ALGA President on newly announced Expert Panel

ALGA President Genia McCaffery and President of the Australian Local Government Association of Queensland, Mayor Paul Bell, are among the 18 members of the Expert Panel that will progress the recognition of local government in the Australian Constitution.

This week, the Federal Government released the names of the 18 members, which include four Parliamentarians representing the Australian Labor Party, the Australian Greens, the Liberal Party of Australia and the Independents. The Panel also includes a range of local government experts and councillors, both past and present. These include former Lord Mayor of Brisbane Jim Soorley; former Lord Mayor of Sydney, Lucy Turnbull; and the Right Honourable Lord Mayor of Perth, Lisa Scaffidi.

The role of the Expert Panel is to consult with stakeholder groups and the public about their views on recognising local government in the Constitution. This approach will be assisted by the considerable work that has already been carried out by ALGA since it engaged in a process aimed at Constitutional recognition in 2007, which has involved commissioning social research on community attitudes and understanding of local government and the Constitution.

The Expert Panel is due to report back to the Federal Government by the end of the year. Its recommendations will inform the strategy development process and a national campaign to be undertaken by ALGA.

Comment sought on proposed changes to NBN rollout

Proposed amendments to the Telecommunications (Low-impact Facilities) Determination 1997 and the Telecommunications Regulations 2001 have been released for public comment, with submissions closing on 7 September.

The proposed changes to the Determination would remove the need for NBN Co to obtain state, territory or local government planning permission for the installation of these facilities. However, in installing facilities on a particular property, NBN Co would need to notify the property owner and occupier of its intention and comply with the other requirements applying to a carrier installing low-impact facilities set out in Schedule 3 of the Telecommunications Act and the Code.

Twelve new low-impact facilities are proposed. An owner or occupier of land may object to the installation of a low-impact facility. The grounds for objection are set out in the Code.

The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy said the proposed amendments were designed to facilitate the timely and efficient rollout of the NBN.

This has been a contentious issue for councils in the past and Minister Conroy has said: "The government understands local community sensitivities regarding possible changes and this is why we're asking for people's feedback on the draft amendments."

ALGA will continue to work with NBN Co to assist in best practice when dealing with local councils.

ALGA will be making a submission and advises councils to make submissions. For the draft instruments and explanatory notes, click here.

Support for disability reforms

In May this year, ALGA responded to the Productivity Commission report Disability Care and Support. The report called for a massive overhaul of the disability care and support network across the country, in essence replacing the current system with two national schemes for disability care (the National Disability Insurance Scheme - NDIS) and for those with catastrophic injuries (the National Injury Insurance Scheme - NIIS).

In its submission, ALGA was supportive of the NDIS as a necessary change to ensure that people with disabilities do not do without vital support services. However, the ALGA submission was focused mainly on the NIIS, as the draft report suggested local government rates or the rates collection mechanism as a funding source for this scheme.

ALGA is supportive of an NIIS in principle, but its submission highlighted several reasons why the proposed inclusion of rates would be both ineffective and place considerable and inequitable financial pressure on local government, including:

• the additional administrative burden on local government authorities;
• real fears about cost-blow outs;
• by covering accidents that happen outside of council owned land and facilities, this would increase the financial liability of local government; and
• that local government would be financially worse off under this scheme, rather than better-off, as the draft report argues.

The ALGA submission argued that general revenue and existing insurance premiums were a much better and fairer funding option and highlighted the need to engage the states in a funding model.

The final report was released on 10 August and accepted by the Government. This final report contains no references to local government rates or the rates collection mechanism as a funding source for the NIIS, instead it focuses on the existing insurance base, some additional Commonwealth as well as state government funds.

Caring for Older Australians report released

The recommendations of the final report of the Productivity Commission, Caring for Older Australians, are being considered by the Federal Government, with Prime Minister Julia Gillard indicating that the Government intends to take action on aged-care reform during the term of this Parliament.

The Government's response to the report will be guided by four principles: the right to quality care; choice and control; sustainable and fair funding arrangements; and an appropriately skilled workforce to provide the care.

The Productivity Commission recommends fundamental changes to the way aged care is funded and delivered. It is proposed that current arrangements be replaced by a single national care co-contribution, to apply across the aged care system. The rate of private co-contribution would be set according to the person's financial capacity, based on a comprehensive means test. People would be able to borrow against the value of their house through a government-backed aged care equity release scheme. However, there would be protection against going into negative equity by an imposed credit limit. Individuals are expected to contribute a maximum of 25 per cent of their aged care costs up to a lifetime limit of $60,000. Once this limit is reached, remaining care would be paid by the tax payer, and there would be a safety net for those people unable to pay.

The report is strongly focused on enabling older people to stay in their homes for longer, thereby reducing the time spent in residential aged care and the associated costs.

The final report has taken on board ALGA's comments relating to age-friendly environments and the importance of local knowledge to inform the proposed Australian Seniors Gateway.

The report acknowledges that local governments are uniquely placed to influence the development of age-friendly communities through the local planning and development process. The final report has proposed that the Gateway will operate via a network of regional centres and that their operation may be subcontracted to third party operators.

I met with Minister Combet's Chief of Staff this week to follow up on a letter I wrote to the Minister, after the Government's announcement of its carbon pricing initiative, flagging areas of concern for local government including the potential impact on rates and the likely inclusion of relatively small councils under the scheme if it extends to smaller landfills with emissions equal to 10,000 tonnes of CO2. I am pleased to say that the meeting was very constructive. ALGA received a good hearing and the Government seems fully aware of the issues and is responsive to the concerns I raised.

Particularly important was the reassurance I received that the expected increases in local rates, which may have to occur because they are directly attributable to the impacts of a carbon price on council operations, have been factored into the broad Treasury modelling and the Government's compensation package for those who need assistance.

On the issue of the potential for landfills in small councils to be caught up in the scheme, with significant costs to councils both in terms of paying for emissions and compliance, I am pleased that the Government acknowledged the need to avoid unnecessary and unintended impacts on smaller councils when the main targets for the scheme are the big polluters. I am also hopeful that the Government will see the wisdom of providing assistance to those councils if they do end up included in the scheme and which will then need help in meeting compliance requirements.

More importantly, I am also hopeful that the Government will recognise the efforts of many councils across the country that have already taken steps to abate carbon emissions by installing new technologies, and new investments that will be required to help councils reduce their carbon emissions and thereby reduce the pressure on rate payers.

ALGA is working with state and territory associations to provide more advice to the Government on which small councils and landfills might be caught by the scheme under various scenarios before the scheme is finalised through regulation.

I will continue to keep you up to date with our discussions as they unfold.

Mayor Genia McCaffery
ALGA President

Briefs

Issues paper on cultural differences released

The Australian Government is asking for comment on a discussion paper for the first National Cultural Policy in almost two decades.

The new policy will be a 10-year vision for how arts and creativity will be supported, developed and ushered into the mainstream of modern Australia.

Feedback on the discussion paper is being encouraged around four proposed goals:

• Ensure what the Government supports - and how this support is provided - reflects the diversity of a 21^st century Australia, and protects and supports Indigenous culture;
• Encourage the use of emerging technologies and new ideas that support the development of new artworks and the creative industries in ways which enable more people to access and participate in arts and culture;
• Support excellence and world-class endeavour and strengthen the role that the arts play in telling Australian stories both here and overseas;
• Increase and strengthen the capacity of the arts to contribute to our society and economy.

The opportunity to provide feedback will be open for 10 weeks until 21 October. To read the National Cultural Policy Discussion Paper in full, click here.

Landmark study quantifies true value of rail

The True Value of Rail report, released this week by the Australasian Railway Association (ARA) and Queensland Rail National, has called for governments to address Australia's transport challenges.

According to ARA chief exectuive Bryan Nye The True Value of Rail report confirms that it is time to end Australia's love affair with the car.

"Since 1985, governments have invested more than $293 billion in roads. This has brought us many challenges and hidden costs such as traffic congestion, carbon emissions and road fatalities that impede our standard of living and the nation's productivity," Mr Nye said.

The study shows that:

• One passenger train takes 525 cars off the road.
• In one year, one trainload of passengers is equal to removing more than three million vehicle kilometres of traffic from our roads.
• One freight train in place of trucks between Melbourne and Brisbane reduces carbon emissions by the same amount as a household of three going without electricity for 46 years.
• One trainload of passengers travelling by rail instead of car for one year reduces accident costs by an amount that could fund 130 hospital visits, 505 hospital beds per day, or six doctors for one year.

The report is available at www.ara.net.au

First stage of high-speed rail study released

Federal Transport Minister, Anthony Albanese has released a first stage report examining a rail network linking Brisbane to Melbourne via Sydney. The study found that the high speed train would:

• Cost between $61 billion and $108 billion to build and involve laying more than 1,600 kilometres of new standard-gauge, double-track;
• Achieve speeds of up 350 kilometres per hour and offer journey times as short as three hours from Sydney to Brisbane, and just 40 minutes from Sydney to Newcastle;
• Carry around 54 million passengers a year by 2036 including, for example, about half those who would have flown between Sydney and Melbourne - currently the world's fifth busiest air corridor;
• Offer competitive ticket prices, with one way fares from Brisbane to Sydney costing $75 - $177; Sydney to Melbourne $99 - $197; and $16.50 for daily commuters between Newcastle and Sydney;
• Cut carbon pollution, with emissions per passenger a third of what a car emits and each full train - 450 passengers - the equivalent of taking 128 cars off the road.

A full copy of the Stage One report can be downloaded here.

"Green" councils launch 50th climate change case study

A council project that has resulted in the planting of more than 220,000 native trees across 33 forests has become the 50th case study in addressing climate change to be launched on the Local Government and Shires Associations of NSW (LGSA) Climate Change Action Pack website.

The Regenesis project, developed by sister cities, Blacktown City Council and Liverpool Plains Shire Council, will offset carbon emissions equivalent to that of 60 homes over the next 40 years. Regenesis joins several other best practice projects on the website - from Dubbo City Council's use of solar lighting at their regional airport to Willoughby Council's integrated water management system.

According to President of the Local Government Association, Cr Keith Rhoades AFSM, NSW councils have been on the front foot in reducing their carbon footprint and addressing climate change for quite some time.

"NSW councils are undertaking several bold initiatives in response to climate change and these 50 case studies demonstrate how committed NSW Local Government is to playing an important role in finding appropriate solutions," said Cr Rhoades.

The Climate Change Action Pack has been assisted by funding from the NSW Government. For more information and a full listing of the projects, click here.

To view the Regenesis project case study, click here.

Local Government Excellence Framework published

The University of Sydney's (UTS) Centre for Local Government and the Australian Centre for Excellence for Local Government (ACELG) have published a series of detailed case studies regarding the implementation of the Australian Business Excellence Framework (BEF) within Local Government.

In consultation with SAI Global and the Local Government Business Excellence Network, UTS and the ACELG studied eight Australian councils that have been known for their progressive and innovative approach to local government policies. The eight councils represent a cross-section in terms of population, geographic size and demographic profiles. They include the Warringah, Port Stephens, Bass Coast Shire, Yarra Ranges and Hobart City Councils, and the Cities of Swan, Melville and Marion.

Findings of the case studies reflect each organisation's different focus as it works to continuously improve outcomes.

The case studies can be found here.

Bike Futures 2011

The role of bicycling in transforming cities and local communities into liveable spaces will be discussed at Bike Futures 2011 being held in Melbourne, 12-14 October.

Bike Futures 2011 will consider how to take the next steps from providing bike infrastructure - essential for mobility - to changing the ways cities work.

The forum will bring together world experts and leading practitioners to respond to issues confronting communities as they embrace the bicycle revolution.

Fore more information, click here.