 | |  ALGA has received an overwhelming response to its call for Notices of Motions for this year’s National General Assembly (NGA), with motions being submitted from all states and territories, covering a huge range of policy areas that reinforce national local government positions as well as propose new policy initiatives. Motions will be debated and voted on when council representatives from across the country meet next month. A number of key issues covered in the Notices of Motions include the constitutional recognition of local government, the renewal of the Roads to Recovery program, the price on carbon and its implications for councils, community services and infrastructure provision. The call for motions closed on 27 April and ALGA is currently working with State and Territory Local Government Associations and a Sub-Committee of the ALGA Board to compile the motions into the NGA Business Paper. The Business Paper will be distributed to NGA delegates ahead of the NGA and will also be included in satchels at the event. ALGA has already received more than 500 delegate registrations. This is significantly higher than the number received this time last year and last year’s NGA was the biggest ever. 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. To register your attendance at the 2012 NGA, click here. | | | | |  While most climate change adaptation will occur without the need for government intervention, through normal risk management activities, there is a need for policy reforms and initiatives to enhance this process, according to a draft report - Barriers to Effective Climate Change Adaptation - released by the Productivity Commission. The Commission was asked to identify policy and regulatory barriers to effective climate change adaptation, and to identify high priority reform options to address these barriers. Presiding Commissioner Dr Wendy Craik noted that “the reform priority should be to enable better risk management in the current climate” and that “reforms to barriers to managing risks in an uncertain future climate should be a lower priority because the costs and benefits are also uncertain”. High priority reforms identified by the Commission include reforms to enhance the flexibility of the economy, such as replacing taxes on insurance and property transfers, removing regulations inhibiting competition such as barriers to water trade, improving information on climate risks by increasing the quality and availability of natural hazard mapping and improving emergency management arrangements. Such measures would help build adaptive capacity for future climate changes as well as responding to current climate variability. In the case of adaptation to uncertain future climate trends, the Commission found that the case for action is strongest for reforms with relatively low upfront costs and delivering benefits under a range of scenarios. The effects of climate change will be experienced at the local level, and local governments are likely to play a leading role in relation to key risks, such as longer term sea level rise. State and territory governments will need to support the adaptation efforts of local governments. The report also cites a potential range of barriers to managing risks for local government, including poorly defined roles and responsibilities for adaptation; local government capacity constraints, including financial constraints; lack of guidance and skill shortages; and legal liability concerns for local government. ALGA identified legal liability as one of the highest priority concerns of local government two years ago when it partnered with legal firm Baker and McKenzie to commission a report 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 New South Wales Local Government Act, which provides some protection from liability for councils acting in good faith. The Commission will be holding public hearings in July and is seeking responses to its draft recommendations and a number of information requests contained in the draft report. A final report will be submitted to the Australian Government in September 2012. To access the draft report, click here. | | | | |  Earlier this week, Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Minister for Disability Reform, Jenny Macklin announced the new timeframe for the launch of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). The scheme will commence in 2013, a year earlier than recommended by the Productivity Commission in its 2011 report into disability care and support. Prime Minister Gillard announced that the Commonwealth Government would fund its share of the cost of the initial stage of the NDIS in the May Budget. A new National Disability Transition Agency will be established and funded by the Commonwealth Government to run the delivery of care and support to people with a disability, their families and carers. The NDIS will commence in July 2013 in up to four locations across the country to serve around 10,000 people with significant and permanent disabilities. By 2014, the number of people with a disability receiving support under the NDIS is expected to rise to 20,000. The Commonwealth also announced the establishment of three expert groups to help inform the design of the NDIS. The expert groups, which include people with a disability, their carers, advocates, service providers and other sector experts, will work under the NDIS Advisory Group to help advise on the design of key elements of the scheme. The three groups are: - National Approach to Control and Choice
- Eligibility and Assessment
- Quality Safeguards and Standards.
Disability and social welfare groups have welcomed the announcement of the accelerated timeframe and called on all sides of politics to support the NDIS. A further expert group was announced by the Government yesterday. The Disability Workforce and Sector Capacity expert group will provide advice on how the disability sector should be supported to deliver services under an NDIS and how the disability care workforce can be prepared for change. Minister Macklin said that the Government wanted to make the transition as smooth as possible. To date, the main obstacle to the scheme’s implementation has been how to fund such a scheme. The Coalition supports the introduction of a national disability scheme and has given qualified support to the accelerated timetable, with Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey expressing concern about whether Australians would be willing to pay the extra tax to fund the additional $8 billion a year required to fund the scheme. | | |
| |  Next Tuesday, Treasurer Wayne Swan will hand down his fifth Budget. There have been trickles of unofficial announcements of what to expect and on Monday this week the Prime Minister disclosed that the Budget would provide funding for the Commonwealth’s portion of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). The Government has made clear its intention to secure a Budget surplus, which has been promised since 2009-10. It will do so in the face of the continued global economic uncertainty and the strength of the Australian dollar forcing down profits and tax receipts for the Government. In fact, since the Global Financial Crisis hit in 2008, the Government has lost almost $150 billion in potential revenue. This has in turn made the Government’s promise to restore the Budget to surplus even harder and requires the Government to make some very difficult choices. In January this year, being fully aware of the pressure on the Government to deliver on its promise of a surplus, ALGA submitted its budget recommendations to the Government. This submission was tightly focused on ALGA’s key priority areas, and stressed that while we understood the situation, important services and projects “do not wait for a convenient moment”. The recommendations within the submission relate to vital services for local government and the communities we serve. The submission called for the following: - An increase in Financial Assistance Grants (FAGs) and an escalation of the indexation to reflect the real financial pressures on local government;
- Resources for a campaign to support the inclusion of local government in the Commonwealth Constitution to ensure the continuation of direct funding of councils;
- Ensuring the long-term future of Roads to Recovery;
- Infrastructure funding, including resources for climate change adaptation, water resource management and energy efficiency measures;
- Support for community infrastructure; and
- Greater clarity and improved equity for natural disaster arrangements.
ALGA has highlighted these issues at this time of financial stringency because as the level of government closest to communities, we know that the services and infrastructure provided at the local level are absolutely essential to sustain communities and build our future. Regardless of the outcome, ALGA’s position on these and other issues will not change. We will continue to advocate for them because of their importance for our local communities. Mayor Genia McCaffery
ALGA President | | |
| | Last Saturday’s local government elections in Queensland delivered a 60 per cent turnover of mayors and 43 fresh faces – the highest result post World War II. Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) executive director Greg Hallam says eighteen mayors resigned and only nine with two terms' experience are left. "There was a very strong desire for change," Mr Hallam said. Mr Hallam said throughout the state, the cost of living was the biggest single issue on voters' minds and mayors from councils that amalgamated had been punished, with only a handful returning. Premier Campbell Newman announced on Sunday that he would examine whether reversing any of the amalgamations was possible but warned it was "not for the faint-hearted" as costs would be borne by the councils themselves. The LGAQ opposed the forced 2008 council amalgamation program, which saw 157 councils merged into 73, and Mr Hallam believes the Sunshine Coast Council, Cairns and Rockhampton could take up the option to stand alone again. "It is critically important that whether you amalgamate or de-amalgamate the local people have to make the final determination," he said. Thirteen council results are still to be returned and Mr Hallam said he expected it would take more than a week for the Electoral Commission of Queensland (ECQ) to receive them. Former Sunshine Coast Mayor Bob Abbott will begin touring the state once all results are in, to mentor new mayors. | | | | | With elections for Victoria’s 79 councils coming up in October, community-minded citizens are being urged to think about standing for council. Rob Spence, Chief Executive Officer of the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) said many people in our local communities could make really good councillors, and now was the time to understand what’s involved. “It doesn’t matter if you’re young or old; male or female; working, studying or retired. If you’re over 18 and on the electoral roll for the council area, chances are you’re eligible to stand for council,” Mr Spence said. “Becoming a councillor is a great hands-on way to serve your community and positively influence future directions and outcomes for the municipal area. “The stand for council website can help candidates to determine if they’re eligible to nominate, it offers campaigning tips, and information about the day-to-day activities of a councillor. “The strength of our democracy is in people’s participation, and diverse representation helps to reflect the diversity of our communities. Think about standing for council today,” he said. Local government elections will take place on 27 October. Nominations close on 25 September. For more information, visit www.standforcouncil.com.au and http://www.facebook.com/standforcouncil | | | | | The 2012 Victorian Budget has delivered additional funding for core community services provided in partnership with councils, but has cut a critical Green Lights Plan to reduce the impact of the carbon price. Cr Bill McArthur, President of the Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) said in the context of the tough economic climate and the Victorian Government’s falling revenue, it was appropriate to see the priority on funding for infrastructure and community services to keep the state moving. “Additional funding for public libraries, maternal and child health, and home and community care has been delivered by the Government. There is more reliance on these services for families facing rising living costs,” Cr McArthur said. “Of surprise and disappointment to local government is an unspecified cut to the $20 million Green Lights election promise. This funding was recently identified by councils as critical to help reduce their carbon price exposure. “The surprise benching of this key green reform program is a blow to Victorian communities given that many councils will have to pass on rising energy costs through rates when the carbon price starts in two months. “There are high upfront costs to change Victoria’s 300,000 local road street lights using old, expensive lamps to energy efficient lights. It’s simply beyond the capacity of many councils.” | | | | | An independent panel has proposed slashing the number of local councils across Perth from 30 to as few as one. The panel's draft report, commissioned by the State Government, has proposed three possible models for reform. But the panel's chairman, Professor Alan Robson, said that one option would be recommended to the Government following public consultation. "Apart from some of the boundaries being illogical and the variation in council size, 30 local governments are too many for the Perth region," Professor Robson said. The panel has also recommended making voting in local government elections compulsory and paying elected members more money. However, the President of the Western Australia Local Government Association Troy Pickard holds some concerns about compulsory voting. "Over east where there is compulsory voting in the local government sector, party politics is front and centre so they run as a Labor candidate, Liberal candidate and a Greens candidate," he said. "We actually enjoy a degree of independence here in Western Australia." The Panel’s draft findings can be accessed via the website http://www.metroreview.dlg.wa.gov.au/, to give the community a further opportunity to be involved in the discussion on the best way to govern the metropolitan area. The final report will be presented to Western Australia Local Government Minister John Castrilli at the end of June. | | | | | Attorney-General and Minister for Emergency Management, Nicola Roxon and Emergency Services Minister, Jennifer Rankine will today launch guidelines to ensure that communities in need receive appropriate donations following a disaster The National Guidelines for Managing Donated Goods was created to give communities clear advice on the most effective way to support the recovery process. “After a natural disaster, Australians step up to lend a helping hand and often their first response is to look for goods to donate,” Ms Roxon said. “While this demonstrates a wonderful Aussie spirit of generosity, it’s not always the best solution in the immediate aftermath of a disaster.” Minister Rankine said it’s vital that donors check with registered organisations working with affected communities to determine what people actually need. “The generosity of people is always appreciated, however, better planning and coordination across states and territories will help manage all aspects of disaster response and recovery. The guidelines set out how to do this,” Minister Rankine said. Production of the guidelines involved extensive research and discussion with the community, government, non-government agencies and the corporate sector. The guidelines include advice on planning, handling unsolicited goods, media messages, educational tools and evaluation methods. More information about these guidelines is available here. | | | | | The Informing Adaptation Policy workshop to be held in Canberra from 3-4 May has been organised as part of a project being undertaken by Australian National University researchers and funded under the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility (NCCARF). ALGA is a member of the reference group of this particular project, which focuses on finding a national and international best-practice guide for local government to best use climate data to inform decision making. The purpose of this workshop is to gauge the practical policy applications of the many climate change tools that are both available to and being created by councils. This workshop will furnish the researchers with the hands-on knowledge and experience of policy practitioners. | | | | | Tourism Australia, the Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism (DRET) and the Australian Trade Commission (Austrade) have joined forces in a new strategic partnership to promote investment opportunities across the Australian tourism industry to foreign and local investors. In activating the partnership, Tourism Australia, Austrade and DRET unveiled several communication tools including the Australian Tourism Investment Guide which outlines up to 80 investment-ready opportunities and proposed tourism projects. The investment-ready list covers city-based and regional Australia projects and can be found at www.tourisminvestments.com.au Tourism Australia Managing Director, Andrew McEvoy, welcomed the partnership noting the collective approach would help to deliver enhanced outcomes for the Australian tourism industry and the wider economy, by demonstrating the case for new and greater levels of investment. “We acknowledge that investment sourced both locally and internationally, is vital to growing the Australian tourism industry and achieving our industry’s goal of doubling overnight visitor expenditure to up to A$140 billion a year by 2020. This is the level of growth we need to bring new investment to life,” Mr McEvoy said. Austrade CEO, Peter Grey, said that as a joint partner, Austrade endorsed this new whole of government initiative and looked forward to working with Tourism Australia. “As Australia’s trade, investment and education promotion agency, one of our key responsibilities is to attract foreign investment and our international network will utilise these communication tools to showcase the investment opportunities across Australia’s tourism industry,” Mr Grey said. | | | | | How do our city planners, police forces, and NGOs work towards preventing crime in the first instance? How can they work with impoverished communities, young people, and even businesses such as nightclubs and bars - to minimise the opportunity for criminal activity? The Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) is hosting an international conference on crime prevention and communities at the Sydney Convention Centre on 4 and 5 June 2012. “This important conference explores community safety, social cohesion, and the complexities of designing both social and environmental crime prevention programs for at-risk communities and neighbourhoods,” AIC Research Director, Dr Rick Brown, said. “Crime problems can be present in a community for many reasons including economic, cultural and social impoverishment, a high incidence of alcohol outlets in a suburb, geographic isolation, or even the appearance of conspicuous wealth.” 45 presenters - Australian and International - will discuss urban and community planning and safety; crime prevention and safety in indigenous communities; community policing, and the design, development, implementation and evaluation of crime prevention programs. The conference involves significant input from the local government sector and NGOs working in the crime prevention area, plus contributions from policing and academic research. For further information and registration details, visit www.aic.gov.au or email events@aic.gov.au | | | | | Australian Privacy Commissioner Timothy Pilgrim this week reminded young people to make good privacy choices to ensure that their social networking behaviour does not come back to bite them in the future. “I am worried about the level of personal information that young people are willing to share when social networking,” Mr Pilgrim said. “Setting up web pages, blogging, tweeting, posting messages on Facebook or using instant messaging is reality for young people. It’s as real a world for them as talking face to face is - and it’s a world full of excitement and opportunity,” Mr Pilgrim said. “But risks exist for children and young people online just as they do in the physical world – with some new twists and challenges. The information that we put online about ourselves is open not only to friends and family but to bullies, predators, identity thieves and fraudsters. “Also, anyone can put anything on the internet – they can tell lies about you, post embarrassing photographs or facts, or harass you because of your opinions or actions. Once an individual’s information is posted on the internet, they can lose control over who can access it and any potential misuse of the information,” Mr Pilgrim said. Privacy authorities in the Asia Pacific region are increasingly working together on topics of common concern. The latest example is a list of guidance materials available for children, young people, parents and teachers in the region which the privacy authorities have produced as part of Privacy Awareness Week (29 April – 5 May 2012). For more information about Cybersmart visit www.cybersmart.gov.au | | | | | Innovative and unique planning projects from across the country have received top recognition at the 2012 Planning Institute of Australia (PIA) Awards for Planning Excellence. A strategy aimed at addressing community dysfunction caused by the mining boom, a 20 year Urban Renewal project for Brisbane and a plan to make cities child and youth friendly were among the winners. PIA National President, Dyan Currie said the awards showcase leading practice across a range of planning disciplines and demonstrate that planers really do make a difference. "The variety of nominations this year clearly shows how planning is becoming more dynamic and inclusive when we think about the clean, safe and sustainable communities we want for the future," Ms Currie said. A planning project designed by Queensland's Urban Land Development Authority (ULDA) called 'Engaging in the Cauldron - Blackwater and Moranbah', won the Public Engagement and Community Planning Award. Brisbane City Council's Urban Renewal Program Urban Renewal Brisbane - 20 years was another stand out winner taking the inaugural category From Plan to Place Award. Brendan Nelson, General Manager, Land Use Planning in the Queensland Reconstruction Authority was the inaugural winner of the Planner of the Year Award. For more information, click here. | | |
| | |  Through relevant, grounded and practical strategies, this course will show you how to get the most punch from your community engagement dollar. You will see how practitioners, with the right tools and strategies, have turned around high stake situations to sustained relationships of integrity, credibility and trust, often within tight time constraints and budgets. Read about what people said about the course: This course is a great way to hear about new ideas and strategies with excellent validation for people doing a tough job! I now have more positive tools for engagement, new ways to involve people and more ideas for how to maintain sensitivity to culture.” Karen Ackland, Community and Customer Relations Manager, Horizon Power “This training and Carla’s facilitation was excellent and well worth doing. I got a lot from the opportunity to share experience with others, and I especially enjoyed the marketplace and design team concepts.” Greg McAdam, Engagement, CentreFarm, NT Attend Tonkin’s Engaging Community in Remote and Regional areas to provide you with necessary assistance on how to achieve a community response when delivering your service in a rural area. Standard Price - $1978.90 Special Rate for Shire Councils, Not-For-Profit and Indigenous Organisations - $1,611.50 4 Easy Ways to Register Phone: 02 9224 6055 Fax: 02 9224 6066 |
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