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29 Aug 2008
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Roads to Recovery extended to 2014

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The Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Mr Anthony Albanese, yesterday introduced into Federal Parliament a Bill to amend the AusLink (National Land Transport) Act 2005 to extend the Roads to Recovery Program to 30 June 2014.

The Explanatory Memorandum associated with the Bill restates the Government's commitment to increase funding for the Roads to Recovery Program from $307.5 million per year to $350 million per year for each of the five years from 2009-10.

This implements the Government's election commitments to Roads to Recovery and is good news for local government.

Cr Paul Bell, President of ALGA welcomed the Bill. "Local government is pleased that the Government has moved early to implement its election commitment on Roads to Recovery," he said. "I also welcome the Minister's recommitment to increase the funding to $350 million per year."

The Bill also contains a number of minor technical amendments to the existing legislation that will not impact on the day-to-day administration of the Program. However the Government has yet to release the more detailed Notes on Administration.

Also this week, the Federal Government has announced the funding allocation for each local council out of nearly $1.9 billion in Financial Assistance Grants (FAGs). The funding includes $1.3 billion in general purpose grants, $581 million for local road grants; and $14.3 million in supplementary local road funding for South Australia. Minister Albanese said the Government was putting local government 'at the heart of our nation-building agenda.' "Local councils are not only critical to maintaining vibrant local communities but make a vital contribution to the nation's productivity," he said.

Details of each council's allocation are available at www.infrastructure.gov.au/local/assistance

Planning Ministers Reform Group meets

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The Local Government and Planning Ministers Council sub-group on planning reform held its first meeting in Sydney on 27 August. The group, chaired by NSW Planning Minister Frank Sartor and including ministers from Queensland, South Australia, Victoria and ALGA's President has been tasked by the full Ministerial Council to come up with an accelerated reform program for council approval by mid September.

The Group is focusing on a number of key areas including performance monitoring, electronic development assessment and complying development and will be finalising its recommendations on 12 September.

Streamlining development assessment processes has been a focus of reform through the inter-governmental structures of the Council of Australian Governments since the beginning of 2006. ALGA has been keen to ensure that productivity gains through reform do not come at the cost of poor quality development and an end to effective community engagement.

(Pictured: Ministers Frank Sartor, NSW, and Stirling Hinchliffe, Qld)

Nation's top public servant outlines importance of local engagement

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The Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Terry Moran, addressed a breakfast gathering in Canberra this week on the importance of government developing a corporate culture that values and nurtures innovation.

Mr Moran, who as the head of the public service has responsibility for the carriage of the National Reform Agenda, spoke of the role of the public sector in providing informal checks and balances to protect Ministers and the public through ensuring independent advice is offered. There were several salient points for local government in his address which was titled 'Culture of Innovation in the APS: The Importance of Organisational Culture.'

Mr Moran spoke of the importance of attracting, nurturing and retaining staff through good staff development practices. The public sector had learned from the business community to cast the net wide and actively market a public-sector career. This was best achieved by creating a culture 'where rewarding talent its its own reward.' "Every CEO should nurture at least one new CEO," Mr Moran said. An Organisation audit of the public service earlier this year found it was heavily focused on day-to-day activities and greater strategic policy advice was needed. This led to the setting up of a new streamlined structure and a new Strategy and Delivery Division based on the British Cabinet Office model.

Mr Moran said the public sector ethos was being steered towards evidence-based and creative approaches to solving the problems facing Australia, prioritising the best ideas to improve the lives of Australians, harnessing the strategic ability across PM&C and other departments; and providing a top-class qualitative and quantitative approach. Staff must be given the space and creative freedom to develop new approaches and innovation should be rewarded. He cited as the major challenges facing Australia and the public sector: the productivity agenda (education and infrastructure), confusion and congestion in the health system, climate change and water, indigenous living standards, and housing affordability. He said that the Council of Australian Governments had undergone an impressive process of reinvigoration over the past nine months and the new national reform agenda had implications for the lives of Australians. The impact on individuals and communities should be considered at every stage and 'citizens should be at the centre of policy making.' Mr Moran spoke of the importance of the internet to the consultation process and in streamlining the interface between federal, state and local governments. He emphasised creating opportunities for 'bottom-up' consultation over the more traditional 'top-down' structures to improve local services, strengthen communities and find local solutions by "engaging front-line staff and a devolution to local levels - local government is a vital part of this." The Federal Government would focus on engagement and encouraging innovation at a local level.
From the President

It has been gratifying to see the announcements by Federal Transport Minister Anthony Albanese of the 2008-09 Black Spot Program funding allocations on a state-by-state basis over the past couple of weeks. I thought I would take this opportunity to address the issue of road safety and advise of some recent developments.

Road crashes are a major cost to Australians every year. Black Spot projects target those road locations where crashes are occurring and by funding measures such as traffic signals and roundabouts at dangerous locations, the program reduces the risk of crashes. The Black Spot Program has been very effective, saving the community many times the cost of the relatively minor road improvements that are implemented.

Local government is pleased that the Government has committed to increase funding from $50m in 2008-09 to $60m per annum from 2009-10 through to 2014.

Minister Albanese also recently released the latest official statistics on Road Deaths for 2007. Unfortunately the statistics show that the thirty year decline in numbers of people dying has stalled in recent years. In fact the, the annual road toll has changed little since 2003 and actually rose last year. In 2007, road crashes killed 1,616 people - 18 more than in 2006.

This means that Australia will struggle to achieve a 40 per cent reduction in the road death rate over the decade to 2010. This is a 10 year target agreed by all governments in 2000. The 2010 target of no more than 5.6 road deaths per 100,000 Australians is unlikely to be achieved. The rate for 2007 came in at 7.7. What's more, fatality rates are far from uniform across the jurisdictions, as the following table demonstrates:

ACT4.1 deaths per 100,000 people;
Victoria6.4 deaths per 100,000 people;
NSW6.5 deaths per 100,000 people;
SA7.8 deaths per 100,000 people;
Queensland8.6 deaths per 100,000 people;
Tasmania9.5 deaths per 100,000 people;
WA11.2 deaths per 100,000 people;
NT26.1 deaths per 100,000 people.

 

More statistical details are shown separately in this news letter and for full report click here.

What disturbs me is that these statistics are the representation of the death of a person - somebody's mother, father, son or daughter. They represent families that have experienced the grief caused by a loved one becoming yet another road statistic.

In pure hard economic terms, road crashes are estimated to cost the Australian economy $18 billion per year. The Black Spot Program has shown that investment to reduce road crashes pays for itself many times over.

Labor has shown it is serious about implementing measures to address road safety and we will ensure this momentum continues.

I have already mentioned that the Black Spots program funding has been increased from $50 million to $60 million per annum. $70 million was provided in the Budget for a Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Plan.

Under the National Transport Plan, a Safety and Security Working Group has been established under the chairmanship of Queensland Minister for Main Roads and Local Government, Warren Pitt. One of the early recommendations of this group was the establishment of a National Road Safety Council.

I am pleased that Transport Ministers have agreed to establish the National Road Safety Council to enhance implementation of key reforms from the National Road Safety Strategy and other road safety reforms by raising the profile of road safety across government, business and the broader community through high level partnerships across key sectors.

The Council's membership will include community leaders and experts from the business, government, academic and community sectors, with expertise in key elements of road safety and/or other essential area. Subject to COAG's agreement, the Council will meet early 2009. This is an important initiative welcomed by local government and all involved with road safety. Local government looks forward to working with the Council.

Cr Paul Bell AM
ALGA President

Living libraries

Noni Hazelhurst has thrown her support behind the National Living Library by becoming its first patron.

While the Living Library concept began in Europe, Lismore was the first city in Australia to adopt the program, and is the birthplace of Living Libraries Australia, a national initiative designed to promote the concept and assist communities to start their own Living Libraries.

The Living Library model is simple and effective; patrons "borrow" a book, in this case an actual person, and then have a half hour chat in a safe environment within the library. Most of the "books" are people from cultures or walks of life the borrower would not usually have much interaction with.

Given the success locally, Lismore City Council sought and obtained funding to facilitate the national development of living libraries. A grant through the Department of Immigration and Citizenship's Living in Harmony program led to the formation of Living Libraries Australia. (LLA)

To help communities develop their own living libraries, LLA will launch a website on September 4, 2008 at the Australian Libraries and Information Association Conference.

Unannounced visits to nursing homes

The Minister for Ageing, Mrs Justine Elliot, has detailed the Australian Government's unannounced visits program for the nation's nursing homes. As of July 1, the Accreditation Agency began a program of 7,000 visits including 3,000 unannounced visits and 1,500 site audits. The Accreditation Agency has a set of "at risk factors" to identify nursing homes for further unannounced visits. They include existing non-compliance problems in any of the areas of the 44 standards including nutrition and hydration; a number of complaints against a facility; known financial difficulties or business restructuring; a change of approved provider; major changes in key personnel and senior staff; ambitious building programs; and a sudden change in resident population and mix of residents.

Commercial and industrial recycling a focus of next funding round

The Covenant National Projects Group (NPG) is now seeking expressions of interest (EOIs) for funding due before Friday 26th September 2009. All Covenant Signatories, local, state and federal governments are entitled to Covenant funding and encouraged to apply. To find out more about the process for submitting an EOI or further details on timelines please read the EOI guidelines. The Covenant has a history of funding projects that contribute significantly to implementing new infrastructure and technologies, developing new systems and 'best practice' advice as well as funding litter initiatives. For more information please visit the Covenant website.

Currently there are 38 National Packaging Covenant funded projects underway across Australia with almost $13 million of Covenant funding (industry and government). These projects have leveraged total investment of more than $67 million and have the potential to divert approximately 550,000 tonnes per annum of packaging waste from landfill. You can read all about current and complete projects on the Covenant website under the projects section.

Road Deaths Australia 2007: Statistical Summary

Changes since 2006...

The number of road deaths in Australia increased by 1 per cent between 2006 and 2007. However, the pattern varied substantially between jurisdictions:

  • Deaths fell in Tasmania (14.5 per cent), NSW (9.9 per cent) and Victoria (0.9 per cent);
  • Increases occurred in the NT (33.3 per cent), WA (15.8 per cent), the ACT (7.7 per cent), Queensland (7.2 per cent) and SA (6.0 per cent).

Age...

  • In 2007, road users aged 17 to 25 years made up nearly a quarter of all road deaths. However, deaths in this age group decreased by 11 per cent compared with 2006;
  • Deaths among people aged 70 or more years increased by 10 per cent.

Gender...

  • Nearly three-quarters of fatally injured road users in 2007 were male;
  • Males made up more than 90 per cent of deaths among motorcyclists and bicyclists, and 79 per cent of deaths among vehicle drivers.

Time of crash (2005 to 2007)...

  • Fifty-nine per cent of drivers aged under 26 were killed during Friday to Sunday periods, with obvious spikes in the early (midnight to dawn) hours of Saturdays and Sundays;
  • Fifty-nine per cent of motorcyclists also died during Friday to Sunday periods, however fatal crashes among riders were most likely to occur on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

Speed zone...

  • Thirty-one per cent of fatal crashes in 2007 occurred on roads zoned 60 km/h or below;
  • Twenty-two per cent occurred in 65-95 km/h zones and 47 per cent were in 100 km/h zones or above.

Trucks...

  • In 2007 there were 142 fatal crashes and 172 deaths involving an articulated truck;
  • Two-thirds of these crashes involved another vehicle and 13 per cent involved a pedestrian.

Buses...

In 2007, there were 23 fatal crashes and 23 deaths involving a bus: 15 of these crashes involved another vehicle and 7 involved a pedestrian.

Anti-smoking campaigns reaps rich rewards

A national anti-smoking campaign has prompted nearly 200,000 people to kick the habit and should prevent about 55,000 deaths, research has shown. The heard-hitting 'Every cigarette is doing you damage' campaign which started 11 years ago is expected to save more than $740 million in health care costs. Within four years of the campaign starting, the health care savings had exceeded the $9 million cost of the advertisement, said Professor Susan Hurley (AAP).

Water a priority for Senator Xenophon

South Australian independent Senator Nick Xenophon has used his maiden speech to Federal Parliament to outline the issues at the top of his agenda including the state of the Murray-Darling Basin, abolition of poker machines and maintaining funding for the CSIRO.

Senator Xenophon says the dire condition of the nation's major river system is the biggest crisis Australia faces.He says its deterioration is a failure of federation.

"For more than a century, state governments have put parochial interests above the national interest and allowed this once-great river system to be drained to death's door," he said. "We know from the High Court's decision on WorkChoices the extent of Commonwealth power. That power should be used for the good of the entire [river] system and the communities that depend on it for their survival."

Big steps in Childcare

Australia is about to embark on reform of the nation's early childhood education and care system. The Rudd Government will consult with childcare experts and with state ministers with the aim of standardising the level of care and lifting the qualifications of cares. The Federal Government says that partnerships between all groups and spheres of government, including local government. In a speech to Parliament this week, Senator Kate Lundy, the former Opposition Local Government spokeswoman, said the current system was fragmented and could not guarantee quality. "It is time that we had a national set of standards linking licensing with accreditation," Senator Lundy said. "At present we have different licensing systems in every state and territory." This meant that there was no national standard ratio of workers to children, and different requirements in regard to qualifications. The childcare workers union, the LHMU, has called on the government to introduce consistent national quality standards and career paths with better pay for workers to help address a chronic shortage of staff. For more information on the LHMU's BIG STEPS in childcare campaign click here.

Bridges being mended in partnership

The State Government's extension of the Timber Bridges program is an example of governments working together for the benefit of communities, says the Shires Association of NSW.

Rural and regional councils across the state have applauded the announcement that the program would be extended until 2009-2010 to give more councils a chance to apply for funding.

"Skills shortages and rising costs of building materials mean that lots of councils that desperately need funding to maintain an existing bridge, or build a new one, have not yet been able to apply," President of the Shires Association, Cr Bruce Miller said.

"This extension means more councils will be able to put their hat in the ring, which will lead to newer and safer bridges for more rural and regional communities.

Noise about silent danger

Most councils are familiar with complaints about traffic noise. There is now a new twist on traffic noise (actually its lack of noise from electric and hybrid cars).

Silent running electric and petrol-electric hybrid cars have been identified as a risk to pedestrians, children, cyclists and blind people who do not hear them coming. The Pedestrian Council of Australia (PCA) has called for immediate changes to the Australian Design Rules to set a minimum noise for vehicles, as is being considered in the US.

Lotus Engineering, a division of sportscar maker Lotus, claims to have an answer to the problem. It has developed a realistic engine sound which varies with speed so people can determine how fast, and how far the vehicle is from them. Group Lotus CEO Mike Kimberley called on governments to introduce minimum noise requirements for hybrid and electric vehicles. Lotus has used a Toyota Prius, the world's highest volume hybrid vehicle, as its Safe & Sound Hybrid technology demonstrator. When the car is operating on the electric motor only, a realistic engine sound is projected through a waterproof speaker in the front of the vehicle. Recordings of a donor engine were made and analysed to establish the characteristic frequencies at different engine speeds.
Opposition supports strengthening of local government

The Leader of the Opposition, Dr Brendan Nelson, has nominated 'the weak position of local government in relation to states' as an issue to be confronted in reforming federalism.

In a recent address, 'Facing Future Challenges - the Future of our Federation and Governance,' Dr Nelson outlined the four key principles that would guide the Coalition's approach to addressing the future challenge of federation and governance: the need for greater responsibility and transparency, efficiency, responsiveness and accountability.

"Inequality, the problems, of living on a border, expensive crippling duplicated bureaucracy, under-developed infrastructure, avoidance of responsibility and the weak position of local government in relation to states are just some of the issues to be confronted."

"...As noted by the Commonwealth Grants Commission, states have recently stepped up the practice of shifting costs onto local councils," Dr Nelson said. "One example is in the reduction in funding for libraries, forcing councils to assume an extra responsibility rather than have those services withdrawn from their communities."

Dr Nelson also mentioned 'a reordering of responsibilities and the raising and distribution of money' as a key area that needed reform.

The Opposition had engaged Henry Ergas to undertake a thorough review of the tax system, 'with a view to not only reducing the overall burden, but reducing duplication and inefficiency in taxes levied by the three tiers of government.'

ATUG's Free Breakfast Series

The Australian Telecommunications Users Group (ATUG) is conducting a series of breakfasts to engage with small business and local government users of communications services and to tease out any issues or concerns in accessing services or supplies. The breakfasts will be held in Penrith on 3 September, Canberra on 4th September, Adelaide on 21st October, Wollongong on 28 October, Brisbane South on 5th November and Geelong on 18th November. To register: www.atug.com.au/SME08.cfm

Mayor supports Murray-Darling Rivers inquiry

The Senate has passed a motion to set up an urgent inquiry into how much water is in the Murray-Darling rivers system. The inquiry will look at how water can be obtained to replenish the lower lakes and Coorong in South Australia. The committee would report on the immediate crisis at the Murray mouth by September 30 and on longer-term questions of sustainable water management by December 4. Alexandrina Council mayor Kym McHugh says knowing the volume of water available will allow action to be taken. "We need to have an independent inquiry, an independent group, to verify the amount of water that's there," he said. "Then we'll know, once and for all, and politicians will be able to act and find some of that water and send it down," he said. The call for an inquiry was launched by the Greens and Independent Senator Nick Xenophon. The Coalition supported the inquiry and the Government conceded that it would not stand in the way.

Broadband network back on track

The Federal Government's $4.7 billion national broadband network is back on track after a six-month blow-out of its original schedule with the news that 13 telecommunications carriers submitted their network information to the Government last week. According to a 'Financial Review' report, the information is currently under review by Communications Minister Stephen Conroy's department and is expected to be delivered to each of the bidders for the network by early next week. Proponents will be given 12 weeks to finalise their bids ahead of a tentative submission deadline in early December. Bids will then be passed on to a panel of experts, which will be given two months to assess the proposals and identify preferred proponents. If all goes according to plan, the Government will sign off on the winning bid by the beginning of April. Creating a network capable of delivering high-speed internet to 98% of Australia's population as promised during the election campaign by Labor is likely to take up until June.

Contain urban creep; focus on building efficiencies into cities, urge architects

Increasing urban density and services to maximise efficiency and sustainability of infrastructure is the way forward for Australia's mature cities, according to the Australian Institute of Architects.

In a newly released policy on urban design, the Institute opposes the continued expansion of mature cities with existing large areas of developed land resulting from new land releases. The position is backed in the Institute's revised sustainability policy, released earlier this year.

The Institute's National President, Howard Tanner, says widespread government support of land release as a way to address housing affordability is unsustainable. "Increasing the size of our larger cities is not a sustainable solution. Instead, improving services and infrastructure - especially public transport networks in existing medium density zones with untapped potential for future growth - is where attention and resources should be focused," Mr Tanner said.

The Institute is calling for governments to conduct a national review of urban design outcomes and develop a national urban design policy which supports initiatives to increase the quality and density of housing and services in Australian cities.

Direct links to Australian Institute of Architects, public policies on:
Urban Design
Sustainability

Baby boomers want alternatives to a future in nursing homes, says poll

A majority of Australians over 50 have no intention of moving into a nursing home when they get frail, and expect governments to support the development of alternative forms of aged care and accommodation, a Galaxy Poll has found.

The lack of enthusiasm for traditional aged care homes has resulted in most baby boomers putting off a decision on their futures until they can no longer live at home, the research conducted for The Benevolent Society shows.

Of the 1,000 people aged over 50 polled across NSW, as many as 75 per cent said they would only move into a nursing home if they had no other choice.

"The research clearly demonstrates that older Australians are looking for something other than traditional establishments to provide the accommodation and care they need in later life," said Richard Spencer, the Chief Executive of the Society. "The figures back- up other expert findings on attitudes to future aged care and accommodation among baby boomers, especially in terms of the strong preference for maintaining independence and remaining in close proximity to family and friends."

Australia' s older population is growing at an unprecedented rate . In the next 12 years alone the proportion of the population aged above 65 years will increase from 14 to 18 per cent.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the Galaxy research showed there was general agreement among the over-50s that the government must shoulder the burden of increased costs for care, support and accommodation for the nation's ageing population. Overall 78 per cent believe that the government must start to budget now for the blow-out in costs that is expected to occur in the next 10 - 15 years. This is not good news for Generation X and Y!

Other key findings of the polling included: city residents are the most negatively disposed to nursing homes, while those in regional and rural areas are the most positive; and up to 61 per cent of people over 50 believe that they only need to think seriously about aged care accommodation when the family home ceases to become an option.

Electronic marketing guidelines

The Australian Privacy Commissioner, Karen Curtis, has released new guidance to assist organisations who seek to engage in electronic marketing.

Ms Curtis said the guidance materials discuss:

  • the coverage of the Privacy and Spam Acts, and how they interact
  • whether businesses have to get people's consent when sending electronic marketing messages
  • what businesses must tell people when marketing or sending other information by email

The materials complement guidance on spam produced by the Australian Communications and Media Authority. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner has also produced a set of FAQs for consumers on spam and privacy.

The guidance materials can be found here.

Expressions of Interest for the second stage of Small to Medium Enterprises - Responsible Business Practice project

St James Ethics Centre is keen to hear from those organisations who would be interested in contributing to this project. It is an expectation of the Centre that all Second Stage projects are completed by April 2009 in order to be showcased at the Tenth National Business Leaders Forum on Sustainable Development to be held in Parliament House, Canberra in May 2009. The EOI does not need to take the form of a detailed proposal in the first instance but rather an explanation of which segments of the Second Stage are of interest, relevant experience, the added value that the organisation can bring to the overall project, suggested approach, collaboration or contract. If seeking a paid contract it would be helpful to quote a 'ball-park figure'. EOIs will need to be received by St James Ethics Centre, addressed to Rosemary Sainty, Head, Responsible Business Project rsain@ethics.org.au, within the next fortnight. Following receipt of EOIs the Centre will contact successful applicants to arrange a time for a meeting (to be held during September 2008) where a more detailed proposal and costing can be communicated. If successful a contract or agreement will be drawn up and signed by both parties. For further information click here (and once you've read the background, click on SMEs in the right hand column.)

Rest Area Priorities

The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) has released its priority list for rest areas on key interstate routes for funding under the Australian Government's $70 million Heavy Vehicle and Safety and Productivity Plan.

New fatigue (driving hours) laws will require truck drivers to stop for rest breaks more often, but there simply aren't enough places for them to stop according to the ATA. A recent audit concluded that none of Australia's major highways have enough rest areas to meet the national guidelines.

According to the ATA thousands of new rest areas are needed across the country.

This means there is the potential to impact on councils as truck drivers may decide to divert of the main roads and stop on local roads to take mandatory breaks.

The ATA in its submission to the Government identifies 18 priority locations where new or expanded rest areas are needed ranging from the intersection of the M7 and M4 motorways in Sydney to the Barkley Highway near Frewina in the Northern Territory.

The following priority rest areas were identified by the ATA.

NEW SOUTH WALES

  • Construction of a major rest area, including adequate capacity for changeovers and decoupling, in proximity to the intersection of the M7 and M4 in Sydney.
  • Construction of a major rest area, including adequate capacity for changeovers and decoupling, on the M5 on approach to the Botany ports precinct in Sydney.
  • Construction of rest areas on the Pacific Highway north (heading northbound) and south (heading southbound) of Grafton.
  • Construction of a rest area on the Princes Highway between Kiama and Eden.
  • Construction of a rest area southbound on the Newell Highway at Pilliga State Forest.
  • Capacity upgrades to the existing rest area infrastructure on the Gwydir Highway between Grafton and Moree.
  • Capacity upgrades to the existing rest area infrastructure on the Barrier Highway between Narromine and Cobar.
  • Construction of major rest areas northbound and southbound on the F3 in proximity to the Hawkesbury area in Sydney.

VICTORIA

  • Capacity upgrades to the existing rest area infrastructure on the Hume Highway between Wodonga and Melbourne to address overcrowding at existing facilities.
  • Construction of a rest area on the Western Highway between Nhill and the South Australian border.

QUEENSLAND

  • Construction of major rest areas on the Gateway Motorway north (heading northbound) and south (heading southbound) of the Brisbane airport.
  • Capacity upgrades to the existing rest area infrastructure on the Bruce Highway.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

  • Capacity upgrades to the existing rest area and decoupling infrastructure on the Great Northern Highway at Wubin.
  • Capacity upgrades to the existing rest area and decoupling infrastructure on the North-West Coastal Highway at Carnarvon.
  • Capacity upgrades to the existing rest area and decoupling infrastructure on the Great Northern Highway at Apple Street, Swan Valley.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

  • Capacity upgrades to the existing rest area infrastructure on the Barrier Highway between Oodla Wirra in South Australia and the New South Wales border.
  • The South Australia Road Transport Association is submitting an additional list of rest areas in South Australia to the Australian Government for its consideration.

NORTHERN TERRITORY

  • Construction of a rest area on the Barkly Highway in proximity to Barry Caves in the Northern Territory.
  • Construction of a rest area on the Barkly Highway in proximity to Frewina in the Northern Territory.
Quote of the week

"It's also going to take a new way of governing - particularly increased cooperation between federal, state and local governments, businesses and community organisations."
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd speaking at the National Press Club on Wednesday

International news  

The sex lives of UK council-tax payers are being secretly monitored by local authority inspectors to establish whether residents claiming single person?s discounts are really living alone.

The covert tactics have been condemned as disproportionate use of council powers. A surveillance dossier used by the Labour-run Rotherham council shows permission has been given to inspectors to use "drive-past surveillance", sweeping round and round the block for a glimpse of lovers staying overnight.

Local authorities have adopted the techniques after the government urged them to carry out "spot checks" on properties where a single-person council-tax discount is claimed. Councils are also demanding that householders give access to their bedrooms in return for the single-person discount. Inspectors can use the searches to check bedrooms for evidence of live-in lovers not disclosed to the authorities.

Claimants of a 25% discount for single people in Thurrock, Essex, have to sign a form authorising "the council or its agents to make inquiries to corroborate this claim" and "inspect the property".

The Conservatives have accused Labour of wanting to check people's bedrooms for underwear and creating a "surveillance state where spying on citizens becomes the norm". They said it was wrong for people to be spied on and interrogated about their sex lives to qualify for discounts.

Rotherham council said its covert operations were legal and that "the intrusiveness of the surveillance is kept to a minimum, only doing the least amount necessary to obtain the information required".

The Department of Communities and Local Government said: "Everyone would agree councils should take measures to ensure those people who claim the single-person discount on their council tax are eligible to do so. It is up to individual councils to appropriately use the powers that they have to do this." ('The Times,' UK)

State of the Regions report 2006-07
Forthcoming events

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ALGA News can be read online each week at www.alga.asn.au/news.aspx
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