From the President

Constitutional Recognition for local government has been at the forefront of debate in successive National General Assemblies. This has been long-sought and lobbied for - to recognise the role and importance of communities in Australia by recognising local government in the paramount political document of the Federation, the Australian Constitution.

Recognition in the Constitution would reflect local government's role as the third sphere of government in Australia. The absence of this recognition impacts on inter-governmental relations and potentially the democratic development of the sphere of government closest to the Australia people.

Local government delivers the nation's priorities at the grassroots community level. In this day and age, it seems ridiculous that local government only exists under state legislation and has no legal recognition in our national Constitution.

The push to achieve Constitutional Recognition for local government has been given new impetus with the election of a new Labor Federal Government almost a year ago. The Australian Labor Party went into the election with a commitment to consult, during its first term, with local government on the process for achieving Constitutional Recognition.

The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA), in conjunction with State and Territory Associations, have been working throughout 2008 on a strategy to take forward the issue with the aim of developing a proposal to take to the Federal Government in 2009.

Many councils in all states and territories have participated in the process, which included:

• Initial council feedback and council conversations;
• State based processes and the development of state positions
• An Experts Forum in August, comprising of just over 80 representatives, which reviewed and refined the options for recognition as well as the possible ways forward in terms of process; and
• The Local Government Constitutional Summit - A Special National General Assembly, where local government has the opportunity to clarify and decide on the strategies for taking Constitutional Recognition forward.

This year's Constitutional Summit program is designed to give delegates the maximum opportunity for participation and an unparalleled opportunity to engage with your colleagues in this important national discussion. Delegates will also have the opportunity to engage with our speakers and develop a deeper understanding of the issues.

As we move through the Summit, we will hear from a range of speakers who will remind us that the task ahead is enormous. These constitutional and referendum experts will tell us about Australia's poor record of referendum success, the difficulty in gaining public support and some of the tactics used in the past.

I believe local government is mature enough to come to a unified position on Constitutional Recognition through the Delegate Discussions at the Constitutional Summit. At the Summit, we will move through the various options for recognition covering symbolic recognition, institutional recognition, financial recognition, as well as discussion on a model that combines of some of these options.

ALGA will distribute Business Papers to all delegates in November. These Business Papers, which were workshopped and reviewed at the August Experts' Forum, will provide information on the options available to local government, the strengths and issues associated with each of them as well as technical information with drafting and constitutional advice.

Registrations are now available at www.alga.asn.au

I look forward to seeing you in Melbourne and helping to make history together.

Cr Paul Bell AM
ALGA President

International workers plug labour gaps

Employers need to focus on attracting and retaining mobile talent as Australia still faces a labour shortage and migration increases, industry representatives attending a presentation on Migration and the Australian Workforce sponsored by Manpower at the National Press Club heard this week.

Speakers included Chris Richardson from Access Economics and Peter McDonald from the Australian National University. According to Mr Richardson, the social compact meant that lifelong taxation led to expectations that older Australians would be 'looked after' and this could only be done by increasing the number of taxpayers through growing the population, which was happening largely through migration. With migration levels into Australia at 184,000 people in 2007 and 60% of these skilled migrants, employers need to cotton on to the concept of 'brain exchange.'

Employers needed to understand the supply and demand nature of labour flows across the world. Workers were attracted to Australia but the US, UK and Spain were the preferred destinations for working abroad. Engineers and labourers were in the top categories of skills needed by employers in Australia and the top two countries of these workers were the UK and China.

Emergency preparedness

The Australian Red Cross has developed some general community information to assist people to prepare their households for a range of emergencies. These materials are aimed at moving beyond surviving the hazard to building resilience to the broader impact of an emergency.

These resources are able to be linked to council disaster management/preparedness web pages or can be included in any preparedness activities that you are undertaking at the local level.

Following the lead of their American and Canadian counterparts in using three easy to remember steps: 1. Be Informed, 2. Make a Plan, and 3. Get a kit. Australian Red Cross has added a fourth step, 4. Know Your Neighbours, to encourage people to build community networks, which we all know are vital for any emergency, small or large.

For more info and to download copies of the pamphlets click here.

Challenges for new NSW Ministers

The Local Government and Shires Associations of NSW have welcomed the appointment of Kristina Keneally as NSW Planning Minister.

"We look forward to a more positive working relationship with Minister Keneally on the implementation of the planning laws to ensure they are workable and the negative impacts are minimised," said Cr McCaffery.

Cr McCaffery congratulated outgoing Local Government Minister Paul Lynch on his promotion.

The LGASA said that new Water Minister Phillip Costa should immediately rule out removing control of local water utilities from councils.

Community linkages

'Join In, Join Up!' is an innovative and exciting project from Our Community in collaboration with The Pharmacy Guild of Australia and supported by the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) and Telstra.

The project has been created to harness the potential of The Pharmacy Guild of Australia's 5000 community pharmacies across Australia to be major resources to help people 'get connected' with a community group in their local area, acting as a link between the public and the community organisations listed on the Join In, Join Up! Directories.

'Join In, Join Up!' web pages have been added to the Our Community website, providing a range of resources on finding a community group to join or making a group more inclusive. Take a look at: www.ourcommunity.com.au/joinin

Skilled labour in regional Australia

The Minister for Education, Julia Gillard, has announced 15 new projects under the Targeting Skills Needs in Regions program to help address regional workforce needs.

The Targeting Skills Needs in Regions program provides a targeted response to skills shortages, workforce development and training for industries and regions in need.

The new projects will help tackle the workforce needs of high skill occupations and industries such as water conservation, transport, tourism, mining and allied health.

A detailed list of the projects and their locations is available at www.deewr.gov.au

Moving urban freight symposium

The 'Moving Urban Freight' symposium organised by the Truck Industry Council (TIC) will be held in Sydney Australia on the 21st and 22nd October 2008. The symposium is for stakeholders involved in the transport policy debate to address the key issues currently being experienced in Australian cities. Among these are for example, reducing the conflict over issues such as congestion whilst meeting the needs of transporting people in conjunction with moving the freight people need for their day to day living, making traffic flow management more effective, minimising the impact of emissions on the environment beyond current truck engine standards, identifying solutions that have met with success in other countries and how government and truck manufacturers can work together on these and other issues such as future truck design. Speakers include Nic Fairholme, who is responsible for the London Low Emission Zone, and Commissioner Mario Cordero, Past Chairman of the Port of Long Beach California, who will present the complete story behind the port's 'Clean Truck Program'. To register please download the attached PDF and return to Truck Industry Council P.O. Box 5350 Kingston ACT 2603. Enquiries can be directed to Tony McMullan CEO on phone number 02 6248 0536 or email address tony@truck-industry-council.org.

NSW to consider aerosol paint can ban

The NSW government will consider a total ban on the sale of aerosol paint cans, in a bid to crack down on graffiti. A probe is underway within the Attorney-General's department to determine the "feasibility, effectiveness and potential implications of a complete ban on the sale of aerosol pain in NSW". Submissions have been received from groups including paint and retail industries, youth-focused organisations, local councils, RailCorp and the State Transit Authority.

The year of women in local government

The Australian local government sector has designated 2010 as the Year of Women in Local Government to celebrate and promote the advancement of women into senior management positions. The announcement follows a national forum of representatives from local, state and commonwealth governments, local government associations and peak professional bodies that was convened by Local Government Managers Australia (LGMA) and held in Canberra last week. Speaking at the conclusion of the forum, LGMA National President and Chief Executive Officer of the City of Unley (SA), Ray Pincombe said the Year of Women in Local Government was a powerful and proven method of raising awareness and educating the local government sector on the value and capacity of women as senior managers. A working party consisting of over 10 representatives from the local, state and commonwealth government sectors, local government associations and peak professional bodies has been formed to define and develop the way forward for the Year of Women in Local Government.

Call for increased maternity leave

Marrickville Council resolved at its meeting of 15 July 2008 to call on the Federal Government, the Local Government and Shires Associations of NSW, and ALGA to increase award paid maternity provisions from 9 weeks to 14 weeks.

In a letter to ALGA, General Manager of Marrickville Council Kim Anson said that the council had increased its paid maternity leave entitlement from 9 weeks to 14 weeks 'as a first step to improving working conditions for women having children' and had written to other NSW councils encouraging them to consider similar action.

New name for HREOC

HREOC has a new identity - it will now be known as the Australian Human Rights Commission. The new corporate image for the Australian Human Rights Commission is, it says, the first step towards ensuring that all Australian audiences know that Australia has an independent national institution with the responsibility to protect and promote human rights in Australia.

Homelessness getting worse

A new report released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics found that the number of Australians who sleep rough rose by 16 per cent in the five years between 2001 and 2006. Counting the Homeless Australia 2006 showed a shift in the type of households who are becoming homeless - with more couples and families becoming homeless and slightly fewer singles, and homelessness amongst kids under 12 increasing by 22 per cent since 2001.

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The Regulatory Revolution: survival skills for professionals

Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 October 2008

This 2 day Executive Workshop is designed to provide practical frameworks and constructs to better understand regulatory activities within the a political context and will highlight necessary tools for effective professional work by local government executives.

Current issues such as measuring regulatory impacts and reducing burdens will be examined and global regulatory trends will be explored.

Learn and Earn CPD points at the same time.

For further details and registration go to www.law.monash.edu.au/regstudies/
the.regulatory.revolution.final.pdf.

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October 8 and 9, Brisbane

This important conference will feature presentations and case studies about the latest technologies and innovations being used by local governments to improve their planning and development assessment processes. A particular focus will be an expert update on the Federal Government's $30 million rollout of electronic development assessments (eDAs).

Economic development managers, councillors and senior managers from local government and regional economic development bodies will meet in Brisbane on October 8 & 9 for the 2008 National Economic Development Conference.

The two-day conference is focused on the theme of 'Innovation in Sustainable Economic Development'. More than 250 delegates are expected to attend the conference and the Economic Development Excellence Awards Gala Dinner to be held in the evening of Day 1 of the conference.

International and local speakers at the conference will include the CEO of the City of Greater Geelong, Kay Rundle; Christian Saublens, the Executive Manager of the European Association of Development Agencies, and David Jackson, the Economic Development Manager for the City of Brisbane.

More than 30 senior economic development managers and practitioners will address the two-day conference which is the peak annual event for ED practitoners. It will be hosted by Economic Development Australia, the professional body for economic development practitioners and managers in local, regional, state and federal governments.

Successful case studies in attracting knowledge-based industries, generating local tourism revenues, creating more sustainable local businesses, and building competitive advantages for local industry will be outlined, allowing delegates to immediately use that information.

It will provide a unique opportunity to network with economic development managers in local government and regional economic organisations from all parts of the country. Progress in developing the Professional Development (PD) program for Economic Development managers will be outlined. A Master Class will be held on the third day.

The agenda of the 2008 conference can be viewed at http://www.halledit.com.au/ed08
For more information, please telephone the conference organisers, Hallmark Conferences on 03 8534 5000 or email denise.mcqueen@halledit.com.au

Swan talks up cooperation

In an interview with Laurie Oakes on the weekend, the Treasurer Wayne Swan famously admitted he couldn't live off the pension. In the same interview, he also discussed the issue of infrastructure investment, nominated as a major priority of the Rudd Government, and mentioned local government's role. "...we are prepared to work with state governments, with local government and with the business community in planning infrastructure for the future, and we're doing that through Infrastructure Australia. We're doing that through our Building Australia Fund." With local government's well-argued push for a Local Community Infrastructure Renewals Fund, ALGA will be watching any developments on this front with interest.

Vic Premier calls for COAG reforms

Victorian Premier John Brumby has called for a review of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG), saying COAG's agenda needs to be better clarified.

Addressing a forum on federalism in Melbourne yesterday, Mr Brumby said federalism was working but more needed to be done to improve the inter-governmental system for the greater good of the country.

"The size and scope of the challenges we face are too great for any one level of government to tackle on their own - that's why we need co-operative federalism," the Premier told delegates at the Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG) conference.

"Federalism needs to change, to adapt to our changing circumstances and to benefit the community - however, in changing, we must resist the temptation to go back to the future...the old arguments of states versus commonwealth.

"We've seen great progress from COAG, we have achieved clear and identifiable and positive outcomes.

"Now ... we need to turn what's been a year of action by COAG into a decade of action and national reform. To do so, we need to elevate even further the status of COAG. We need to clarify the agenda (of COAG)."

National transport reforms needed

The Minister for Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Anthony Albanese, has signalled that reform for Australia's train network is an important national priority, with a host of diverse regulations at every state border.

No fewer than 10 separate bodies are dotted across the country, playing a role in rail safety, the Minister said in a speech this week to the Sydney Institute. "Australia has seven rail safety regulators, three rail safety investigators and different rules in every state."

"The European Union and the Unites States each have one. It is extraordinary that in the 21st century, (Australia's) trains are required to change their staffing ratios as they cross borders."

Mr Albanese said truck drivers also faced a variety of regulatory requirements as they crossed borders.

He said the Productivity Commission found in 2007 that improvements in the efficiency of the road and rail fright industry, including more streamlined regulation, could add up to $2.4 billion to the nation's annual gross domestic product (GDP).

"Commonsense dictates that in a country of just 21 million people, one consistent set of transport laws and regulations is the position we should be aspiring to," Mr Albanese said.

Mr Albanese said Rudd Government had set aside $20 billion in the Building Australia Fund to address infrastructure capacity constraints, including in the transport network, and new body Infrastructure Australia was conducting a review.

He also said the Australian Transport Council would make recommendations to COAG in October that would offer in-principle support to "policy initiatives to move Australia towards a truly national transport framework".

Sustainable House Day

Sustainable House Day this weekend will provide Australians with an opportunity to see first hand how they can save energy, money and tackle carbon pollution by making changes around the house, Environment Minister Peter Garrett has said. More than 100 homes will be open across the country, showcasing the latest in practical and cost-effective energy and water efficient technology.

"Making changes around the home, like switching to energy efficient light globes, installing more efficient appliances, glazing, insulation and hot water systems, can make a real difference to your hip pocket and the amount of carbon pollution your home contributes," Minister Garrett said. A list of the houses, schools and businesses that will be open on the 13th and 14th of September 2008 is available at www.sustainablehouseday.com/

Recognition - 'bollocks' or a blessing?

The Constitutional Summit from December 8-11 in Melbourne is an opportunity to have your say. At the Summit, local government will aim to reach a unified position on the form that Constitutional Recognition might take. According to ALGA President, Cr Paul Bell, who is pushing for reform, recognition could be symbolic or deliver constitutional powers, such as the right to impose taxes, or oppose state intervention.

And opinions are already heating up. If recent media reports can be relied on, we have a range of views. An Ipswich councilor, Cr Paul Tully, has joined the push to have local governments formally recognised. Formal recognition would guarantee financial distributions from the Commonwealth and, depending on the nature of the amendment, set guidelines for council amalgamations, Cr Tully said.

"Currently the Australian Constitution makes no reference to local government," Cr Tully said. "Local government in Australia - which actually pre-dated Federation in 1901 - would be guaranteed its position (under the proposed change)."

Baulkham Hills Council wants local government to be better recognised with more institutional and financial freedoms. Mayor Sonya Phillips said local government is the closest form of government to ordinary people and should be recognised as such. She is calling for a national referendum on the matter.

"We are no longer simply deliverers of roads, rubbish and rates, but are responsible for social planning, aged and youth strategies, forward planning and recreational pursuits," Cr Phillips said.

She would like to build a model similar to the Roads to Recovery program, in which the Federal Government distributes funds directly to councils.

"If local government is to have a future stable platform to provide all the services that the Australian community deserves, we require a regular flow of additional revenue and full recognition as an equal third tier of government," she said.

However, on the other side, Cambridge councillors believe a national push for Constitutional Recognition of local government is a waste of money and resources, and unwanted by ratepayers.

Cr David Berry said the campaign was 'bollocks,' as ratepayers wanted little more from councils than their roads fixed and park lawns mown.

"Local government is full of burgeoning bureaucracies, people scurrying around seeking a reason for being who need to get a grip," he said.

The Australian Local Government Association is encouraging all councils to have Council Conversations before tackling the issue at the special National General Assembly in December. Details and registration at www.alga.asn.au/constitutionalrecognition/

State and federal Labor are united in support for constitutional recognition, as part of co-operative federalism, according to WA Local Government Minister Ljiljanna Ravlich.

Review of CAP aged care payments

Nursing home and hostel operators, older Australians, unions and consumer representatives have been invited to lodge formal submissions to the Review of the Conditional Adjustment Payment (CAP) in residential aged care. Advertisements will appear in national newspapers and submissions will be accepted up until Friday, 24 October 2008. The CAP was introduced in 2004-05 by the previous Government to provide additional medium term financial assistance to residential aged care providers while encouraging them to become more efficient through improved management practices. Over the last four years, the CAP has seen more than $838.7 million in additional subsidies go to the residential aged care sector. The Government is seeking comment from organisations and individuals with an interest in the provision of residential care for frail older people. Submissions can be emailed to cap.review@health.gov.au. They can also be faxed to (02) 6289 1560 or mailed to CAP Review, MDP 76, Department of Health and Ageing, GPO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601.

Climate change and waves

The Federal Government has released new research into how climate change might affect off-shore waves and the potential impact on our coastal zones. The research investigated climatic conditions which could lead to changes in waves on Australia's coast, including 'extreme waves' of around three metres or more. The available modelled data suggests that over the past 45 years there has been an increase in the frequency of weather events which led to large waves being generated off Australia's southern coast. The study will help increase our understanding of the potential impacts to the coastal zone, as well as providing valuable information for those seeking to generate electricity from wave energy. The report also outlined, for the first time, a method for identifying which parts of our coast are likely to be more susceptible to the impacts of large and powerful waves. This is critical information for coastal zone managers to help them plan for the potential impacts of climate change. The full report is available at www.climatechange.gov.au

Meanwhile, the Minister for Climate Change and Water, Senator Penny Wong, has announced $198,500 for a study to assess how climate change will impact on Indigenous communities in northern Australia.

New approach needed for Murray crisis

The Federal Government lacks the knowledge to solve the crisis facing the Murray-Darling Basin, a top water expert has said, as South Australia pledged to hand its powers over the water system to the commonwealth.

Professor Mike Young said the basin had been managed by a confused system "designed to crash".

An expert must be appointed to oversee plans to save the parched basin, the professor of water economics and management at the University of Adelaide said.

"I can't find out who is really responsible at the moment, it's a mixture of lots of committees and lots of processes, and nobody really knows what is going on," Prof Young told reporters in Adelaide after giving evidence to a Senate committee inquiry into the lower basin.

"We need a governance regime that is designed to work on outcomes and to fix this problem very quickly.

Prof Young, a member of the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists, told the inquiry the River Murray suffered from a governance crisis.

The South Australian government will introduce legislation into parliament in the current session to hand its Murray River powers to the commonwealth.

The legislation will give effect to the agreement signed by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) in July.

Also this week Climate Change Minister Penny Wong announced a new $400 million tender to buy water entitlements in the northern section of the Murray-Darling Basin. Senator Wong has invited property owners in Queensland and northern New South Wales to respond to the offer, which opens next Monday. The NSW Government confirmed it has purchased the Toorale cotton station in northwest NSW with Commonwealth Assistance to boost flows to the parched Murray-Darling Basin by up to 90 gigalitres a year.

New faces at National Water Commission

The Minister for Climate Change and Water, Senator Penny Wong, has announced the appointments of new commissioners to the National Water Commission.

The inaugural Chair and Chief Executive Officer of the National Water Commission, Ken Matthews, has been reappointed for a further three-year term. Prior to his appointment to the Commission, Mr Matthews was a former Secretary of the Commonwealth Departments of Transport and Regional Services and Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

The three other Australian Government-nominated commissioners are: Laurie Arthur (Chair, National Farmers Federation Water Task Force); Sally Farrier (Director, Farrier Swier Consulting Pty Ltd); and Chloe Munro (current National Water Commissioner and Executive Director, Innovation Projects for the Digital Future, Telstra). The three commissioners nominated by the states and territories are Professor Stuart Bunn (Director, Australian Rivers Institute, Griffith University); Adjunct Professor Chris Davis (former CEO, Australian Water Association), and Elaine Gardiner (Chairman, Ord Irrigation Cooperative).

The National Water Commission will continue to oversee the shared commitments agreed to in 2004 by Commonwealth, state and territory governments under the National Water Initiative.

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Chartered Secretaries Australia
Annual Public Sector Update
Navigating governance challenges

 

How successfully is the public sector responding to today's governance challenges? What are the issues around implementing practical governance? Are you equipped to deliver the truth that the public expects? These are the issues of the moment.

You'll get insights into these and discover how to effectively navigate through these challenges at the CSA Annual Public Sector Update. You cannot afford to miss this major event.

DON'T MISS OUT! REGISTER TODAY

Adelaide ? 17^th September
Sydney ? 15^th October
Darwin ? 27^th October

For further information or to register visit www.CSAust.com/PublicSectorUpdate
or call 1800 251 849.