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5 Sep 2008
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Local government calls for a fair share of taxation revenue

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The Australia's Future Tax System Review Panel invites submissions as part of the broad strategy for consulting with the Australian community. The call for submissions follows the recent release of Treasury's Architecture of Australia's Tax and Transfer System paper and the Pension Review background paper.

The Review Panel, chaired by Treasury Secretary Ken Henry, wants to ensure views and ideas from a wide cross-section of the community are considered and urges interested Australians to take advantage of the opportunity to participate. The closing date for submissions is Friday 17 October 2008.

ALGA is preparing a submission that will highlight the place of local government in our federation, and the importance of taxation revenue in the federal system to ensure the delivery of government services at the local level. The submission is expected to explore the role of property tax as a form of taxation, and the effects on property taxation of regulatory rules and constraints such as rate capping. In addition, the critical importance of an effective tax sharing/distribution system in a centralised taxation system will also be explored.

Once submissions have been received, the panel will consider ideas and may initiate meetings with major representative organisations for further discussions on tax policy review priorities. Submissions and these initial discussions will inform a consultation paper that will be prepared and released by the panel before the end of 2008.

For more information on Australia's Future Tax System Review and its terms of reference, how to make a submission, or to obtain a copy of the Architecture paper, please visit www.taxreview.treasury.gov.au or call 1800 614 133.

Blokey local government culture 'has to change'

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The Minister for the Status of Women Tanya Plibersek said that a culture change was needed so that a 'critical mass' of women could move up into management and leadership roles in local government.

She said that the Federal Government was looking at a number of measures to assist more women into senior roles across the board, which included asking the Productivity Commission to conduct an inquiry into maternity and paternity leave.

MAV President and ALGA Board Member Cr Dick Gross also addressed the Women in Local Government Management National Forum organised by the Local Government Managers' Association (LGMA) in Canberra this week.

Cr Gross said that culture change was episodic, 'in fits and starts', rather than systemic. "There is no doubt that local government is still blokey," he said. "We need to observe that and understand that it has to change."

Cr Gross said our current environment of rapid change meant that the challenge was to have a culture able to adapt quickly and to harness and value the contribution of each individual. He used the analogy of a rowing crew navigating whitewater rapids where 'we all have some control over our destiny which leads to the improvement of the group' as an example of modern management rather than the old 'command-control' model.

Other speakers at the Forum included Senator Judith Troeth who co-chaired an inquiry into women's representation on regional and rural bodies of influence; Fiona Krautil, head of advancement of diversity and women at the ANZ; and Catherine Fox who writes the 'Corporate Woman' column for the 'Australian Financial Review.'

The LGMA will establish a Women in Local Government program as part of a Year of Women in Local Government consisting of 'reverse mentoring', development programs, 'men only' workshops to raise awareness, showcasing successful women in local government, a resource book, voluntary targets and diversity 'health checks.'

More information at www.lgma.org.au or phone 03 96829222

Call for 'big-picture' infrastructure ideas

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Federal Infrastructure and Transport Minister Anthony Albanese and Infrastructure Australia Chair Sir Rod Eddington have called for the community to put forward ideas for national infrastructure projects.

Submissions will be open until 15 October and individuals and community groups are encouraged to submit their project ideas to Infrastructure Australia for evaluation and possible inclusion on the National Infrastructure Priority List - the first of which will be handed to the Council of Australian Governments in March 2009.

"We want both industry and the community to be our partners in the long term effort to fix and modernise the nation's critical economic infrastructure: our roads; railways; ports; water and energy utilities; and telecommunications," said Mr Albanese.

"I urge the community to take this opportunity to have their say. After all, the quality of the nation's infrastructure affects the bottom line of all businesses and the quality of life of all citizens.

"But in making a submission we are asking people to look beyond their own street or neighbourhood and to put forward ideas and suggestions that will strengthen the national economy."

Infrastructure Australia's immediate tasks are to conduct an audit of the nation's transport, energy, communications and water infrastructure; produce an Infrastructure Priority List to guide future public and private investment decisions; and develop nationally consistent guidelines for Public Private Partnerships. Infrastructure Australia is also in a position to provide advice on the harmonisation of policies and regulations relating to investment in and use of nationally significant infrastructure.

The discussion paper calls for evidence-based submissions to inform each of these tasks. Submissions should be no more than 15 pages and sent to mail@infrastructureaustralia.gov.au with "Submission" in the subject field. Although email is preferred, submissions may be lodged via post and should be addressed to:

The Infrastructure Coordinator
Infrastructure Australia
GPO Box 594
CANBERRA 2601

A copy of the discussion paper, as well as information about how to prepare and lodge a submission, is at: www.infrastructureaustralia.gov.au.
From the President

We all remember a time, maybe 20 years ago, when almost every suburb and town had a butcher, a greengrocer and a corner store. The concentration of the food and grocery market in the hands of the two major supermarket chains Coles and Woolworths, and its impact on competitive pricing, is shaping up as a major issue not just in the community but in government circles. I was interested to see that '4 Corners' on ABC TV covered this in some depth on Monday night. As Graeme Samuel, the chief of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) said on the program: "Competition exists, but it's not as vigorous as we?d like it to be."

The reasons and solutions are complex. The Federal Government has said it will empower the ACCC to prevent the practice of 'creeping acquisitions' ie. the steady buying-out of competitors. The other issue which has been cited as an artificial barrier to competition are the web of restrictive leases negotiated between Woolworths and Coles and the shopping centre owners. There is also the issue of the major chains being able to object to development approvals by their competitors, which can slow the process. There is no doubt that commercial self-interest and vexatious appeals have been known to tie up planning appeals in the courts. This is something that should be considered as part of a broader response.

The recent Productivity Commission Inquiry into Retail Tenancy Leases has recommended that the states and territories examine the potential to relax planning and zoning controls that limit competition and restrict retail space. This recommendation is consistent with the ACCC inquiry into grocery pricing which also recommends that governments examine ways in which zoning and planning laws adversely affect competition between supermarkets in a locality. The Minister for Small Business, Dr Craig Emerson, has said the Federal Government would now work with state and territory governments through the Council of Australian Governments' (COAG) Business Competition and Regulation Working Group on implementation of the Commonwealth's response. COAG has also been tasked with examining the ACCC recommendations.

There are associated issues about land-use - where land is available, should supermarkets be given priority over aged-care facilities or affordable housing initiatives? Councils are give the task of balancing all these priorities and residents are becoming increasingly vocal. For example, recently, 3,000 people - more than the Wallaroo population - signed a petition asking the Copper Coast Council to reconsider locating a major supermarket in the town?s centre. Planning schemes are designed to assist in the delivery of sound and orderly planning, such as efficient traffic management, ensuring retail centres are well-located with regard to the population they serve, and with an appropriate amount and diversity or retail services when compared with other landuse needs. This is why councils have strategic plans and associated zoning schemes.

ALGA is at the front-line of sensible reform but not at the cost of poor quality development and an end to effective community engagement. The Local Government and Planning Ministers Council sub-group on planning reform is focusing on a number of key areas including performance monitoring, electronic development assessment and complying development. 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. The way ahead is definitely complex but I am confident that with the three spheres of government working together cooperatively, we can come up with constructive solutions that create diversity in the market and balance the best interests of consumers and local communities. We must remember that development needs to be considered in a wider community and spatial context and to ensure we achieve the best possible and most sustainable outcomes.

Footnote: The Productivity Commission's report can be found at www.pc.gov.au while the Government's response can be seen at www.innovation.gov.au/retailtenancy. The ACCC report is available at: www.accc.gov.au

Cr Paul Bell AM
ALGA President

National local government fleet study

ICLEI Oceania is calling for input from council fleet managers across Australia to help develop a national inventory of local government vehicle fleets.

Funded by the Australian Government and a first of its kind, the study is designed to increase understanding of emissions impacts and reduction opportunities in this sector.

Opportunities for emissions reductions might include new vehicle technologies, fuels and fleet management approaches.

According to ICLEI, the knowledge gained through this survey will help develop effective projects and strategies for key action across council vehicle fleets. It says strong input from all Australian councils is critical to ensure that the data - which will be used to inform future local, state and federal programs - is accurate.

The study is an initiative of ICLEI Oceania's Cities for Climate Protection (CCP) Australia program. However, non-CCP councils are also encouraged to take part in the study to increase the quality and value of this data for all Australian local governments. Councils have until Friday 26 September 2008 to submit their data using a specially design workbook.

Fleet managers/coordinators can download a copy of the workbook from the CCP Sustainable Transport website.

Library builds cultural bridges

Charles Sturt Council's library service has won the prestigious Jim Crawford Award 2008 for an outstanding program to bridge cultures for Muslim refugees in western Adelaide, South Australia.

The program was aimed at helping new arrivals from the Middle East, Africa and Bosnia with their English literary skills and to connect them to social networks.

Delivered in partnership with the Muslim Women's Association, the program has involved reading stories in both English and either Arabic, Somali or Bosnian, with newly arrived refugee mothers and children.

It has seen a number of the group become library users. The library service will receive a $10,000 prize for library or library staff development.

Australia's first woman Governor General

Australia will get its first female governor-general when Quentin Bryce is sworn in today at Parliament House.

The former Queensland governor will become the country's 25th governor-general when she assumes the post vacated earlier this week by Major General Michael Jeffery.

She comes to the head of state role after serving as governor of Queensland for five years. She has been a lifelong supporter of women's and human rights and served as federal sex discrimination commissioner and Queensland director of the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. She also lectured in law, founded the Queensland Women's Information Service and served as chair of the National Breast Cancer Centre Advisory Council and Australian Women's Cricket Board.

Winner of Urban Design Award

The City of Greater Bendigo project "Bendigo City: a journey of transformation and commitment to quality" was this year's winner of the prestigious award.

Positive engagement with the community has underpinned a sequence of physical works, plans and enhanced relationships with stakeholders. Removal of overhead electrical lines enabled extensive avenues of street trees, footpaths have been repaved in quality materials, and improved pedestrian promenades linking key heritage buildings have been installed. An innovative 'shared space' approach is being installed in principal retail streets, reversing the relationship between people and vehicles.

Two commendations were awarded to GHD for the Glenelg Tramline Extension in the Adelaide CBD and to Landcom (NSW) for The Landcom Guidelines for residential development. The Australia Award for Urban Design is hosted by the Planning Institute of Australia, Australian Institute of Architects, Landscape Institute of Australia and the Urban Design Forum.

Qld population to reach 8m

Queensland's population is expected to reach eight million in under 50 years, a new report predicts.

The state's population will increase from 4.1 million in 2006 to almost six million within 20 years, according to the report titled Population Projections to 2056: Queensland Statistical Divisions.

The state's population will increase from 4.1 million in 2006 to almost six million within 20 years, according to the report titled Population Projections to 2056: Queensland Statistical Divisions.

It will hit the eight million mark by 2056. The government has urged local councils to use the data, available from the Queensland Treasury, in their planning.

Vic: No plan to extend 2am pub lockout

Melbourne's controversial 2am lockout trial will be abandoned indefinitely.

News Limited says the Victorian Government has confirmed the three-month trial introduced to curb alcohol-related violence on the inner city streets will not be extended.

"The current lockout trial will cease at the start of September," a government statement said. "An evaluation of its effectiveness will be completed. The temporary lockout will cease before any future ongoing arrangements are put in place."

Patrons were banned from entering more than 487 inner-city venues after 2am under the lockout rules.

A review of the trial will be conducted by Liquor Licensing Victoria in consultation with police, local councils and licensees.

The government may not make a decision about whether to retain the lockout policy until the end of the year. (AAP)

Citizenship test overhaul flagged

A major overhaul is planned for the citizenship test after a review found it to be flawed and discriminatory.

Richard Woolcott, the head of a committee commissioned to review the test, said the 2006-document needed reform.

"The standout recommendation would be that the present test is flawed and seen by some as intimidatory and needs substantial reform," Mr Woolcott told News Ltd.

"Many of the (review) submissions thought that the standard of English required was too high and discriminated against non-English speaking migrants, of which there are, of course, an increasing number," Mr Woolcott said.

The committee received 170 submissions from members of the public and has forwarded its 32 recommendations to the government for consideration.

Facilities in mining towns

The Queensland government has announced a $100 million plan over three years to improve facilities in the state's booming mining towns.

Under the Sustainable Resource Communities Agreement, mining companies will have to talk to the state government about their projects before they could go ahead, said Premier Anna Bligh. She said the agreement was aimed at strengthening partnerships between government, industry and local communities and improving the regulatory environment for social impact assessment for new resource developments.

"It will be backed by a $100 million funding program over three years for economic and social infrastructure in regional and rural communities in key mining areas," Ms Bligh said.

"Projects may include new or upgraded roads, schools and health facilities."

Signatories to the agreement are the state government, Local Government Association of Queensland and the Queensland Resources Council (QRC).

Drought declarations

The Federal Government announced that it will extend assistance for 32 drought-declared areas in NSW, Victoria, Western Australia and South Australia.

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke said the Government had accepted the advice of the National Rural Advisory Council which reviewed areas due to expire on 30 September 2008.

Farmers and small businesses in the areas which have been extended can now access assistance until 31 March 2009. Details at www.daff.gov.au
Local government and climate change

ALGA has commissioned Deacons to produce a briefing paper on the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Scheme (NGERS), the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme and complementary measures.

This report will help to inform ALGA's submission on the Government's Green Paper on the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme which is due on Wednesday 10 September. ALGA's submission will be published in next week's 'ALGA News.'

The paper reports on whether councils are captured by NGERS, and points to some opportunities for councils to address the issues raised and some positive ways forward. "Now more than ever it will be in the interests of local councils to implement energy efficiency measures in relation to the provision of services and infrastructure and to undertake energy audits, with a view to implementing energy management plans," the report states. The full report is available at www.alga.asn.au

Constitutional Summit

ALGA is convening the Local Government Constitutional Summit - A Special National General Assembly from 8-11 December 2008 in Melbourne to bring local government together to discuss and debate formal recognition and local government's place in the Constitution and to reach agreement if possible on a preferred option for a Constitutional Amendment.

This Summit is the culmination of the work by ALGA and your state/territory association in canvassing local governments' views and aspirations and working through the options for recognition and the various merits of each.

Make sure you are present at this historic event. Delegates attending will have the opportunity to have their say, reflect on the views of your peers and to ensure that your community and state are represented.

Log onto the website to download the Summit Program, register online or to find out more about the event.

Category winners in 2008 national awards

The Federal Government yesterday announced the winners and those receiving commendations across 10 categories in the 2008 National Awards for Local Government. The next and final stage of the 2008 awards process will be selecting council winners for the overall National Awards, which will be determined by a National Judging Panel later this month.

71 councils took part in this year's Awards, submitting 114 entries from across Australia. This year marks the 22nd successful year of the National Awards.

The ongoing theme of the Awards is "Local Government - working hard for Australians" and it showcases the resourcefulness and innovation of Australia's hard working councils in improving services to their communities.

Information about the Awards and the complete list of category and commendations winners can be found here.

LGAQ calls on regional councils to support Constitutional Recognition

The Local Government Association of Queensland is calling on regional councils to support a campaign to have local government recognised in the Federal Constitution.

President Paul Bell has told delegates at the LGAQ conference in Cairns that talks will be held in Melbourne in December to examine the proposal.

He says Constitutional recognition of local government should be put to a referendum.

"Instead of local government having to go cap in hand with a begging bowl to state and federal governments in regards to funding and new service delivery, we would be at the table of COAG [Council of Australian Governments], we'd be at the table of Ministerial Councils and other places in our own right as a third sphere of government," he said.

Telecommunications issues

The Australian Government has now opened the bidding process for companies interested in building a new national broadband network, one of its election policy commitments. According to the Government, the network, which will be supported with Federal Government funding of $4.7 billion from the Building Australia Fund, will provide 98 per cent of Australians with broadband speeds 40 times faster than they have currently. The bidding process closes on November 26, 2008. The potential of a national broadband network to produce social and economic outcomes for communities across the nation is immense, and local government is keen to tap into the opportunities that such infrastructure can provide their communities. Indeed, ALGA's 'State of the Regions' reports have been canvassing these issues for several years.

Next week, the Minister for Communications, Stephen Conroy, is convening a special forum in Melbourne with key stakeholders, to discuss the digital economy and the many policy issues, challenges and opportunities presented by it. The forum follows three smaller workshops attended by business and other stakeholders, including ALGA, on the future of the digital economy looking towards 2013. These workshops focused on the themes of capabilities, confidence and content. Cr Paul Braybrooks will be ALGA's representative at the forum.

In addition, ALGA notes that the report of the Regional Telecommunications Independent Review Committee on the adequacy of telecommunications services in rural and regional Australia was due to be received by Minister Conroy at the end of August 2008. The report is expected to make a solid contribution to the Australian Government's consideration of telecommunications and the building of a national broadband network.

Murray-Darling "never been worse"

Conditions in the parched Murray-Darling Basin are the worst in recorded history.

The Murray Darling Basin Commission's latest drought update, released this week, paints a picture of the worst conditions since records began in 1892. The Commission is currently preparing a report for a Senate inquiry into water availability in the system.

"We're continuing to establish new records that we don't particularly wish to establish," the commission's chief executive Wendy Craik said. "There's really no relief in sight. I think we can say the drought's continuing to worsen."

Water Minister Penny Wong said Australia needed to prepare for a worsening drought situation. The responsible thing to do is to prepare for a future where we are likely to see less rain in the southern part of Australia."

The commission's update also shows that while most basin states have slashed the amount of water they're taking out of the system, Queensland is taking out more. NSW is taking out much less than normal, and Victoria has significantly cut its extractions, but Queensland's share of water extractions has increased massively.

Meanwhile, the Local Government Association of South Australia executive committee has approved an initial $35,000 in funding for works to manage water in different council areas around South Australia.

Renmark Paringa council chief executive Barry Hurst said the funding would be spent on priority areas for water saving projects.

He says the Renmark Paringa district has already seen the benefits of greywater initiatives.

"Particularly with the almost 100 per cent re-use now of treated waste water from the Renmark treatment plant and the piping of that water to the golf club so that they're able to water the fairways and that's saving a significant amount of water that would otherwise be drawn from the river system," he said.

NSW hygiene crackdown

Food outlets across Sydney have been put on notice, with authorities flagging a crackdown on hygiene. NSW Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald says food safety officers will stage a "blitz" in coming months, with a joint task force of the NSW Food Authority and local councils.

The move follows the introduction of new food safety laws which have handed new regulatory powers to councils and allow poorly performing restaurants and take-away shops to be named on the food authority's website.

Pink Ribbon Day

Pink Ribbon Day is the signature day of the National Breast Cancer Foundation and falls on Monday 27th of October. October is also internationally known as Breast Cancer Month. On Pink Ribbon Day, the NBCF actively asks the Australian community to buy a pink ribbon to help fund breast cancer research. As key supporters and researchers, you can help throughout the month of October by hosting a Pink Ribbon Breakfast. It's a great opportunity to get together with your friends, family, work colleagues or neighbours. Whether your Pink Ribbon Breakfast is big or small, you are making a difference to the lives of many Australians.

To host your own Pink Ribbon Breakfast and receive a Host Kit with goodies from our sponsors click here. But be quick as Host Kits are only available to the first 5,000 registrations.

Greener neighbourhoods a click away

A new interactive web portal, launched by Environment Minister Peter Garrett, will provide urban developers with valuable information, including fact sheets and national and international case studies, on the creation of greener neighbourhoods.

Your Development, produced in partnership with the CSIRO, will help shape more sustainable neighbourhoods across the country, delivering expert and up-to-date advice for private and public developers, government agencies, designers, planners and builders. The website will provide tips on the creation of more sustainable neighbourhoods and information on topics ranging from water and energy efficiency to climate change adaptation and site ecology.

The website contains more than 60 fact sheets available as free downloads, providing information on all stages of the development process, from planning and design through to construction.

Mr Garrett said the launch of the website came as the Government continued national roundtables on practical solutions for households to reduce their energy use, save on energy bills and make a real contribution to tackling climate change, ahead of the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) White Paper.

Your Development is available at www.yourdevelopment.org

Saving a Sunburnt Country

Local government is moving beyond addressing the impact of climate change on infrastructure and the challenges of rising sea levels to consider what global warming will mean for ecosystem management and species conservation.

The conference is organised by the Nature Conservation Council of NSW and supported by the NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change and the Sydney Metro Catchment Management Authority.

For more information visit Website
Note: Early bird registration closes 26 September 2008

Women - win free registration!

It's on again - the leading event for women in the public sector and politics in Australia, Going Public, is back for its fourth year. Going Public will be held on November 20 and 21, 2008, at the Amora Hotel Jamison Sydney. An ideal event for women working in or with local, state or federal government, Going Public delivers cutting-edge speakers; tools for professional and personal development; tips for achieving life balance; and learning and networking opportunities.

ALGA has two free registrations to Going Public to give away, valued at $1078 each - one for a regional delegate and one for someone from a metropolitan area. Complete your registration to go into the draw to win a full refund. Type in ALGA under Special Needs on the registration form. Entries will close Monday November 3.

Qld: council independence

Queensland Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg says local governments forced to amalgamate under the Labor government would be given the option to unwind their mergers if the Liberal National Party (LNP) wins office at the next state election.

Speaking at the annual Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) conference in Cairns this week, Mr Springborg said an independent authority would be set up to offer a way for communities to deamalgamate.

An LNP government would recognise local government in the Queensland Constitution and draft a partnership agreement between the two levels of government.

Local governments would also be reinstated as corporate bodies under the LNP.

Local Government Minister Warren Pitt said today deamalgamation was a "backwards-looking policy" that would weaken councils.

Quote of the week

"Integrity needs no rules"
Albert Camus, French author and philosopher (1913-1960)

International news  

On 4 August, the European Commission launched a public consultation on the European Union's approach to a global climate change agreement up to and beyond 2012 when the current Kyoto Protocol targets will end. Stakeholders and the general public were invited to put forward their views on a number of critical issues, such as mid-term emission reduction targets for developed countries and emission reduction actions for developing countries, adaptation to climate change, technology cooperation and finance. The results of the survey will help shape the EU's position on the global post-2012 agreement. A conference for stakeholders is planned for later this year.

Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said: "It was agreed in Bali last year that a new global climate change agreement should be adopted by the end of 2009. The ambitious agreement that needs to be reached in Copenhagen must bring together the world's nations to tackle this global challenge effectively. It is important that our contribution to this discussion is shaped by the knowledge and expertise of the different EU stakeholders."

More information about climate change is available here.

State of the Regions report 2006-07
Forthcoming events

For a full listing of forthcoming events, see ALGA's Events calendar.
ALGA News can be read online each week at www.alga.asn.au/news.aspx
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