From the President

ALGA welcomes the recent appointment of Maxine McKew as Parliamentary Secretary for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government.

In making the announcement, the Prime Minister said that Maxine will have particular responsibility for local government and the Community Infrastructure Program. It is great that local government and spending on community infrastructure has been singled out for extra emphasis.

Maxine already has some past involvement with ALGA having facilitated discussions at a previous National General Assembly of Local Government when she was a journalist at the ABC.

Maxine has accepted our invitation to attend the National General Assembly of Local Government dinner on Tuesday night in the Great Hall at Parliament House and we look forward to using this occasion to re-introduce her to the sector.

I would also like to thank and acknowledge Gary Gray who has also been promoted as part of the ministerial reshuffle to the position of Parliamentary Secretary for Western and Northern Australia. Gary previously had responsibilities for Regional Development Australia and in that role he placed a significant emphasis on the importance of councils in structuring the Australian Government's approach to regional development. We look forward to continuing to work closely with him in his new role.

The appointment of Ms McKew is also fitting given preparations currently underway in local government for next year's designated Year of Women in Local Government.

The year has been designated by the Local Government Managers Australia (LGMA) and the Australian Local Government Women's Association (ALGWA). The Local Government Planning Ministers' Council is also strongly backing this initiative.

It is sobering that despite a range of programs and initiatives across states and territories over the past decade, participation rates for women nationally have not changed much and remain at 27%.

Nationally, ALGA will be an enthusiastic supporter of the various initiatives taking place next year to promote women in local government. I encourage councils to also do likewise. Our sector has a long way to go to improve the gender balance in local government. If women are not represented in roughly equal numbers around the council table then councils are not representative of their communities.

Finally, I am looking forward to seeing you next week at the National General Assembly. There will be a record 700 participants and you won't want to miss out on being a part of it. The good news is that late registrations are still being accepted at http://nga.alga.asn.au.

Cr Geoff Lake
ALGA President

NSW state budget

NSW councils have welcomed the state government's commitment to building and maintaining infrastructure for communities in the 2009-10 budget announced today.

A series of programs aimed at boosting infrastructure have been announced, including a $200m Local Infrastructure Fund which provides councils with interest-free loans for infrastructure projects, and a $35m Community Partnerships Program which will help community groups and councils to fund much needed community facilities.

President of the Local Government Association, Cr Genia McCaffery, says the Local Infrastructure Fund will help expedite the provision of water, sewerage, drainage and road infrastructure to communities and bring forward development.

Qld budget breaks promises

The State budget will cost Queensland ratepayers an extra $100 million per annum from 2011, according to Local Government Association of Queensland Executive Director Greg Hallam.

"The reduction in water, sewerage, road and drainage subsidies will cost $85 million per year when the current scheme ends in 2011", Mr Hallam said.

"This will increase the cost by $5000 per block for new home buyers, offsetting any advantage gained through stamp duty savings or reforms in the new Sustainable Planning Act, and breaks a pre-election commitment given by government. It is sadly ironic that the State has protected its own infrastructure programs by shifting costs to councils and home buyers.

"Ratepayers will also have to pay an additional $5 million as a result of the loss of the fuel subsidy on Council vehicles and an extra $6.7 million for the loss of the electricity street lighting subsidy. There also seems to be some underlying hostility to urban councils by the Bligh State Labor government as they will solely bear the impacts on these budget cuts."

Acting LGAQ President Cr Bob Abbot said that councils will write to new home buyers explaining that they were forced to fork out about $5,000 more for their dream because the State Government had axed the 40% water and sewerage subsidy.

Water shortages worry us

Australians have confirmed that water shortages and climate change are the biggest environmental issues facing us, according to a survey of environmental views released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

The survey found that nine in ten Australians are concerned by water shortages, and three-quarters are concerned about climate change. Just over half (55%) of all Australians thought that their water use had decreased in the year leading up to the survey. The primary reasons for decreased water use were trying to conserve water (76%) and water restrictions (42%).

When it comes to climate change, people in the Australian Capital Territory showed the highest levels of concern (eight in ten people concerned), while the Northern Territory had the lowest (seven in ten).

The survey also found that men and women thought differently about climate change, with one-quarter of all men and one-fifth of all women 'not concerned about climate change'.

About half of all Australians believed the natural environment was declining, with four in ten Australians reporting the condition of the natural environment in Australia was neither good nor bad. However, only about one-third had some form of environmental involvement in the 12 months prior to the survey. The most commonly reported environmental activity undertaken was signing a petition relating to any environmental issues (17% of all people), followed by donating money to help protect the environment (14%). One in ten people expressed concern about the environment through a letter, email or by talking to responsible authorities. Details at www.abs.gov.au

Homelessness inquiry

The Minister for Housing, Tanya Plibersek, has announced that the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Family, Community, Housing and Youth will hold an inquiry into homelessness legislation.

The ABS estimates that on any given night, there are 105,000 homeless people in Australia. The Committee will report by December 2009 to allow consideration of outcomes of the Australian Government's National Human Rights Consultation, which is due to report at the end of August. Submissions addressing the terms of reference are being sought by the committee by Friday 14 August 2009. Terms of reference and Committee guidance for making submissions can be found here.

Volunteer Registry

Landcare Australia research reveals that 84% of Australians intend to do something to help the environment this week, 99% believe it is important we act to improve the state of our environment, yet less than 1% of us actually volunteer. This is clearly a problem as Landcare and Coastcare community groups around the country cite 'lack of new volunteers' as being the single most important factor limiting what they are able to achieve. A volunteer registry at www.yourplanetneedsyou.com.au allows people who want to get involved with local environmental volunteering to register their interest. Once the campaign has closed the registrants details will be passed on to their council's environment or volunteer coordinator. The volunteer registry is open throughout June and the council that recruits the most people to register at the Your Planet Needs You website will win $5,000 to go towards a community environment volunteering event.

Digital Regions Initiative

The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy, has released draft Guidelines for consultation, on the $60 million Digital Regions Initiative.

The four year Digital Regions Initiative will co-fund digital enablement applications to improve services in the key sectors of education, health and emergency services in regional, rural and remote communities across Australia in partnership with state, territory and local governments.

The Digital Regions Initiative - Round 1 Draft Guidelines and Fact Sheet are available for download from www.dbcde.gov.au/digitalregions

Current information on the timing of stakeholder meetings is provided below. To secure a place at a meeting please ring the relevant contact.

State and territory stakeholder meetings

Water Sensitive Cities

Current approaches to urban water management are resulting in unacceptable outcomes, such as degraded catchments and waterways, vulnerability to water scarcity and flooding, high energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, and lack of community engagement. There is now widespread agreement that a major change is required in the way water is managed in and around cities.

In February 2009 the International WaterCentre hosted a series of workshops titled 'Creating Water Sensitive Cities in Australia' for water-related professionals in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.

The key messages from the 500 participants of these workshops were that achieving Water Sensitive Cities in Australia requires:

• a shared vision and national framework that recognises Australia's diverse landscapes and water management arrangements to guide cities through the most effective and efficient pathway to water sustainability;
• leadership from the Australian government to ensure issues of governance, regulation and financial investment are consistent with achieving the Water Sensitive City vision;
• a complete cultural change which actively engages a much wider array of professions and experiences, including the community, to address future challenges;
• changes in institutional arrangements at all levels of government to support a common approach to social, economic and environmental decision making and prioritisation of actions.

In May 2009 these messages were taken to Canberra as a basis for discussion with 70 senior water and urban policy professionals about what a Water Sensitive City means and how it might be created. Participants in this meeting supported the National Water Commission and called for the national government and relevant decision makers from major cities to develop a national vision and framework for Water Sensitive Cities in Australia, which is adaptive to different city contexts. For further information on the Creating Water Sensitive Cities workshops, download the Transitioning to Water Sensitive Cities in Australia: Synthesis Report here or email admin@watercentre.org.

Indigenous policy

On Friday last week ALGA Board Member Ray Wooldridge and ALGA Senior Policy Director John Pritchard attended the Ministerial Council for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs (MCATSIA), in Alice Springs. A presentation on a MCATSIA Population Project included a discussion of the policy implications and future directions from his work. The presentation highlighted the growth in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population, the comparatively high birth rate - and therefore high numbers of children as well as an increase in life span for the population as a whole. The latter finding highlights the need from policy makers to consider the implication of an ageing population.

Ministers noted a discussion paper on local government prepared by NSW and agreed that further work should be done led by NSW. Cr Wooldridge stressed the importance of all state and territory local government associations involvement in all policy discussions related to local government service delivery to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Cr Wooldridge particularly stressed the importance of engagement in the COAG work on Indigenous affairs including 'Closing the Gap.'

Ministers also discussed the importance of strengthening Indigenous Corporate Governance. Ministers highlighted a range of models being adopted within jurisdictions to build this capacity. Ministers also discussed how they needed to work within their own jurisdiction, including with other ministers to ensure that government programs including the COAG fiscal stimulus can meet Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander needed. The Commonwealth restated its intention to pursue the reforms in the Northern territory including investments in 20 larger communities and management of the town camps in Alice Springs.

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Third Australian Small Bridges Conference 2009

A conference focusing on Small, Medium and Local Bridges

July 7-8, Powerhouse Museum, Darling Harbour

Australia has over 30,000 small to medium-sized bridges on our road network alone, with thousands more for pedestrian, stock and rail use, and many are near the end of their structural life and need urgent attention.

Following on from the highly successful Small Bridges Conferences in 2005 & 2007, the Australian Small Bridges Conference 2009, at the Powerhouse Museum at Darling Harbour, has been designed to alert bridge and road engineers, managers, councilors, suppliers and contractors to significant new developments and requirements for small to medium span bridges. The conference program has been designed to provide delegates with the latest information and insights in dealing with the maintenance, refurbishment, design or construction of small to medium bridges. The speaking program is diverse with managing timber bridges and pedestrian bridges being particular features.

Topics include:

• TIMBER BRIDGE INSPECTION
• TIMBER BRIDGE RESTORATION
• BRIDGE INVESTIGATION & EVALUATION
• PEDESTRIAN BRIDGES
• ELEVATED BOARDWALKS
• VIEWING PLATFORMS
• AESTHETICS OF BRIDGES
• BRIDGE INNOVATIONS
• SPECIAL PRESENTATION: A Career in Bridges
• STEEL BRIDGES
• MODULAR BRIDGES
• BRIDGE REPLACEMENT
• BRIDGE MAINTENANCE
• REPAIR & STRENGTHENING
• RAILWAY BRIDGES
• CASE STUDIES

Conference convenor, Scott Matthews, BEng said that experienced international bridge experts will present their research to the conference. Local government case studies will include Gold Coast City , Melbourne City Council, Corangamite Shire, Brisbane City Council, together with projects in National Parks, Rail Reserves and for State Road Authorities.

To review the full speaker list at the conference and to register please visit www.halledit.com.au/bridges09 or tel Denise McQueen on 03 8534 5021 or
Email denise.mcqueen@halledit.com.au

Funding ends, action continues

After twelve years of supporting ICLEI Oceania's Cities for Climate Protection (CCP) program ICLEI has been advised that funding support from the Australian Government will cease at the end of the financial year.

This decision is an outcome of the Australian Government's strategic review of its climate change programs (The Wilkins Review) conducted in 2008. This means that ICLEI Oceania will end its CCP milestone support program and projects on 30 June 2009. ICLEI Oceania is making immediate plans to ensure councils will be in the best possible position to continue their climate change mitigation work, with the least possible interruption.

The cessation of CCP funding does not affect ICLEI Oceania's other programs. ICLEI Oceania's climate work with local government will continue through a new CCP Partners Program, which will provide high-level political and management support to build upon the experience, practical case studies, assistance materials and national and international relationships developed over the last decade. ICLEI will be hosting a breakfast at the National General Assembly of Local Government on Monday 22 June. Details at http://nga.alga.asn.au

Swine Flu

Australia's swine flu alert level was raised another notch this week from CONTAIN to a newly developed PROTECT phase. The new phase was introduced in response to the number, extent and nature of the illness experienced to date which did not justify elevating to a full blown SUSTAIN level.

The key elements of the new phase are a focus on early treatment of people who are most vulnerable, the use of anti viral treatment only for those people experiencing moderate and severe symptoms of the disease, and ongoing monitoring for the emergence of a new strain of the virus. School closures and exemptions will be lifted around the nation by the end of the month.

Health Minister Nicola Roxon said it was inevitable swine flu would spread further, but in most cases it was not severe.

To date some 75 people have been hospitalised from the confirmed 2199 influenza A(H1N1) infections in Australia.

Last week, the World Health Organisation lifted its alert level for the A(H1N1) virus to phase six as the world's first influenza pandemic in 40 years continues to spread.

Victoria remains the state with the highest number of confirmed victims at 1230, followed by NSW with 341 cases.

Brisbane Town Hall in need of repair

Brisbane City Council has ruled out charging a compulsory levy on ratepayers to cover repairs to City Hall. 'The Australian' reports that council is furious Queensland Treasurer Andrew Fraser will not allocate any funds in the state budget to help repair the building beset by "concrete cancer".

In 2008 Brisbane City Council launched a program to find $215 million over several years to fund the redevelopment of the heritage-listed building which is quickly falling into disrepair.

Last month Federal Heritage Minister Peter Garrett came to Brisbane to chip in $10 million from the Federal Government.

Mr Garrett said the building needed saving.

"The Pope has been around here, Mick Jagger has been here, it's an iconic institution for this city and it's a building of great architectural worth and value as well," Mr Garrett said.

300 future doctors head bush

Later this year, 300 medical students will pack their bags and head for country towns and small rural communities across Australia.

The 300 future doctors are now being selected from more than 600 who applied for a place in the John Flynn Placement Program. Each will spend two weeks a year over four years in one location experiencing rural medical practice and getting to know local people.

The Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine, which manages the placement program for the Department of Health and Ageing, is now looking for 300 communities to host the students and 300 doctors to be student mentors. Community Service organisations, doctors, and home-stay hosts are paid for participating in the program.

Dr Walters said ACRRM would like to hear from experienced doctors who would like to mentor a student, and from local government, community groups and individuals who can introduce a student to social and recreation activities, and possibly help arrange accommodation.

Doctors and community groups can register their interest by phoning ACRRM on free call 1800 231 231, or emailing jfpp@acrrm.org.au.

International student safety

The Minister for Education, Julia Gillard, welcomed the collaborative approach agreed by education and training Ministers to improve the international student experience in Australia and announced a number of initiatives to promote and protect their welfare.

Australia welcomes students from more than 190 countries every year. Close consultation with the international student community is continuing across all levels of government. The Minister has welcomed the work of state police with the Indian community to address recent concerns regarding student safety.

An International Student Taskforce has been established to develop strategies to support the wellbeing of overseas students. It will also work with the taskforce established by the Prime Minister to address crimes against international students.

At this week's Joint Ministerial Council meeting, all Ministers agreed that comprehensive information about studying, living and working in Australia is essential to improve international student experiences.

To ensure Indian students departing for study in Australia have up-to-date information to help them settle into their Australian life and study, the Australian High Commissioner to India has published the 3rd edition of the Australian Government's Guide to Studying and Living in Australia. It will be provided to each new student who obtains a visa to study in Australia.

The Minister has announced the establishment of a student hotline - 1300 363 079. Students can anonymously raise concerns which will be collated and published on www.studyinaustralia.gov.au so that all students can benefit from this information.

Heritage strategies

Australian Government agency delays in complying with legislative requirements for heritage strategies are largely the result of inadequate advice to agencies by the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA), according to acting Commonwealth Ombudsman Mr Ron Brent.

As at November 2007, only 11 Australian Government agencies had complied with legislation requiring the preparation of heritage strategies for properties under Commonwealth ownership or control, despite the 1 January 2006 deadline.

The Commonwealth Ombudsman has made six recommendations to DEWHA to help it to improve its administration of the Act, essentially by providing clear, consistent advice on their heritage strategy obligations to all Australian Government agencies.

Download the report: Delays in preparation of Heritage Strategies by Australian Government agencies

Landcare projects

Throughout 2009, State and Territory Landcare Awards ceremonies will be held across Australia. The winners from these awards will compete for the national title at the 2010 National Landcare Awards in Sydney.

The Awards campaign was officially launched nation-wide in early May.

This year there are two new awards, as well as a People's Choice Award for each state. The categories include a Local Government Landcare Partnerships Award. For details and closing dates click here.

World Music Day

Launched in 1982 by the French Ministry for culture, World Music Day on 21 June is celebrated in more than a hundred countries. The theme page is available here.

Milne's brave new world

Greens Deputy Leader Senator Christine Milne described a brave new world in her speech and the National Press Club this week. With 100 Green councillors around Australia and 26 State and Federal MPs - half of them women - Green representation is increasing. In addition to the Greens reaction to the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme - "The Greens cannot and will not support a scheme that is environmentally ineffective and economically inefficient" - Senator Milne spoke about the promise of renewable energy. "The Greens want to see renewable energy providing 40% of our electricity by 2020, driven by a stronger Renewable Energy Target, supplemented by a gross national feed - in tariff that would pay a premium rate for all renewable energy - bold, but achievable on current global growth trajectories for many renewable energy technologies," she said. Senator Milne's speech is available here.

Diversity challenge

The study on workplace discrimination just released by the Australian National University has highlighted the need for employers to be aware of the importance of workplace diversity, the Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs and Settlement Services, Laurie Ferguson, said.

'Studies such as this highlight the extent of the issues facing Australians from diverse backgrounds,' Mr Ferguson said.

'It is of concern that the study reports that job seekers with Chinese names are contacted only 21 per cent of the time while applicants with Anglo-Saxon names are contacted 35 per cent of the time...Particularly in this current climate, reinforcing the economic and social advantages of diversity in the workplace is critical and I encourage all workplaces to recognise the benefits of a multicultural Australia.'

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LEAD A CITY ALIVE WITH ENERGY AND BOUNDLESS OPPORTUNITY

City Manager, The City of Edmonton

There is a place for innovation in city government, and it's called The City of Edmonton, Alberta. Not content to follow the status quo, the City is taking a high performance approach to planning, organizational structure and accountability.

Edmonton is a growing economic powerhouse where business thrives and more than a million lives enjoy the freedom to explore, experiment, experience, excel and expect the most out of every day. Edmonton is filled with surprises great and small and a calendar packed with artistic, sporting, theatrical and cultural celebration.

Business and the entrepreneurial spirit thrive in Edmonton. Our flourishing arts, cultural and festival scene hums with year-round entertainment - we are Canada's Festival City. Our river valley - North America's largest urban park system - offers recreation for all ages. Environmental stewardship and leadership is second nature to residents.

Edmonton is a city where ideas and innovation are encouraged; where education, from kindergarten to the PhD level, is a cornerstone of the community; where innovation and research in science and medicine attracts top-flight talent; where high-quality healthcare is a foundation of our quality of life.

If you're ready to lead a progressive organization that's igniting and supporting dramatic growth, you could lead a municipal government that is dedicated to customer service and determined to have top flight leadership that will make it happen. Setting the tone and the agenda for 12,000 municipal employees, you will continue to build the infrastructure for this growth oriented city. You will work with Council and your senior team to set priorities, drive the execution of strategic plans and manage the budgetary process. What will define your success? Maintain and enhance productive labour relations. Continue to recruit quality people to deliver responsive customer service levels. Keep Edmonton in the forefront of environmental programs and initiatives. And promote the City of Edmonton as a great place to work, live and play across Canada and internationally.

For more information: www.edmonton.ca; www.edmonton.com and www.edmontonstories.ca

To explore this opportunity further, please forward your resume in complete confidence to careers@hhsrb.ca or submit your resume online at www.rayberndtson.ca/en/careers/8533 or phone 403.410.6700

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BENCHMARKING BEST PRACTICE IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT 2009

Wednesday 8^th - Thursday 9^th July
Novotel Brighton Beach, Sydney

Local government CEOs, General Managers and senior directors of Australia's most innovative councils will address the 2009 Benchmarking Best Practice in Local Government national conference.

Building on the success of last year's inaugural Best Practice conference, the conference will provide local government managers with detailed insights into innovative and successful management tools being used by Australia's leading councils to cut costs, increase organisational efficiency, and optimise the delivery of services to their communities. Topics will include staff productivity, organisation development, financial and asset management, and risk management.

Speakers at this year's conference will include:

• John Burgess, General Manager, Auburn Council
• Graeme Emonson, CEO, Knox City Council
• Geoff Lake, President, Australian Local Government Association
• Lyn Russell, General Manager, City of Wagga Wagga
• David Evans, General Manager, Maitland City Council
• Phil Rowland, CEO, Mount Alexander Shire
• Alexis Hunt, Coordinator People & Change, Gold Coast City Council
• Andrew MacLeod, Chief Internal Auditor, Brisbane City Council

In recognition of the role of the Best Practice Conference as a key national forum for discussions on local government innovation and best practice, this year's conference will be followed on July 10 by a meeting of the councils participating in the Local Government Business Excellence Network, which will also be held at the Novotel Brighton Beach.

The conference agenda is available at www.halledit.com.au/bestprac09/agenda.

For more details, phone Hallmark Conferences on (03) 8534 5000, email denise.mcqueen@halledit.com.au