From the President

The recent G20 meeting attended by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd came at a crucial time for the global economy. However, the success of the meeting will not be known for some time to come until its various agreements have had a chance to be implemented at the national level of member countries and the outcomes evaluated.

In Australia, many of the points of agreement reached at the G20 had already been instigated here prior to the meeting. Regardless of whether you personally support the extent of the Federal Government's stimulus package spending, local government has clearly been a significant beneficiary. Over the past six months, $800 million for community infrastructure has been pledged to councils and a range of other relevant funding opportunities have been expanded and made available such as increased Blackspot funding.

However just like almost every other sector of the Australian economy, the negative effects of the global economic slowdown are likely to be keenly felt by councils. One obvious effect is a fall in own-source income for councils. With interest rates at near historic record lows, interest earned on council deposits and investments has already fallen substantially. As more people in the community lose jobs or have their hours at work reduced, capacity to pay rates will also suffer. I am aware that councils in NSW, for example, are already experiencing much higher numbers of defaults on council rate payments.

To compound the problems caused by declining revenues, it is likely that demand for council services will increase. Social and human services at the local level are important in periods of increasing unemployment and we can expect a greater demand on council services over the coming year across areas such as libraries, community health, aged services and other human services.

It is predicted that Australia's unemployment rate will jump well beyond the 7% originally predicted for 2009-10. As people lose their jobs, they will also likely change their behavioral and lifestyle patterns. They will live more of their lives locally. Council services and the local environment will be important points of stability for people facing uncertain futures. Here is another obvious place for local government to play its part in helping to respond to the most pressing national issues.

The Treasurer has indicated that the forthcoming Federal Budget will add to the steps already taken by the Government to support economic demand, jobs, growth and to build the schools, roads and homes the nation needs. Let's hope that local government's funding needs - reflecting the needs of local communities - are also included in what will be a blueprint for spending over the next 12 months. ALGA has presented a detailed case to the Federal Government for increases in recurrent financial support to councils to assist local government play its part in meeting the range of challenges we collectively face.

A copy of ALGA's Budget Submission, Securing Australia's Economic and Social Future, will be mailed to each council in Australia at the beginning of next week. It can also be accessed online at ALGA's Website.

Cr Geoff Lake
ALGA President

National Award for Planning Excellence

The winners of the Planning Institute of Australia's National Awards for Planning Excellence were announced recently in Darwin.

Winners included:

• Young Planner of the Year

Winner
Kirsty Albrecht

• Rural and Regional Planning Achievement Award

Joint Winner 2
Far North Queensland Draft Regional Plan 2025 (Northern Region, Planning Group, Dept. of Infrastructure and Planning)

• Urban Planning Achievement Award

Winner
Planned New Town - Port Macquarie
Port Macquarie - Hastings Council

• Environmental Planning and Conservation Award

Joint Winner
Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management Plan
Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management Board

• President's Award

Combined Winner
Future Melbourne Community Plan (City of Melbourne) and Combined Winner Sustainable Sydney 2030 (City of Sydney)

More details here.

Emergency communications

The Emergency Media & Public Affairs Conference will be held in Melbourne from Sunday 24 May to Tuesday 26 May 2009.

The speaker program is now on the website

The Keynote Speaker is Robert Jensen, Acting Director, Office of External Affairs at the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Washington DC. EMPA's other overseas speaker is Colin Feslier, Strategic Communications Manager at the Department of Internal Affairs, New Zealand.

Other top speakers include Hon Bob Cameron MP, Minister for Police & Emergency Services-Victoria, Richard Dinnan, ABC Radio FNQ, Brett McLeod, Nine Network, Tony Pearce, Director-General, Emergency Management Australia, Steve Newton, Metcash and Scott Kelleher, Australian Institute of Criminology.

The earlybird discount has been extended to the week after Easter, and delegate bookings may be made on-line here.

A planting revolution

Planet Ark is calling on all councils to help it start a tree planting revolution by registering and running National Tree Day sites in their local area. Aside from the opportunity to engage your residents in environmental issues and raise the profile of your council's environmental activities, National Tree Day events can help revegetate local bushland and green spaces, supporting local community and school groups along the way.

This year's National Tree Day will take place around the country on Sunday 2 August with Schools Tree Day to be held on Friday 31 July. Planet Ark is appealing to all councils to register and run tree-planting sites so that local constituents can volunteer and get involved. Councils can organise multiple tree planting sites and even support existing sites with contributions such as seedlings or ground preparation.

Planet Ark provides support to all registered Site-Coordinators through its National Tree Day Hotline and website, where downloadable resources as well as tools to help you promote your tree planting, are readily available.

For an information kit or to register visit here or call the National Tree Day Hotline on 1300 88 5000.

Indigenous services report

The Steering Committee for the Review of Government Service Provision's publication Report on Government Services 2009 : Indigenous Compendium is available from the Productivity Commission's website. The publication gathers together data drawn entirely from the previously released 'Report on Government Services 2009'. This report is available on the website . Steering Committee website.

Law and order update

The Australian Institute of Criminology has released the following publication: Armed robbery in Australia: 2006 National Armed Robbery Monitoring Program annual report by Lance Smith and Erin Louis. It is available here.

The National Armed Robbery Monitoring Program (NARMP) was established to fill an information gap on trends and patterns of armed robbery in Australia, especially in relation to changes over time in the use of specific weapons. The 2006 annual report is the fourth publication since the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) began monitoring this offence in 2003. Building on previous analyses, this report provides an overview of the 7,560 victims of armed robbery and the situations, including the locations, which made them vulnerable to victimisation.

Water saving measures

NSW councils are on their way to saving 10,000 mega litres of water by July 2010 thanks to a $22m joint initiative of the Local Government and Shires Associations of NSW (LGSA) and the NSW Water Directorate.

The Water Loss Management Program, which is also partly funded by the Federal Government's Water Smart Australia Program, encourages local water utilities to adopt innovative and practical water-saving solutions.

President of the Local Government Association, Cr Genia McCaffery says a large number of councils have joined the program with innovative projects.

"The program highlights councils' commitment to environmental sustainability, with 55 councils across NSW involved," said Cr McCaffery.

For more information, visit the Water Loss Management Program website or phone Ian Maggs, Water Loss Program Manager at the LGSA on 02 9242 4127.

Community Road Safety

Austroads has recently released its Austroads Guide to Road Safety Part 4: Local Government and Community Road Safety.

The Austroads Guide provides an overview of how local government and community road safety programs are structured in Australia and New Zealand, what types of activity they involve, and how they contribute to road safety outcomes. It outlines and discusses:

• the road safety responsibilities of local government;
• the advantages of working closely with the community in meeting those responsibilities;
• the growing importance of capacity building;
• social capital and social networking in the delivery of government services and their particular relevance to local road safety.

The Guide includes advice on the development and funding of local road safety strategies, mobilising resources, and evaluation and review. Case studies of various strategy plans are presented along with examples of road safety activities. Communication and reporting are also addressed. There is also a list of useful resources for local government and community road safety programs.

This is an essential reference for those people in local government with an interest in or responsibility for road safety.

This is the latest in the now completed nine part Guide to Road Safety.

Copies are available from the Austroads website.

Council staff can obtain free copies of all Austroads publications in PDF, including this one, be using their Council ID and password. These can be obtained by emailing a request to austroads@austroads.com.au.

Austroads contact: on content: Phil Allan, Safety Program Manager 08 8204 8843; for publication availability: Judi Sorbie, Office Manager 02 9264 7088

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Invitation to ICT Benchmarking Study

How do you determine the right size of your IT department? Do you overspend or underspend on IT?

If you wish to benchmark the performance of your IT department against other Local Government organizations, we invite you to take part in this study:

• the first part of the study provides insights into the IT staffing and budget ratios linked to the overall satisfaction with the IT performance. If you are a business executive and wish to contribute your experience, please click on this link to take a 5 min survey www.Swiftpage8.com/survey/
  LGbenchmarking.
• for more detailed analysis of key IT functions, please ask your IT Manager to participate in the second part of the study. It enables you to benchmark specific technologies and looks into IT trends specific to the Local Government business. IT Managers are invited to complete this 15 min survey www.Swiftpage8.com/survey/
  LGbenchmarking

This is the first IT benchmarking study of its kind targeting Local Government in Australia and your participation is key to its success. Please take a few moments to share your perspective, and, in return, leverage experiences of your peers.

Contact: Dr Leila Abbasova, Technology Indicators Pty Ltd, Leila_abbasova@tech-indicators.com.au, www.tech-indicators.com.au

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NSW Sustainable Development Conference

Tuesday 12 - Wednesday 13 May 2009
Dockside Convention Centre, Sydney

The NSW Sustainable Development Conference 2009 will bring together decision-makers from the private and public sectors, industry leaders, local government, scientists, conservationists and others to discuss the current and future directions and frameworks for sustainability in NSW, and how it will affect NSW state and local government, business and the community.

The Conference, to be held on May 12 and 13, and featuring over 30 speakers, will provide a timely opportunity to examine progress towards sustainable objectives in a range of key areas such as: NSW policy and progress, water, waste and resource recovery, energy efficiency, climate change response and planning and urban design.

The Conference will also feature best practice case studies in sustainable development, including supporting workplaces to become more sustainable, addressing challenges of sustainability, and provide advice on how state and local government and business can achieve their sustainable development goals.

Confirmed and invited speakers include: The Hon Philip Costa, NSW Minister for Water; Rob Freeman, Executive Director, Murray-Darling Basin Authority ; Paul Bainton, Director, National Waste Taskforce; John Hudson, Director, Sustainable Systems, NSW Department of Planning ; Zoe De Saram, Acting Director, Climate Change Policy, Department of Environment and Climate Change and David Hemming, Manager, Sustainable Energy..

To view the Conference agenda and to register for the Conference, please go to www.halledit.com.au/nswsdc or contact Denise McQueen on 03 8534 5021 or
Email denise.mcqueen@halledit.com.au

Local Government calls for CPRS changes

In its submission on the draft Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) legislation, the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) has urged the Rudd Government to make changes to the treatment of waste under the proposed CPRS.

ALGA's submission draws on an independent briefing by Deacons' National Climate Change Group (available from ALGA's website on the likely impacts of the proposed scheme on councils.

ALGA President Geoff Lake said, "While local government generally supports the establishment of the CPRS, we believe there are problems for councils and households in the proposed scheme that need to be addressed. All households across Australia can expect to be hit by increased waste disposal costs regardless of whether their council owns and operates a landfill site."

The primary concerns for local government relate to how the CPRS proposes to deal with waste facilities and in particular:

• the measurement of emissions arising from waste;
• the inclusion in the scheme of past waste, or 'legacy waste', that is emissions generated from waste deposited prior to 1 July 2008; and
• the proposed reduction in the size of waste facilities which are captured in the scheme.

Measurement of waste:

"ALGA supports a universal scheme but believes the Government has not addressed the concerns of councils and the waste industry in relation to how emissions from waste can be measured reliably.

"We believe the Government should work with the waste management sector, including councils, to resolve the various outstanding technical issues before waste is included in the scheme."

"Professor Garnaut's report acknowledges that waste has not been included in any other country's emissions trading scheme because measuring emissions from waste facilities is problematic. Professor Garnaut recommends other policies to encourage mitigation in the waste sector ought to be pursued prior to the inclusion of waste in the Australian scheme. This is a sensible approach which local government would prefer to see adopted." Subscribe to ALGA's Media

Legacy waste:

"While the Government has gone some way to accommodating our concerns about legacy waste emissions by deferring liability until 2018, we maintain that the inclusion of legacy waste is unfair.

"It makes no sense to force present and future generations to pay for past waste discarded prior to commencement of the scheme, and in many cases, long before climate change was even acknowledged as an issue by the Australian Government. The inclusion of this so called 'legacy waste' will not make any contribution to reducing carbon emissions, however it will add significantly to the costs of every household across the country.

"Based on research done by Hyder Consulting, we estimate that the inclusion of legacy waste will cost households up to an additional $25 a year in extra charges.

"We support current and future waste being captured and properly priced in the scheme, but we don't think Australians should have to pay retrospectively for past waste deposited prior to the scheme's commencement. No other industry is expected to pay for its past activity and waste should not be an exception. Current households should not be taxed for the waste discarded by other households years ago."

Small landfills

"Following recent changes, the CPRS will now potentially capture many small landfills because of the Government's fears of operators engaging in waste diversion. We believe such diversion is unlikely and there are better arrangements that could be used to mitigate against this happening.

"The effect of the new approach will be that a number of small landfills not previously intended to be included will now be covered by the scheme. This will needlessly cost country councils a lot more with little or no impact on reducing emissions", Cr Lake concluded.

New SA LGA President elect

Mayor Felicity-ann Lewis of Marion Council has been provisionally declared President elect of the South Australian Local Government Association, by returning officer and Executive Director Wendy Campana.

Mayor Lewis will take over in the role from Pt Augusta Mayor Joy Baluch, at the conclusion of the LGA half-yearly General Meeting on 24th April, 2009.

Becoming Mayor of Marion in 2000, Mayor Lewis was elected as a Vice-President of the LGA in 2005.

LGA President, Mayor Baluch, welcomed the result noting that Mayor Miriam Smith of Tea Tree Gully had run a strong campaign.

"We are blessed in Local Government with strong leaders - particularly women Mayors," she said.

Mayor Lewis said she appreciated the support of Councils and would speak more about her aspirations for Local Government following the formal declaration of the result at the LGA General Meeting.

Disaster mitigation funding

Attorney-General, Robert McClelland, has announced that more than $18 million will be provided to the States and Territories this financial year under the Natural Disaster Mitigation Program (NDMP).

The NDMP is a national program, administered by Emergency Management Australia (EMA), which aims to assist communities better withstand the effects of natural disasters and reduce the risk, damage and losses caused by events such as floods, bushfires and tropical cyclones.

The Federal Government has not yet made an announcement on the future of the program beyond the 2008-09 financial year. ALGA's budget submission (available at ALGA's Website) argues for the Commonwealth to at a minimum extend the rollout of this program given the value it plays in assisting local and regional communities mitigate against the ever increasing impacts resulting from natural disasters.

The 2008-090 funding will go toward measures such as structural works including flood levees and fire breaks, investment in disaster resilient infrastructure and development of emergency management plans.

Allocations for this financial year, based on submissions received from State and Territory Governments, will be:

• New South Wales: $6.045 million
• Queensland: $5.348 million
• Western Australia: $2.185 million
• South Australia: $1.442 million
• Victoria: $1.426 million
• Tasmania: $0.883 million
• Northern Territory: $0.697 million
• Australian Capital Territory: $0.605 million

Natural disasters cause more than $1 billion damage each year to homes, businesses and the nation's infrastructure, along with serious disruption to communities.

More information on the NDMP and successful 2008-09 projects can be found on the Emergency Management Australia website.

Native title claims

The Rudd government says it's open to the idea of reversing the burden of proof for some aspects of native title claims, making it easier for Aboriginal groups to prove their connection to land.

High Court Chief Justice Robert French has suggested three "modest" changes to the native title process to lift the "heavy (emotional and financial) burden" it places on the parties involved.

Most controversially, Justice French says it should be presumed that indigenous applicants have the "continuous existence and vitality since sovereignty" needed to establish native title.

Many claims fail because indigenous groups can't prove an ongoing connection with their lands, often because they were dispossessed through the forces of colonisation.

"Such a presumption would enable the parties, if it were not to be challenged, to disregard a substantial interruption in continuity of acknowledgment and observance of traditional laws and customs," Justice French writes in the latest edition of the Australian Law Reform Commission journal. "A presumption subject to proof to the contrary is to be preferred."

Justice French also wants the Native Title Act amended so extinguishment can be disregarded if the claimant and the relevant state government agree. "Such agreements might be limited to crown land or reserves of various kinds."

Finally, the High Court chief justice says the Federal Court should be allowed to use an agreed statement of facts when making native title determinations by consent.

Attorney-General Robert McClelland says the government's mind is open to shifting the burden of proof from Aboriginal claimants on to states, territories and other parties.

"Our mind is open," he told ABC Radio on Thursday.

"In one sense, that's not inconsistent with the legal doctrine of presumption of regularity.

"In other words, if someone is the occupier of premises, you assume that they have title to those premises.

Mr McClelland said the government was prepared to "explore" the issues raised by Justice French. The Rudd government is reviewing the native title system because it is seen as being too slow, costly and cumbersome. Labor has already introduced legislation to parliament to enhance the mediation process. (Source: Sydney Morning Herald)

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Melbourne Planning Summit

Tuesday 28^th - Wednesday 29^th 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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Shape social change with Deakin

 

Politics and policy courses at Deakin

> Graduate Certificate > Graduate Diploma > Masters

Designed in consultation with government, community and industry leaders, these courses focus on the development and implementation of public policy. You will explore the inter-relationships between government, the private sector and community organisations, with particular attention to the political context of public policy. In addition to core subjects covering democratic governance and accountability, you can choose from a range of elective units across these specialisations:

• Public Policy
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• Local Governance

Taught by experts with extensive industry experience, our courses are supported by comprehensive study materials, online technologies and door-to-door library services. They are offered off campus and can be studied full time or part time, so you can combine study with work and lifestyle commitments.

Applications for Trimester 2, 2009 are now open.

For further information, please email enquire@deakin.edu.au or call 1300 334 733.

www.deakin.edu.au/postgrad

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