I think, instils confidence that we're capable of arising to those issues that we know are still before us...Where we may have been lacking in confidence and courage, it will give us greater motivation."
Patrick Dodson, Aboriginal Leader

International news  

On 29 January, the European Commission launched the Covenant of Mayors, the most ambitious initiative to date involving the citizens in the fight against global warming. It comes after an informal consultation with numerous cities across Europe, whose Mayors will join the Commission in launching the Covenant. The Covenant consists of the formal commitment of the adhering cities to go beyond the objectives of the EU in terms of reducing their CO2 emissions through energy efficiency and renewable energy actions. Almost 100 cities throughout Europe, including 15 capital cities, have expressed their early support for the Covenant.

"Cities are becoming the places to deliver new ideas and innovative projects against global warming. Cities are also the public spaces where it is possible to find multicultural, cross-sectoral solutions, where the necessary conciliation between private and public interests may be found. The approach to tackle the climate crisis challenge can only be holistic, integrated, long-term and, most of all, based on the participation of citizens. This complex picture is best managed at local level. Cities must therefore become leading actors for implementing sustainable energy policies, and must be supported in their effort", said European Commissioner for Energy Andris Piebalgs.

The Covenant of Mayors will be a result-oriented initiative, focusing on concrete projects and measurable results. The adhering cities and regions will formally commit to reduce their CO2 emission by more than 20% by 2020, by developing Sustainable Energy Action Plans.

Forthcoming events

For a full listing of forthcoming events, see ALGA's Events calendar.

• 15 - 16 February 2011 Behaviour Change Workshop with Doug McKenzie-Mohr
• 16 - 17 February 2011 Enabling meaningful change through community engagement
• 23 - 24 February 2001 Evolving Models of Governance and Accountability
• 25 February 2011 Future housing for older Australians
• 02 - 04 March 2011 Census | beyond the count
• 06 - 09 March 2011 PIA National Congress
• 09 - 11 March 2011 LGSA Tourism Conference 2011
• 21 - 23 March 2011 Industrial & commercial Waste Recycling 2011
• 28 - 29 March 2011 Traffic Theory workshop
• 30 - 31 March 2011 3rd Annual Water Leaders Congress