From the President
Applications close today at 4.00pm AESDT for the $550 million funding available for community infrastructure projects under the Rudd Government's Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program - Strategic Projects.
The program responds to ALGA's past representations to the Federal Government on the need for community infrastructure investment. ALGA has advocated for additional Federal Government funding for community infrastructure since a PricewaterhouseCoopers report into local government financial sustainability, commissioned by ALGA in 2006, highlighted an investment backlog of at least $14.5 billion in local infrastructure spending.
It is pleasing that local government projects have been included as a significant part of the Federal Government's stimulus packages.
With funding contributed by councils, infrastructure projects worth more than $1 billion will soon be underway in local communities across Australia. Such a significant investment in local communities, in addition to the $250 million of funding previously announced by the Government in November, will make a real difference to local communities by supporting local jobs and improving local community infrastructure.
Given the short application period and to ensure that applications submitted by councils have the best possible design and planning content, ALGA has partnered with the Australian Institute of Architects to provide councils with access to experienced architects on a pro bono basis. It is good to see that a number of councils have taken up this opportunity.
Yesterday I spoke at the Australian Roads Summit 2009 in Brisbane. I used this platform to call for reform to Australia's road funding arrangements to ensure that local roads receive the necessary funding needed to keep pace with the needs of freight transport across the country.
I told delegates that local government's ability to support future road transport productivity reforms would depend on creating new funding sources such as through the introduction of incremental pricing.
Incremental pricing is a Council of Australian Government (COAG) initiative being developed by the National Transport Commission whereby a truck operator is able to buy additional weight on a truck above the legally allowed limit. The concept behind incremental pricing for roads is simple - the price the truck operator pays reflects the damage to the road pavement and bridges caused by the additional mass.
Trials for incremental pricing were agreed between the States and the Commonwealth Government two years ago but they are still yet to begin. It is time for them to get on with the job. This is an important micro-economic reform and has significant implications for local councils and local communities.
I hope that incremental pricing is a stepping stone towards further consideration of full road pricing for heavy vehicles in order to take some of the increasing road funding burden off ratepayers.
Local councils manage more than 80% of Australia's road system but have no guaranteed funding source except council rates revenue which is severely stretched meeting other responsibilities.
I also used my speech to remind the Federal Government of the need of many rural councils to replace ageing and decaying timber bridges and to renew ALGA's call for a funding program aimed specifically at restoring country bridges.
Funding for a bridge renewal program would boost local employment and complement the current economic stimulus measures being rolled out. Most importantly, it would expand Australia's productive capacity and ensure that local communities remain accessible places for trucks, residents and visitors alike.
Finally, I urge you and your council to attend the 2009 National General Assembly of Local Government, to be held in Canberra on 21 to 24 June. This event has assumed real national significance as the major forum for the debate of local government priorities. This has been recognised by the Federal Government which will hold the next meeting of Mayors and Shire Presidents to coincide with the General Assembly.
Through ALGA's advocacy work and the work of councils in helping to shape ALGA's policy priorities through national events such as the National General Assembly, local government has strengthened its credibility, its influence and its reputation at the national level.
Our recent success in securing $800 million in funding under the Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program as part of the Economic Stimulus Package can be attributed to a combination of active lobbying by ALGA and the initiatives and ideas that have been generated at previous National General Assemblies.
This year's Assembly, to be held at the National Convention Centre in Canberra focuses on the real priorities facing local government and has the theme Rising to the Challenge - Infrastructure, Financing, Climate Change. It will provide a valuable opportunity for local government to explore and develop policy in these key areas.
ALGA has responded to feedback received from previous General Assemblies and we have revised the process for motions to ensure that the debate relates to current national priorities. This year we are calling for motions under the three major themes of the Assembly - infrastructure, climate change and financing. To assist Councils in developing motions that fall under the themes, ALGA has put together a discussion paper for each theme which outlines local and federal policies as well as the current issues and initiatives that are being debated.
The Australian Government is now looking to local government to play its role as a partner in tackling the big issues facing the nation and the National General Assembly is the opportunity to make sure that your Council's views feed directly into consideration of the national priorities facing local government. For more information go to www.nga.alga.asn.au.
Cr Geoff Lake
ALGA President
ALGA hosts first focus group on Healthy Spaces and Places website
This week, ALGA hosted the first of a series of small focus groups to be held around the country to test the scope, useability, accessibility, relevance, and areas for improvement on the Healthy Spaces and Places pilot website and printed guide. These small focus groups are designed to elicit feedback from identified stakeholders such as local councils, local government associations, planners, urban built environment professionals, sporting bodies, policy officers and a variety of state and federal government officials.
The commencement of the focus groups follows the very successful consultation workshops held around Australia in 2008 on the draft Healthy Spaces and Places national planning guide, which is a joint collaboration between ALGA, the Planning Institute of Australia and the National Heart Foundation, with funding support from the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.
More information about the project, including a newsletter reporting the outcomes from the consultation workshops, can be found here.
If you would like to participate at a focus group, please contact Anne Moroney on 02 6262 5933 or email healthyplaces@planning.org.au
"A-Play" now offers pay-by-the month options for councils and schools
Australian playground equipment designer and manufacturer Australasian Playgrounds has re-launched as A-Play.
A-Play's Managing Director, Dean Joel said A-Play will build on the company's legacy as a leader in the playground equipment industry but with a new image and new services.
"A new rental program is now available to customers, allowing them to pay for new playgrounds by the month," Mr Joel said.
"A-Play's Rental System offers schools and councils with budgetary constraints the opportunity to reap the benefits of a new playground system immediately without the pressure of paying an upfront purchase amount.
"A-Play will continue to design and manufacture high quality, customised playground systems at our Knoxfield headquarters in Melbourne's outer east, where we employ more than twenty staff.
According to Mr Joel, recent changes to the business include the appointment of extra staff resulting in reduced turnaround times, improved quality and new product development for other markets.
"Increasing staff numbers will allow us to broaden our product range. We look forward to continuing our existing relationships with schools, while also developing our products and services to meet the needs of local government."
Australasian Playgrounds was established in 1995 and has designed, manufactured and installed more than 4000 playgrounds in schools and councils nationally.
Closing the Gap
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd recently announced the creation of the new position Coordinator-General for Remote Indigenous Services.
The position is a statutory position, responsible to the Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, the Hon Jenny Macklin, that will have the authority to cut through bureaucratic blockages and help make sure government services are delivered in remote communities.
The position has been created to drive the Government's efforts to close the gap between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians by providing 26 remote communities with a single point of contact for government through the Coordinator-General in a role that covers the delivery of housing, health, early childhood, welfare and education services.
This announcement is part of the Australian Government's new model service delivery in remote Australia, with twenty six remote communities receiving funding of $291 million over six years.
In a related announcement the Government has announced that Mike Zissler, former CEO of the ACT Department of Territory and Municipal Services and ALGA Board Alternate Director, has been appointed as Operational Commander of the Northern Territory Emergency Response (NTER) Operation's Centre.
Mr Zissler has extensive experience managing the provision of health, education and government services as well as experience with working with remote indigenous communities.
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Community events conference
Monday 18 and Tuesday 19 May 2009 Luna Park, Sydney
Register your event planning and communication staff now for Snags, Crackers and Flags: Growing Australia Day and events in your community.
Conference themes include:
- engaging young people
- branding and media
- event case studies
- 'green' events
Conference speakers include:
- Linda Bracken: Manager, triple j
- Mark Bin Bakar: 2007 NAIDOC Person of the Year and 2008 West Australian of the Year
- Bernard Salt: Commentator and advisor on Australian demographic and cultural trends
- Russel Howcroft: Managing Director, George Patterson Y&R and panelist of ABC TV's The Gruen Transfer
Events planned and delivered by local government - like Australia Day celebrations - are important to building strong communities and can deliver significant social benefits if successful.
This conference will provide a learning, sharing and inspiring environment for delegates to deliver more effective community events. Brought to you by the network of Australia Day Councils and Committees in each state and territory, the delegate fee for two days is just $550, including lunch, morning and afternoon tea and the conference dinner.
For more information and to register: www.australiaday.org.au/conference
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Rising to the Challenge - Infrastructure, Climate Change and Financing
Online registration is now open for this year's National General Assembly of Local Government.
The Assembly themed Rising to the Challenge - Infrastructure, Financing, Climate Change will provide a valuable opportunity for local government to explore and develop policy in these three key national policy areas.
Local government has an increasing involvement and profile in a wide range of policy areas in Australia. These include federal fiscal relations, climate change and water, social inclusion and regional and community infrastructure, and more recently in assisting with the implementation of regional and local community infrastructure initiatives as part of the Australian Government?s Economic Stimulus Package response to the Global Financial Crisis.
This year's Assembly is a vital opportunity for local government to work as a united sector to set the national agenda for local government.
ALGA has invited the following speakers:
- Prime Minister, the Hon Kevin Rudd
- Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, the Hon Anthony Albanese
- Leader of the Opposition, the Hon Malcolm Turnbull
- Leader of the Nationals, the Hon Warren Truss
Register now at www.nga.alga.asn.au and save $200 with the $799 early bird registration.
Cultural Ministers Council Steering Committee meets in Adelaide
ALGA attended last Friday's meeting of the Steering Committee for Cultural Ministers. The meeting is attended by senior officers representing all the jurisdictional Department of Arts, including the Commonwealth Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts and the Australia Council.
The meeting agenda focused on the ongoing implementation of agreements arising from last October's ministerial council meeting that was held in Alice Springs. This included such topics as the ongoing refinement of the Cultural Ministers Council Strategy, contemporary music development, indigenous arts and championing the role of arts in Australia's education systems.
Whilst ALGA has only observer status on the Ministerial Council, local government's input and contribution to the arts and cultural debate is widely acknowledged. The Steering committee was particularly interested to gain a further appreciation on exactly what cultural infrastructure councils around Australia were seeking to develop as a consequence of the Federal Government's local and regional community infrastructure fund announced last November and again as a consequence of the economic stimulus package in February.
The steering committee agreed to meet again in June to finalise the ministerial council agenda. The CMC, chaired by South Australia, is scheduled to meet on 9 October in Adelaide.
New NSW Housing Code "live test"
The NSW Planning Minister, Kristina Keneally, has promised NSW developers, individual house builders and mums and dads that it is now possible to get faster home approvals with the commencement of the NSW State wide Housing - Exempt and Complying Development Code.
The Code, in the form of the State Environmental Planning Policy, outlines how most new detached single and two-storey homes, and home alterations, can be approved within ten days. It also allows many minor improvements to proceed without planning or construction approval. The Code also contains measures to preserve existing neighbourhood character, and manage neighbours' rights and concerns relating to heritage and residential amenity.
The NSW Department of Planning has produced a range of materials that are now available to help councils, practitioners and the community implement the new approvals system. The materials include planning circulars, fact sheets and on line web information sources.
Due to overwhelming interest by local council practitioners, private certifiers, developers, and specialist professionals the Department of Planning has agreed to run additional information workshops during March. Details of the workshops can be viewed online.
Whilst local government has generally welcomed the need to streamline the overly complex NSW government created planning system, councils have expressed concern that the new housing code may cause further headaches over the coming 12 months. The NSW Department of Planning has already had to amend the Code in response to specific issues identified since its gazettal in December 2008. The Code came into affect on 27 February 2009.
The commencement of the NSW Housing Code has national significance given that NSW has agreed to lead a sponsored Local Government and Planning Ministers' Council Development assessment reform Sub group project that seeks to investigate the possibility of developing a National Complying Code.
Fire warning SMS initiative
Victorian police are being criticised for sending out a fire warning SMS to people in Victoria and Tasmania, with some recipients saying it caused them to panic and others claiming not to have received a text at all.
The message, sent to five million customers of the major telcos in Victoria, warned of high fire risk in the state this week and urged customers to listen to ABC Local Radio for updates.
The text message had already caused some problems after Telstra admitted some Tasmanian customers received it because it could not separate customers in the two states.
And many people along the Victorian-New South Wales border missed out on the message all together.
On ABC Local Radio some Victorian residents said the text message made them believe the situation was worse than it now appears to be.
Victoria's Emergency Services Commissioner, Bruce Esplin, says the message was sent to ensure as many people as possible were aware of the fire risk.
"We were worried that there were people who don't necessarily read newspapers or listen to radios or even watch television, so we wanted to get a warning out to those people.
"It looks like there's been quite a substantial surge in all of those call centres and monitors so that is an indication that people got the message and used the prompt to go and seek more information which is what we really wanted," he said.
But he says he wants to see a more sophisticated system put in place in the future.
Regional Development Australia
Regional Development Australia (RDA), a new joint Commonwealth-State regional development body, was created in NSW with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Commonwealth and New South Wales Governments.
MoU was signed on behalf of the Commonwealth, Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Development and Northern Australia, Gary Gray, and by the NSW Minister for Regional Development, Phillip Costa for NSW on 25 February 2009.
The new Regional Development Australia committees will replace the 14 NSW Area Consultative Committees (ACCs) and the State's 13 Regional Development Boards (RDBs).
The members of these committees have been consulted, and are contributing to the implementation of the new arrangements and a successful transition.
The next step will be to fill the new RDA committees. The Commonwealth and NSW Governments will soon be publicly inviting expressions of interest for RDA committee members, including chairs and deputy chairs.
Membership is being sought from a wide cross section of community members from regional NSW. Local government will also be represented on the new committees.
The role of the Regional Development Australia committee will be to integrate the work of all levels of government to improve regional economies and amenity.
Existing funding for the current boards (Commonwealth and NSW) will transfer to the new Regional Development Australia.
The Regional Development Australia committees will assist government agencies to focus their work on the priorities identified by each community. The new RDA committees will build on the work undertaken by the ACCs and RDBs.
Mr Costa and Mr Gray said this agreement is about the three levels of government working in partnership to benefit local communities and find local solutions, while being able to concentrate the expertise of the whole of Australian governments.
Heritage advisory services handbook
A new national online resource provides advice and positive case studies for those interested in setting up a heritage advisory service in their council areas.
Heritage Advisory Services assist local governments and communities manage and conserve heritage places. The service involves appointing a heritage expert to provide free advice to local government staff, residents and businesses on all aspects of heritage conservation from maintenance and repairs to new development applications.
Throughout many towns, the benefits of these services are now evident with restored heritage buildings, reconstructed verandahs, appropriate signage, upgraded streetscapes, additional street planting and, in most cases, a changed community perception towards the value of heritage. The advisor position may serve as a catalyst for local heritage conservation and presentation.
Heritage Advisory Services are often jointly funded by State heritage agencies in partnership with local councils or independently by local councils. The handbook contains contacts in each State to find out how to establish a Heritage Advisory Service in your area.
The Handbook is now published online.
Quote of the week
"When written in Chinese, the word crisis is composed of two characters. One represents the danger and the other represents opportunity."
John F. Kennedy
International news 
Speculation is mounting that recommendations from the Royal Commission established to review Governance in Auckland might include the formation of a 'Super City', effectively amalgamating Auckland's eight existing councils into one super council.
Throughout 2008, the Commissioners conducted extensive consultation, reviewed submissions, conducted hearings, and undertook their own research with the final report due by 31st March 2009.
Recent media reports have also sparked concern over possible job losses. The Public Service Association is urging the Royal Commission to retain council staff and protect their pay and conditions claiming that if the reduce staff they will jeopardize the very efficiencies they set out to achieve.
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Melbourne Planning Summit
Tuesday 28th - Wednesday 29th April
Location: Zinc @ Federation Square, Melbourne
The Summit will provide an opportunity for discussion and review of latest developments in urban planning in Melbourne, focused on the new Melbourne @ 5 million urban growth planning updates. It will draw lessons from Australia-wide planning experiences. The conference will cover issues including:
- The new Victorian transport strategy;
- Lessons learnt from the Melbourne 2030 Audit;
- Financing urban services and infrastructure;
- Planning for population growth;
- Planning for an ageing population;
It will feature sessions on innovative urban partnerships and planning best practice case studies. Speakers include:
- Justin Madden, Minister for Planning
- Jim Betts, Secretary, Department of Transport
- Prue Digby, Deputy Secretary, Victorian Department of Planning and Community Development
- Liz Johnstone, Manager, Planning Policy & Projects, MAV
- Cr Paul Klisaris, Mayor, City of Monash
- David Keenan, Director, City Sustainability, Hume City Council
- David Mayes, Manager Strategic Planning and Sustainability, City of Melbourne
- Alan Cadogan, Executive Manager, City Strategy, City of Sydney
- Kerry Doss, Manager, City Planning, Brisbane City Council
Further details about the Summit, including the full program, are available at www.halledit.com.au/mps or contact Denise McQueen on 03 8534 5021 or
Email denise.mcqueen@halledit.com.au
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