Referendum reform hearing

Appearing before Federal Parliament's Referendum Reform Inquiry yesterday, ALGA outlined its strong interest in the issue of constitutional reform and some of the challenges of the current referendum process. The Inquiry was set up to examine the rules governing referenda and is limited to process and conduct issues. ALGA's view was that it was vitally important to improve the general public's understanding of both the Australian Constitution and the referendum process. ALGA's own research shows that only 76% of Australians of voting age aware that Australia has a constitution. A non-partisan nationally funded education campaign prior to any proposals to amend the constitution is essential to engage the general public and to achieve an informed vote, ALGA told the committee. This is backed up by research over the past two decades on the public's lack of understanding on constitutional issues, including a 1987 survey for the Australian Constitution Commission, which showed that 47% of Australians were unaware that Australia had a written constitution.

The inquiry is looking at the preparation, funding and distribution of the Yes and No cases, which currently provide for 2,000 word essays on each position, with funding limited to the printing and distribution of a pamphlet containing the Yes/No case, to every elector. ALGA believes that the government should provide funding for the Yes and No cases, based on the funding formula for federal elections already contained in the legislation, and calculated on the proportion of parliamentarians voting for and against the Bill (referendum proposal). For example, if 80% of parliamentarians vote for the Bill, and 20% vote against, the proportion of funding for the Yes case would be 80% and No case 20%, as a proportion of total funding. A precedent for federal funding for the Yes and No cases occurred during the 1998 Republic Referendum, where the federal government provided $15 million, split equally between the Yes and No cases. ALGA's submission is available on ALGA's website and further information on the inquiry (including submissions and transcripts) can be found at the House of Representatives Legal and Constitutional Affairs website.

Roads and Transport Congress - Agenda Paper

The key objective of the Roads and Transport Congress is to develop and agree a framework for an updated Roads and Transport Strategy for local government. This is in line with the theme for the Congress - Road to the Future.

The current published strategy (it can be found on the ALGA website) has served local government well. However, with the Government's particular focus on transport funding and planning, the deterioration in the world's financial situation and uncertainty about Australia's budgetary situation, there is a need to review and update the strategy and confront questions about the constitutional validity of grants to local government in the light of the recent High Court Pape judgment.

An Agenda Paper has been developed to explore these and other issues facing local government to inform discussion at the Congress.

The Agenda Paper is being sent to all registered delegates and to all councils to raise awareness of the issues and will be posted on ALGA's website next week.

The paper raises questions under six broad headings:

• Local road funding and management;
• Urban transport;
• Mobility and access for regional Australians;
• Road safety; and
• Freight management; and
• Long term financial sustainability of local government.

Speakers at the Congress will address these issues and considerable time has been set aside for discussion and the formulation of a strategy framework for consideration by ALGA's Board.

Representatives from councils are urged to come along to the Congress to make their views known and have a say in ALGA's advocacy agenda now and into the future.

Registration details for the Congress can be found on the ALGA website.

Local government reform in WA

All WA councils have submitted reform proposals to the Minister for Local Government as part of a seven-month reform process commenced by the State Government in February. Local governments were required to complete checklists by April of this year, with a State Government Committee providing individual councils with sustainability ratings and recommendations for amalgamation which were to be considered when putting together reform proposals.

The submissions are now being considered by the Minister's Reform Committee, with a number of councils agreeing to voluntarily amalgamate and others suggesting regional service sharing agreements or boundary adjustments. It is anticipated the State Government will announce their response to these submissions by the beginning of 2010.

Local Government Minister John Castrilli has given WALGA State Council a commitment not to force amalgamations on those local governments that do not want to amalgamate, however, both the Liberal and National Parties have indicated amalgamated and regional bodies will be given more attention in future funding allocations.

The WA Local Government Association has strongly advocated for voluntary reform throughout the state-initiated process and has urged councils to consider reform submissions in light of findings from their Systemic Sustainability Study Report endorsed by the sector in October of last year.

WALGA President Cr Bill Mitchell said the Association was working on a document outlining best practice activities and processes to assist councils in implementing reform according to their community's wishes.

"The Local government sector has been working towards reform for the past five years," Cr Mitchell said. "In that time, we've seen six local governments voluntarily amalgamate, as well as the creation of a vast number of resource sharing opportunities and regional bodies." "In this State Government process, however, some communities have clearly indicated their opposition to amalgamation, and local governments as their representative body are bound to reflect that in their submission. "That does not mean, however, that local government is against reform - and there is already a great deal being done across the state to make the sector more sustainable."

Briefs

Councils receive job funding

The first round of the Federal Government's $650 million Jobs Fund, has been announced with a total more than 30 councils receiving funding. The Jobs Fund is designed to support and create jobs and skills development through financing new community and social infrastructure projects. Full details of the councils that secured funding and the amounts they received are here.

CPRS timetable

Yesterday the Federal Government introduced the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme legislation into the House of Representatives for debate next week. The legislation will be debated in the Senate in the week beginning November 16. Climate Change Minister Penny Wong said the Government was prepared to continue "good faith negotiations" with the Opposition led by acting Shadow Minister for Emissions Trading Ian Macfarlane including costings of the suggested amendments. "But obviously, we are interested to see where the Opposition has come up with their figure from," the Minister said. "They have put a figure on the table. I'm certainly interested in understanding how they have arrived at that. And these will be issues we will continue to discuss with them."

Dangerous dogs - call for action

The RSPCA's Victorian president has renewed calls for American pit bull terriers to be banned in Australia after a vicious attack in Melbourne left a man in hospital and two dogs dead. Dr Hugh Wirth says the dogs are a menace and are not suitable as pets for anyone.

Dr Wirth said local councils were not doing enough to enforce strict laws on pit bull terriers. Restrictions for owners include confining the dogs to their property, ensuring the property is escape-proof, while a signpost warning of the dog's existence must be displayed outside the property.

The dog must also be desexed, with the RSPCA hopeful this will eventually wipe out the breed. "While the dog breed is allowed to remain in the country, unless the law is strictly enforced, we are going to see more and more and more of these attacks," Dr Wirth said. "Local government has got to spend some money going around identifying these dogs and forcing the issue."

Coastal erosion

The Local Government and Shires Associations are calling on the State Government to pay heed to the experiences of NSW Councils before forcing through new coastal legislation.

Councils are concerned that unless there is genuine consultation with local government, the changes mooted by Premier Rees may not achieve the correct balance in protecting everyone's rights. favour the rights of individual property owners over the general public. President of the Local Government Association Cr Genia McCaffery said that the local government sector had long argued that climate change must be addressed in the planning framework.

Melville most liveable community

The City of Melville in Western Australia was a gold winner at the International Liveable Communities Awards held in the Czech Republic last week.

The city was chosen out of 11 finalists in the Whole of City category for local government areas with a population of 75,000 to 100,000. As reported last week, Rockhampton picked up a bronze award.

Qld bushfire help

The Attorney-General, Robert McClelland, has announced that the Commonwealth Government will provide financial assistance to communities affected by recent bushfires in Queensland.

Commonwealth assistance is being provided to the Queensland Government through the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA).

Funding will include assistance for the restoration of essential public infrastructure and relief operations, as well as personal hardship and distress assistance. Inquiries in relation to personal hardship and distress assistance should be made to the Queensland Department of Communities on 1800 173 349. Further information can be found here. Inquires in relation to the freight subsidies should be made to the Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries on 132 523 or by visiting www.dpi.qld.gov.au. Inquiries in relation to the concessional interest rate loans should be made to the Queensland Rural Adjustment Authority on 1800 623 946. Further information can also be found here.

NSW Grain Review report released

The Australian Government has released the final report from the NSW Grain Freight Review Taskforce.

Federal Infrastructure and Transport Minister Anthony Albanese and Federal Agriculture Minister Tony Burke said the review, conducted by former deputy chair of the National Transport Commission Des Powell, assessed the current state of the road and rail infrastructure underpinning the operation of the state's grain industry.

The Report makes eighteen recommendations designed to safeguard the industry's future access to reliable, well maintained freight transport infrastructure including that any future grain line closures should be accompanied by a clear definition of the preferred alternative road routes and a funding plan (negotiated by all affected road owners) for improving these routes to accommodate the additional traffic load.

A copy of the report has been provided to the NSW Government for its consideration as it owns much of the infrastructure and has responsibility for its day-to-day operations and to Infrastructure Australia to consider as it develops both the National Port Strategy and National Freight Network Strategy. A copy of the Report can be downloaded here.

Safety a concern for youth

The Minister for Youth, Kate Ellis, says a new report shows young people are making a vital contribution to Australia, but they're also facing new risks and challenges.

The report - The State of Australia's Young People: a report on the social, economic, health and family lives of young people - shows that:

• Teenagers aged 15 - 19 have the highest hospitalisation rate for acute intoxication of all age groups and one in five 16-year-olds have used illicit drugs;
• One in three sexually active young people report experiencing unwanted sex;
• One in four young people are living with a mental illness;
• Almost a quarter of young people feel unsafe walking alone at night and young people are more likely to be the victim of a crime but less likely to report it;
• Nine out of ten 17-year-olds use a mobile phone; and
• Nine out of ten families have an Internet connection.

The State of Australia's Young People shows that some young people are at greater risk of falling behind than others, particularly those who are Indigenous, from a low socioeconomic background, aren't studying or working or have a disability.

The full report is available here.

Waste website

Waste is so many things: offensive, problematic and inspirational. It's been with us forever and has been the reason for sickness, pollution, poverty, scientific innovation, social movements and progress. It lives with us on our bodies, contaminates our food and helps create life saving medications.

www.wotwaste.com is a new site for anyone interested in waste. Quirky and informative it looks at the tiny and the huge; innovations and problems; the weird and the inspirational.

For local government there are articles on the recycling of cigarette butts, smart dust, smart bins, e-waste and a pile of other waste stories. www.wotwaste.com Everything about waste...From skyscrapers to plastic bags.

Cost shifting continues

A survey has shown that NSW councils have been slugged with a $431 million cost shifting bill for 2007/08.

The Local Government and Shires Associations have surveyed NSW councils to determine the burden of costs and responsibilities shifted to councils from the State Government.

The bill for cost shifting - ultimately borne by councils and their communities - has shot up from $380 million in 05/06 to $431 million in 07/08, and continues to consume around 6% of council income.

The full survey report on cost shifting can be viewed here.

Gambling report

The draft Productivity Commission report on gambling identifies the use of poker machines as the most serious problem gambling issue in Australia. An estimated 125,000 Australians are problem gamblers and a further 290,000 are at risk of becoming problem gamblers. The report finds that Australia's ban on online gaming is not working, with Australians increasingly gambling abroad on sites with minimal consumer protection. The Commission proposes 'managed liberalisation', with supply being made legal in Australia, but only if stringent harm minimisation measures are introduced.

The Commission is holding public hearings on its draft inquiry report in late November/December, with its final report to Government by 26 February 2010.

The draft report is available for comment at www.pc.gov.au.

Indigenous housing

Attorney-General, Robert McClelland, has introduced legislation into Parliament this week aimed at helping to speed up the delivery of vital public housing and infrastructure in Indigenous communities.

The Native Title Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2009 introduces a new process into the Native Title Act on land where native title may exist for the construction of public housing and critical facilities, including health, education and emergency services, to benefit Indigenous communities.

The Attorney-General says the new process would strike a balance between the urgent provision of these critical services, and the need to meaningfully engage with native title claimants and parties to protect their rights and interests and give them the opportunity to provide input into proposed projects. "The amendments will address the need for secure tenure arrangements in the delivery of these much needed projects in remote Indigenous communities," he said. "The amendments will also encourage State and Territory Governments to act quickly to address the urgent need for housing in Indigenous communities." Public health, education, emergency services and housing are all key building blocks of the Government's Close the Gap strategy.

The Government is delivering $5.5 billion over 10 years under the Council of Australian Governments.

Timber councils AGM

National Timber Councils Taskforce (NTCT) will be holding its Annual General meeting in conjunction with the National Local Roads and Transport Congress in Mackay 8-10 November.

The NTCT represents councils who share an interest in best practice plantation development and sustainable native forestry. The NTCT was established to provide local government a voice at a national level to promote the opportunities and challenges plantation and native forestry present to councils throughout Australia. The AGM will be:

Date: Monday 9 November 2009
Time: 7.15am - 8.45am, with alight breakfast served from 7.00am
Location: Foodspace, Gordon Street, Mackay

There will also be round table discussion on the future direction of NTCT as well as the launch of the new NTCT website. For further information contact Jillian Molina on 03 9667 5529 or mail@ntct.org.au.

Treasurer says broadband 'essential'

A fast national broadband network is an essential long-term reform for Australia, federal Treasurer Wayne Swan says.

It would help to lift productivity and build prosperity "right throughout this century".

"Nothing is more important ... than fast national broadband," he told parliament.

Mr Swan rejected opposition suggestions that spending $42 billion on the network was seen by some in the business community as a waste of money.

"There is an incredible consensus in the business community ... there is strong support for what the government has put forward." (AAP)

Agricultural Census

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) is looking for comments on the nature and content of its next Agricultural Census, to be run from June 2011.

The Agricultural Census is held every five years, and is the second largest collection that the ABS undertakes after the population census.

It plays a vital role in supporting the development and monitoring of Australia's agricultural, natural resource and water policies.

People interested in providing comments can read the information paper Agricultural Census: ABS Views on Content and Procedures 2010-11 (cat. 7103.0.80.002) on the ABS website. The closing date for comments is Friday, November 20, 2009.

Rebuilding Vic communities

Almost $200 million will be spent rebuilding the Victorian communities devastated in the Black Saturday bushfires.

Under a two-year plan outlined this week, $93 million goes to supporting communities, building halls and restoring parks and gardens. The rebuilding plan - announced by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Victorian Premier John Brumby at Flowerdale Primary School - also includes $60 million to reconstruct schools and other facilities in Kinglake, Flowerdale, and Marysville.

A further $21 million will help stimulate local economies through tourism campaigns and another $17.5 million will address environmental problems caused by the fires.

The rebuilding plan is a culmination of 30 communities affected by the fires identifying the buildings and facilities they need the most.

Rural outreach

People living in rural communities will soon be able to access a wider range of Australian Government assistance from a new travelling outreach service.

The Centrelink-led Mobile Office initiative brings together a wide range of payments and services offered through Centrelink and Medicare Australia in one convenient location. Australian Hearing will also provide hearing tests at selected locations.

"The Mobile Offices will travel to small communities throughout rural Australia and offer friendly, face-to-face discussions with local residents.

The Mobile Office can also be relocated quickly to provide emergency assistance in national emergencies such as bushfires, severe storms and floods.