2010 National Local Roads and Transport Congress - be there!

The Program for the Congress is now settled and covers a wide range of transport topics of interest to local government. Delegates will be able to hear, in addition to the political speakers, from experts on topics such as emergency management, tax reform, heavy vehicle reforms as a well as urban transport issues.

Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Warren Truss (pictured) and the Greens local government and transport spokesman Senator Scott Ludlam have confirmed their attendance. We are still waiting for replies from the Government (both Infrastructure and Transport Minister Anthony Albanese and Local Government Minister Simon Crean have been invited) and Independent Tony Windsor.

The results of a study into the funding needs for local roads from 2010-2020 will be released at the Congress. Preliminary results make for some disturbing reading and confirm what we all already know from our councils.

We have received some photos of seriously flood damaged roads and bridges in need of repair. Help ALGA build the case by sending photos to andy.hrast@alga.asn.au. Please consider attending and contributing to the formulation of the national agenda for local government and importantly to reinforce the message to the political players at the national level how important these issues are for councils. Registration at www.alga.asn.au/policy/transport/congress/

Safety upgrades for remote aerodromes and airstrips

The Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Anthony Albanese, has announced funding for vital aerodrome and airstrip safety upgrades in 37 remote communities across the nation.

These remote communities will share in $6.1 million for airstrip up grades. The funding includes more than $2.1 million to relocate and construct an all-weather aerodrome at Lajamanu in the Northern Territory and major upgrades worth $935,000 at Oodnadatta in South Australia and $432,000 in Bamaga in Cape York.

This funding through Round Four of the Remote Aerodrome Safety Program will help upgrade critical aerodrome infrastructure at these remote communities, including runway resurfacing, fencing and lighting.

All up, the Government has invested nearly $20 million into 145 airstrips, delivering safety projects worth more than $39 million through this Program.

Local airstrips are a lifeline for remote communities and this investment is necessary to ensure that they remain safe and accessible for aircraft. Having a safe airstrip is absolutely critical for transporting food, medicine, mail, emergency and basic supplies and to fly doctors, teachers, nurses and residents in and out of remote communities.

This is particularly important where road access is unavailable, unreliable or disrupted for extended periods due to weather.

Cigarette butts top litter index

Keep Australia Beautiful's most comprehensive litter report released today shows many Australians are still littering, despite increased awareness about the need to protect our environment.

The National Litter Index is Australia's only national, annual, quantitative measure of litter by type, location and volume, with five years of data for all states and territories.

According to the National Chairman of Keep Australia Beautiful, Don Chambers, "The National Litter Index (NLI) helps define the scale and distribution of litter and identifies key problem areas and litter items so that government, industry and community can refine their approaches to litter prevention and resource recovery. It also highlights where consumers are not doing the right thing. At the end of the day it comes down to individual behaviour. Individuals need to take responsibility for the rubbish they produce and where it ends up."

This year for the first time the NLI includes a specific report on packaging and on regional highways. The raw data is published alongside the report so stakeholders with a particular interest in certain litter items such as illegal dumping, cigarette butts or beverage containers can extract the information they need to make informed decisions on how to best address the issue. Cigarette butts continue to be the most numerous form of litter, whilst plastic litter objects account for the biggest litter volume. The results also highlight how each state and territory compares against the national average and how they have performed over the past five years.

The release of the National Litter Index coincides with renewed emphasis on litter reduction by the Environment Protection and Heritage Council which has called for action on litter and packaging waste, whilst the Australian Packaging Covenant has also outlined its intention to introduce measures to reduce the incidence and impacts of litter.

The Keep Australia Beautiful Network of State and Territory offices are all active in using the NLI to inform a broad range of programs focussed on education, infrastructure and enforcement resulting in reduced litter and increased recycling. To view the full national, state and territory reports click here.

As regular readers of ALGA News will know, ALGA has been working hard to lay the ground-work for a referendum on the inclusion of local government in the Australian Constitution. With the recent announcement of the formal agreement reached between Labor and the Greens to hold a referendum at or before the next election, things are moving at a fast rate.

I met this week with the Leader of the Greens, Senator Bob Brown, and their Spokesperson for Local Government, Senator Scott Ludlam, to discuss how a referendum might be progressed.

Senator Brown noted that the hard work of local government in developing our position on the preferred form of change and said that this effort had been the major reason why the Greens had sought to include this item as part of the ALP-Greens agreement. We are certainly grateful for their strong support.

We also discussed the mechanism necessary to develop a referendum question, and I expressed a view that the best approach to developing a question would be through the establishment of a Constitutional Commission and a Joint Select Committee of Parliament to allow for appropriate consultation and drafting of the necessary parliamentary bill. Discussions also covered the issue of indigenous recognition and what linkages might exist between the two questions given they will be put to the electorate at the same time.

These discussions are important. They signal an entirely new phase for our campaign to amend the Constitution in order to fix the current funding uncertainty which local government faces.

While the prospects for a referendum occurring in 2013 have clearly firmed, it remains local government's responsibility to maintain momentum on the issue and to engage the community and Opposition members of parliament with the aim of ensuring a broad base of support. The history of referenda show that without bilateral support there is no realistic chance of a referendum succeeding. Our collective challenge is therefore to persuade the Opposition and ultimately the community that the constitutional change we are seeking is simple, practical, credible and necessary.

We start from a promising base with Tony Abbott, Warren Truss, Malcolm Turnbull, Andrew Robb and George Brandis all having indicated their support for the inclusion of local government in the Constitution. However, local government needs to make sure that there is no political incentive for the Opposition to oppose the referendum as occurred in 1974 and 1988 when similar referenda were put and lost.

In coming weeks ALGA hopes to meet with the new Shadow Local Government Minister, Barnaby Joyce, and to meet again with the Shadow Attorney-General, George Brandis. We are also seeking meetings with the independent MPs, including Andrew Wilkie, who included a commitment to a referendum on constitutional recognition of local government in his agreement with Julia Gillard.

The campaign is now transitioning to a new phase and ALGA is helping to shape the process and the debate. The hard work of ALGA, state and territory local government associations and councils over the past three years has clearly been a worthwhile investment but getting a referendum is really just the first step. Managing expectations and building community support to deliver a "yes" vote is a monumental task which has proved beyond most of the previous proponents of efforts to change to the Constitution. Local government is well-placed, given the strength of our cause, the effort we have already put in and our connection to the community throughout the country but we must not underestimate the size of the challenge and the important role every council will play in the coming years in building support and arguing the case at the local level.

Cr Geoff Lake
ALGA President

Briefs

Drowning deaths rise

The Royal Life Saving 2010 National Drowning Report was released this week, with figures showing the numbers of drowning deaths are the highest they've been at any time in the last 7 years, with 314 drowning deaths in Australian waterways between July 1st 2009 and June 30th 2010.

This year's drowning statistics highlight a range of issues where solutions are urgently required to reduce drowning in line with the Australian Water Safety Council's goal of a 50% reduction by the year 2020. A range of strategies have to be funded and implemented by government, by organisations such as Royal Life Saving and by the community in order to make a real impact.

Royal Life Saving says children - particularly those under 5 years - are the most vulnerable to drowning. Child drowning is preventable and that the Royal Life Saving Keep Watch Program offers critical actions to highlight that close constant and focused supervision is important plus restricting children's access to water; water awareness and ensuring people have up-to-date resuscitation skills. Royal Life Saving reminds all Australians to regularly check pool fences and says improved pool fencing legislation is needed.

More information here.

Promoting regional NSW

A new campaign aimed at persuading Sydneysiders to make the move and enjoy a new quality of life in regional New South Wales was launched by the Minister for Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government, Simon Crean, NSW Rural Affairs Minister Steve Whan and the mayors of seven regional centres. Jointly funded by federal, state and local governments, the Evocities campaign taps into the public's growing awareness of the lifestyle benefits offered by Albury, Armidale, Bathurst, Dubbo, Orange, Tamworth and Wagga Wagga.

"As the Minister for Regional Australia, I strongly support this initiative showcasing regional centres as great places to live, work, study and invest," Minister Crean said. "This campaign is designed to show Sydney residents the attraction of a regional lifestyle no longer requires a sacrifice in terms of access to quality services, infrastructure and job opportunities.

Each regional hub is profiled on the new Evocities website. The website also provides a resource for Sydneysiders looking at housing, jobs and local facilities. The Australian Government has provided $1.2 million towards the campaign from the Better Regions program, with around $550,000 coming from other levels of government and corporate sponsors. "We have worked hard with local government to build a stronger, more productive partnership and this is an example of regional Australia reaping the rewards of this approach," Mr Crean said.

Research papers on local government

University of New England Centre for Local Government has run a Working Papers in Local Government series since 2006 which publishes research on contemporary Australian local government. WWorking Papers in Local Government covers the entire spectrum of policy problems facing local government, ranging from structural reform and shared service models to financial sustainability. It is an invaluable free resource for elected representatives, council staff, and local government policy makers alike. Working Papers in Local Government can be accessed on the University of New England Centre for Local Government website, Inquiries should be directed to the Editor Professor Brian Dollery on bdollery@une.edu.au.

Disability parking scheme starts in NSW

NSW is the first state to rollout the new national Australian Disability Parking Permit.

328,000 existing NSW permit holders will be mailed the new permit from 7 October to replace their current permit.

The Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Jenny Macklin, said that the Australian Disability Parking Permit would replace over 100 types of existing permits currently issued by state, territory and local governments across Australia.

The new permit design has enhanced security features, such as holograms and bar coding, which will help reduce abuse and make it easier for enforcement officers to recognise permits when people travel interstate.

There will be no change to the parking concessions nor in the need to display them correctly.

To validate the new Australian Disability Parking permit, the NSW Mobility Parking Scheme photo permit must be inserted in the plastic sleeve.

ALGA has been working with the Commonwealth, NSW and other state governments on the development of the new permits. As the roll out progresses, councils will be provided with information kits for the parking staff.

The next step in harmonising state and territory disability parking schemes will be agreement on a revised set of eligibility criteria for the permit, which is expected to be introduced in NSW in 2011.

Further information on disability parking in NSW can be found here or by phoning 132 213. Information on parking concessions for each state and territory can be found here.

Outstanding aged care providers recognised

Aged and Community Services Australia (ACSA) presented seven national awards for excellence in aged care. South Australia's Dr Mike Rungie was awarded the individual prize for excellence. Dr Rungie is the CEO of ACH Group, a not-for-profit organisation providing an extensive range of aged care services to South Australians since 1952. A Cairns-based community services provider for older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders received the organisation prize. D &R Community Services was established in 2005 and now employs 100 staff. A high proportion of indigenous local staff assists in providing services which respect the beliefs and local customs of clients and understands their culturally specific needs. More information here.

Government committed to multicultural Australia

The new Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Chris Bowen, and Parliamentary Secretary, Senator Kate Lundy, have affirmed the Australian Government's commitment to a multicultural Australia.

'The meaning of multicultural Australia far exceeds a portfolio title - it is about how we draw on the benefits of Australia's diversity and how we create an inclusive society,' Mr Bowen said.

In December 2008, the government established the Australian Multicultural Advisory Council to provide advice on social cohesion issues and on communicating the benefits of cultural diversity to the Australian community.

During its first term, the council provided advice on a multicultural policy. The chair, Andrew Demetriou, presented a statement, The People of Australia, to the then minister, Senator Chris Evans, in April for the government's consideration. The council's advice will be considered by the government in coming months.

'The government recently reappointed the council for a second term and I am looking forward to working closely with the members in my new role,' Senator Lundy said.

A full list of Australian Multicultural Advisory Council members is available at Australian Multicultural Advisory Council (AMAC)

Call for nominations to present

LGAQ is inviting nominations to present at the 2nd National Local Government Environmental Conference, 10-12 November 2010 at the Gold Coast International Hotel, Surfers Paradise.

The Conference theme is exploring opportunities for positive and proactive change in policy, planning, design and practice for the management of the natural environment, natural resources and local government core business in response to climate change. Theme areas include:

• Understanding a changing environment - impacts, risks, management frameworks, modelling, information sharing
• Litigation and legal vulnerability - local government challenges and options
• Communication and Engagement - local communities, inter and intra-organisational
• Design and Practice - threatening processes, water cycle management, energy efficiency and emissions reduction, conservation management
• Policy and Planning - National and State, conservation, adaptation at a local level, threatening process

To nominate, please forward the following information to nicola_carter@lgaq.asn.au by COB Friday 24 September 2010:

• Presenter's name and title
• Name of organisation or business
• Full contact details (including relevant website url if available)
• Presentation title
• 200 word maximum presentation abstract

Please note: A full paper will not be required. Powerpoint presentations will be due one week prior to the conference. Successful nominations will be notified by Wednesday 29 September 2010. Visit www.lgaq.asn.au to download the conference brochure and registration forms.

Operation Pilgrimage

Operation Pilgrimage which recently retraced the voyage of the 'Krait' is organising a five-year pilgrimage to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Anzac Day. Team members will travel around Australia and every country where an Australian or New Zealand serviceman is buried or a memorial erected to recipients of the Victoria Cross. The results will be documented in a report to be provided to Department of Veteran Affairs in Australia and New Zealand. Operation Pilgrimage will build an exhibition of Cross recipients. This travelling exhibition will visit 650 towns in Australia. For sponsorship opportunities or to offer support to the projects of or for more information about the Operation Pilgrimage Group please contact Allan Miles at operationpilgrim@hotmail.com. Current project information available here completed June 2010.

NSW Government urged to act on smoking ban

Health groups say it is time for the NSW Government to take responsibility for banning smoking in key outdoor areas after a Heart Foundation survey found that 50% of all NSW councils now have some form of smoke-free outdoor areas policy. The Heart Foundation, Cancer Council NSW and Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) are calling for state-wide legislation to make all alfresco dining venues and other crowded outdoor areas smoke-free. As of 31 July 2010, 76 of the 152 NSW councils have adopted some form of smoke-free outdoor areas policy, including 74% of Sydney metropolitan councils and two-fifths of regional/rural councils."The local council leadership we've seen around this issue is to be applauded, but it leaves communities without uniform protection. Everyone should be protected from second-hand smoke no matter where they are in NSW," said, Anita Tang, Manager Policy and Advocacy, Cancer Council NSW.

In Queensland, children's playgrounds and sporting fields have been smoke-free since January 2005 and outdoor eating and drinking venues have been smoke-free since July 2006. Says ASH CEO Anne Jones: "On the 10th anniversary of the Smoke Free Environment Act NSW, it's time for this state to catch up with other states and make all crowded public areas smoke-free - starting with protecting children, and staff in their workplaces." The Local Government and Shires Associations of NSW are supporting calls for State Government assistance. "Local Government prides itself on building healthy communities, but is sometimes restricted due to a lack of funds. We really need the NSW Government to step in and help those councils that choose to implement smoke free outdoor area policies," say President of the Local Government Association of NSW Cr Genia McCaffery, and President of the Shires Association of NSW Cr Bruce Miller. To view the full Heart Foundation survey report including details of each council's policy, click here. The Heart Foundation survey of NSW councils was conducted between April and July 2010.

Poll shows bush is keener on clean energy than city

New polling demolishes the widespread myth that city people are more eager than country people for the large-scale development of clean energy. An Auspoll survey of 1,500 people showed rural Australians are more likely to support large-scale clean energy than their city counterparts. The poll found 85% of rural respondents and 82% of urban respondents want the government to "make clean energy cheaper quicker, through large scale development of solar, geothermal and wind power in urban and regional Australia". The survey was conducted for the Australian Conservation Foundation. "These results may surprise some people, but they send a clear message to the new minority government that whether they live in the city or the country, Australians overwhelmingly want government leadership to promote clean energy," said ACF climate change campaigner Phil Freeman, adding that regional and farming communities would be badly affected by extreme weather, water shortages and drought if we ignore climate change.

Sustainable events

What can you actually do to produce an event sustainably? The Sustainable Event Alliance (SEA) website has a suite of How-To Guides. Check out the SEA website for details. SEA is the new global association for association for event professionals working in, or focusing on, sustainability in event management. The Alliance is convened by Australian based industry specialists and managed in each country by chapter leaders, each responsible for compiling their localised green databases, resources and case studies.