 | |  ALGA, along with other local government representatives attended a Productivity Commission roundtable in Melbourne on 14 February to talk about the challenges facing councils in adapting to climate change. This area is the subject of an Inquiry by the Commission, with a final report expected for release around September. Lack of local data, lack of capacity, failure of state and federal government policies to align and uncertainty over legal liability were some of the major themes to emerge from the discussions. Councils from coastal and inland areas (such as the Gold Coast and Parkes), state local government associations and ALGA representatives all highlighted the challenges posed to land use planning and approvals processes and the burden which climate change may bring to disaster recovery efforts, with inland councils particularly concerned with water security and the future sustainability of communities. The Productivity Commission’s Inquiry, which specifically relates to regulatory and policy barriers to effective adaptation, flows from a request from the Council of Australian Governments and the Commission expects to release a draft report in April or May. While submissions were sought by the Commission at the end of last year, the release of the Draft Report will provide another opportunity for comment by interested councils. In discussions with the Commission, ALGA drew on the work commissioned by ALGA from legal firm Baker and McKenzie to review legal liability issues facing councils and make recommendations on reforms which could address council concerns. Chief among those recommendations was for all jurisdictions to look at introducing legislative protection for councils similar to that provided under Section 733 of the NSW Local Government Act, which provides some protection from liability for councils acting in good faith. | | | | |  The Minister for Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government, Simon Crean has confirmed that he will address this year’s National General Assembly of Local Government (NGA), which is organised and hosted each year by ALGA. ALGA is looking forward to hearing the Government’s plans for moving forward on the constitutional recognition of local government and progressing the findings and recommendations of the final report of the Expert Panel on Constitutional Recognition of Local Government, which found in favour of ALGA’s case for the financial recognition of councils. As well as addressing the Government’s approach to constitutional recognition of local government, it is anticipated that Minister Crean will discuss the review of Financial Assistance Grants (FAGs) for local government and the status of local government infrastructure funding. Minister Crean’s address will provide an opportunity for delegates to ask questions about issues relevant to their local government areas. Themed National Voice, Local Choice – Infrastructure, Planning, Services this year’s NGA will be held from 17–20 June at the National Convention Centre, Canberra. The three elements of the theme allow for exploration of the key priorities and challenges facing governments and local communities: - ‘Infrastructure’ allows delegates to focus to the local and community infrastructure provided by local government and seeks to develop innovative ideas for the provision of this infrastructure now as well as into the future.
- ‘Planning’ recognises the important role local government plays in the planning for local communities. It asks delegates to consider how best to provide this critical role and the impact it has on shaping the future of communities in Australia.
- ‘Services’ refers to the wide range of services provided by local government and the need to ensure the delivery of these services caters to the needs and opportunities in Australia’s diverse communities.
The Prime Minister; Minister for Health; Leader of the Opposition; Leader of the Greens; and Shadow Minister for Local Government have also been invited to address the NGA. Registration is now open and the registration brochure will be mailed to all councils shortly. To register online, go to www.alga.asn.au. | | | | |  ALGA lodged a submission to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Infrastructure and Communications Committee this week. The Committee is conducting an inquiry into a Private Members Bill – the Telecommunications Amendment (Enhancing Community Consultation) Bill 2011 – introduced by Andrew Wilkie MP to the House of Representatives in September last year. The Bill aims to increase the obligations on telecommunications carriers to consult and notify residents of their installation and maintenance activities. Currently, under the Telecommunications Act 1997, a carrier can install a low-impact facility without being subject to some state and territory laws, including town planning and environmental laws. For many years, local government has argued that telecommunications infrastructure should be subject to planning and development regulations to ensure the deployment of mobile base stations occurs in a way that is sensitive to the needs of the local community. However, councils are also aware of the balance needed between the growing demand for phone coverage and data capacity and community wishes to be properly consulted on the siting of the infrastructure. Extensions to existing towers have been a cause of controversy in communities. While new towers all require development, extension to pre-existing towers under the low-impact facility determination can be extended once, by up to five metres, but only in rural and industrial areas. ALGA has highlighted to the Committee that the ongoing controversy surrounding this issue demonstrates the level of community concern. ALGA wants to see more clarity around the issue and a better mechanism for communities to understand developments, their impacts and their consequences, as well as the need for a fair and reasonable process of appeal where matters cannot be resolved through standard processes. Further information about the inquiry is available here. | | |
| |  The focus of action on climate change at the federal level has, for a long time been, been directed primarily at mitigation through a carbon price. But the issue of adapting to the unavoidable effects of climate change has been a significant concern and a key priority of ALGA and local government more broadly. For this reason, I was pleased to see that towards the end of last year, the Productivity Commission was asked to look at the barriers to adaptation faced by governments and private citizens. Local councils are responsible for the planning and development of communities and for the provision and management of local infrastructure in those communities. The uncertainties created by climate change, including sea level rises and changes in local climates in terms of rainfall patterns and extreme weather events, pose a major challenge to councils which face resource and capacity constraints, legal uncertainty and often conflicting state and federal government policies. My role as a member of the Coast and Climate Council advising Minister Combet last year gave me a chance to highlight these issues directly to the Minister and I was pleased to oversee ALGA’s engagement of the national law firm Baker and McKenzie to review the need for reform to address gaps in the legal liability of councils acting on climate change issues. Our decision to commission the Baker and McKenzie work actually stemmed from a national local government experts’ forum convened by ALGA in April 2010 to identify what councils need to deal with climate change. Apart from the obvious need for resources, expertise and local data which councils highlighted, it is also telling that councils wanted greater alignment of local, regional, state and commonwealth efforts and policies. Many of the council representatives I talk to are keen to take the lead in helping their communities address the challenges of adaptation but they are frustrated by the lack of consistency between state and federal governments where issues are politicized or where barriers to the free flow of information are thrown up. Councils will always face a challenge in educating and leading communities and in justifying the use of scarce resources to address emerging problems. Our task is made much harder if actions by other levels of government, and in some cases the commercial sector, undermine public confidence and create confusion for what appears to be short-term political or commercial gain. As community representatives and government leaders, we need to accept our responsibility to make decisions on issues which will benefit communities in the coming decades, not just the next couple of years. The issue of adaptation goes to the heart of making our communities sustainable in the long-term. That is the key role of local government and anything the Productivity Commission report can do to remove barriers and help us to do that job better will be welcome. To access the legal liability report prepared by ALGA and the Baker and McKenzie firm, click here. | | |
| | Councils seeking information regarding the carbon pricing mechanism, which commences on 1 July 2012, have the opportunity to participate in a Carbon Webinar conducted by WMAA National Carbon Committee Webinar on Wednesday 22 February 2012. Both private operators and local councils operating landfills which exceed the relevant threshold (25,000tCO2-e) will have a liability under the mechanism. New arrangements will apply for registering and reporting under the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting System. Difficult decisions must be made about the carbon price to be charged at the landfill gate. The Carbon Farming Initiative has now commenced and landfill gas projects are qualified to participate in the scheme. Existing projects under Greenhouse Friendly™ or the NSW Greenhouse Gas Abatement Scheme are able to transition into the CFI. A current uncertainty, however, is the baseline which must be applied for new projects. This webinar will seek to clarify some of the misunderstandings and misconceptions currently out in the waste sector, and seek to provide guidance on approaching calculation of the applicable carbon price. Attendance is highly recommended for those who have a liability under the carbon price or want to explore opportunities for undertaking a landfill gas project under the CFI. The webinar will also provide an opportunity to raise other issues or questions on these topics. Details can be found here. | | | | | Last week, the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency (DCCEE) released the program guidelines for the Community Energy Efficiency Program (CEEP) and the Low Income Energy Efficiency Program (LIEEP). The guidelines are available on the department’s website at www.climatechange.gov.au/ceep and www.climatechange.gov.au/lieep. The CEEP package is specifically targeted at community organisations and councils, however, the conditions of funding are very strict and the guidelines should be read carefully. The programs were open for applications on Monday, 13 February 2012. Application guidance and information on how to apply are available on the department’s website. Applications for CEEP funding will close on 23 March 2012; and Expressions of Interest for LIEEP must be submitted by 16 March 2012. Information sessions on CEEP and LIEEP will be held in capital cities during February 2012. Information on the sessions can be found using the web links above. Program guidelines have also been released for the Energy Efficiency Information Grants Program, more information on this program can be found at www.climatechange.gov.au/eeig. | | | | | A Private Members Bill to amend legislation relating to mobile phone towers, tabled last year by Leader of the Australian Greens, Senator Bob Brown, has been referred to a Senate committee for inquiry. The Telecommunications Amendment (Mobile Phone Towers) Bill 2011 proposes a range of measures in relation to mobile phone towers including removing the exemption for low-impact facilities – an issue which has caused concern to councils and communities. The Bill also proposes a review of radiation standards every five years; wants carriers to prepare network plans every year; seeks to mandate the use of the precautionary principle in all sitings; and wants increased consultation for new tower installations. ALGA will be making a submission to the inquiry and encourages councils to make their view known to the committee. Submissions are due by 12 March and the committee expects to report by 9 May. Further information on the inquiry can be obtained from the committee’s website. | | | | | The COAG Select Council of Ministers for Disability Services and Treasurers met in Canberra last week to progress disability reforms recommended by the Productivity Commission last August. In October last year COAG agreed that the foundational framework would be fast-tracked and completed by mid 2013 – a year earlier than the timeline suggested by the Productivity Commission. This week, The Australian reported that discussions between the Commonwealth and the states had struck the first hurdle, with two states not being able to agree on funding arrangements for the new scheme. It was reported that the meeting concluded without funding details being resolved and the Commonwealth unable to secure a commitment for an alternative meeting date. The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) would be comparable to Medicare and provide all Australians with a significant and ongoing disability with long term care and support. The Productivity Commission estimated that the NDIS would cost $6.5 billion per year in addition to existing spending, to cover the lifetime of care require by people suffering from a disability. To date the Commonwealth has provided $10 million to set up an agency to administer the scheme. | | | | | Councils are reminded that submissions for the Access and Equity Inquiry close on 24 February 2012. The newly formed Access and Equity Inquiry Panel is examining the Australian Government’s Access and Equity Strategy and Framework which applies to all Australian Government policies, programs and services. The strategy seeks to promote fairness and responsiveness in the design, delivery, monitoring and evaluation of Australian Government services for Australians from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. The Access and Equity Inquiry Panel will provide advice and recommendations to thee Australian Government on how existing services are provided and how they could be improved. Information about the Inquiry is available here. To access the Inquiry Panel’s discussion paper, click here. If you require any further information, please contact the Inquiry Panel Secretariat within the Department on (02) 62198 7226 or at accessandequity@immi.gov.au. | | | | | NBN Co has released an update to its 12 month rollout schedule, released last October. The updated rollout schedule issued on 15 February 2012, includes an additional three months of rollout information covering the period to the end of 2012. The new rollout plan increases to 758,100 the number of premises covered, including those areas where the network is active, where rollout activity is currently underway, and where work is due to start up until the end of the year. This is an increase over the October plan of 191,000 premises across Australia. This plan shows work commenced in areas to cover 58,000 premises during the previous three months, taking the total premises in areas where work is underway to 121,500. Most of the growth in premises covered in the rollout plan comes in areas where work has already started. This is because NBN Co has said it needs to manage the rollout of the network as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible, and deploy contractor resources in a logical, sequential way. It is estimated that the average time from work commencing to NBN services being available is 12 months. For more information, visit the NBN Co website. | | | | | The Australian Government has announced $1 billion in funding for manufacturers to improve energy efficiency and reduce pollution. The Clean Technology Investment Programs will provide grants to help manufacturers buy new plant and equipment which cuts their energy costs or reduces carbon pollution. The Industry and Innovation Minister, Greg Combet, launched the $800 million Clean Technology Investment Program and the $200 million Clean Technology Food and Foundries Investment Program – part of the Government’s Clean Energy Future package. They will support jobs and provide incentives for manufacturers to become more efficient, more competitive and more sustainable. Eligible manufacturers can apply for funding under the programs from today. Information sessions on the Clean Technology Programs will be held around Australia from next month. For more information visit www.ausindustry.gov.au or call the AusIndustry Hotline on 13 28 46. | | | | | According to the Adecco Group’s second edition of the Temporary Labour Report, temporary labour grew by 4 per cent to 428,000 jobs in 2010/2011 compared to 2.9 per cent growth for total employment over the same period. And the temporary labour market is expected to continue growing by 2.4 per cent in 2012, compared to 1.3 per cent for total employment. According to the Adecco Group CEO, Jeff Doyle: “Temporary labour is an important factor in sustaining a competitive advantage in today’s marketplace, and even more so in this economic climate. A temporary workforce gives employers the flexibility to efficiently manage the demand and supply fluctuations in their business.” While New South Wales is the state that currently utilises the most temporary labour with 3.5 per cent growth this year bringing the total number of temporary employees in the state to 154,115; this pace is forecast to slow to 1.2 per cent growth in 2011/12 but to accelerate to 5.5 per cent in 2013. For further information on the Adecco Group Temporary Labour Report 2012 go to www.adecco.com.au. | | | | | The city of Perth has completed a study of the needs of the its ageing population, in preparation for a 15-20 per cent increase in the number of people aged over 60 in the next two decades. The study investigated the age-friendliness of the city and highlighted priorities for an age-friendly future. It was based on extensive consultation with older people and community service providers by way of focus groups and a questionnaire which attracted 368 respondents. Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi said the key outcomes of the study were: - The City of Perth received a good rating on how people use, live, work and enjoy the city.
- Top priorities for the future are: transport, social participation and housing.
- There is a diversity of older people. One size does not fit all in terms of how we live, how we recreate and how we exist as a community.
- There is a need to focus on supporting people to continue to live in the city, either in their own homes or appropriate accommodation, and supporting them to maintain good health and social interaction.
- Access to information is essential, to support participation in public life and enable access to services and facilities.
The City will now prepare an action plan aimed at ensuring the city remains engaging and accessible for this valued group in our community. The Age-Friendly Consultation Report can be viewed at http://www.perth.wa.gov.au/afc | | | | | The Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) has called for an immediate review of the state’s legislation with an aim to clarify roles and responsibilities for waterways, creeks, drains, levees, seawalls and other essential water and flood mitigation assets. Appearing at a Parliamentary Inquiry public hearing, MAV CEO Rob Spence said that flood-affected councils had called for clarity around planning, responsibilities and ownership of Victoria’s flood infrastructure. “Municipalities experienced first-hand a wide variance in the quality of detailed flood maps, accurate advice, warnings and flood predictions. This information is critical for comprehensive flood planning to reduce risk.” As it stands, a lack of State guidance has left councils repeatedly taking on responsibilities that are far beyond their capacity, expertise and resources – a situation that is unsustainable,” he said. The MAV’s submission to the Victorian Parliament Environment and Natural Resources Committee - Inquiry into Flood Mitigation Infrastructure recommends an urgent review of the Water Act, Local Government Act and the Catchment and Land Protection Act to clarify roles and responsibilities. Councils have also called for a state-wide assessment of levees, weirs and channels to determine the assets owned by each agency, and which ones should be maintained, upgraded or decommissioned. | | |
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