 | |  ALGA is delighted to announce that prolific broadcaster, filmmaker, author, archaeologist and social commentator, Phillip Adams will be a keynote speaker for the 2012 National General Assembly of Local Government (NGA). Phillip Adams has been recognised numerous times for his contribution to the community, receiving a host of awards and honours, including two Orders of Australia; the Senior ANZAC Fellowship; the Australian Humanist of the Year; the Republican of the Year 2005; the Golden Lion at Cannes; the Longford Award (the highest award of the Australian film industry); a Walkley award; a UN Media prize; four Honorary Doctorates; and the Responsibility in Journalism Award at New York University. In 2006, he also received the Human Rights Medal from the Australian Government’s Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission. Having worked as a consultant to Australian prime ministers and premiers, Phillip Adams has played a key role in the establishment of the Australia Council, the Australian Film Development Corporation, the Australian Film Commission, the South Australian Film Corporation and the Australian Film Finance Corporation. Drawing on his broad experience and rich understanding of politics, Mr Adams will share with delegates his insights into where Australia is headed and what this means for local government. Mr Adams says the NGA is being held at a time of political uncertainty, when “major nations, whether authoritarian or notionally democratic, teeter on the edge of failure – when people have lost faith in the economic systems and the forms of governance”. “Perhaps the least threatened formed of government is the local,” Mr Adams said. However, he believes that “the sky is falling on local government as well, thanks to the unprecedented threats of instability and, yes, climate change”. 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. There is still time to register for this year’s NGA. To register online, click here. | | | | |  The Standing Council on Transport and Infrastructure (SCOTI) has agreed to a new set of principles for land-use planning to protect airports and communities from inappropriate off-airport developments. The agreement represents the view of governments that an appropriate balance needs to be maintained between the social, economic and environmental needs of the community and the effective use of airport sites. Specifically, SCOTI has agreed to adopt the principles underpinning the National Airport Safety Framework along with a series of technical guidelines, which include: - Guideline B - management of the risk of building generated windshear and turbulence at airports;
- Guideline C - management of wildlife hazards near airports such as land fill sites and bird attracting wetlands;
- Guideline D - wind turbine farms which might pose a hazard to aviation operations or create electromagnetic interference with navigation equipment;
- Guideline E - lighting which might act as a distraction to pilots; and
- Guideline F - processes to assess penetration of tall buildings into protected airspace around airports.
SCOTI also considered and agreed to the guideline for Managing the Impacts of Noise Disturbance from Airports (Guideline A), subject to its use being for the purpose of guiding strategic planning decisions, with this purpose being monitored and reported on in May 2013. The Guideline is not binding on planners. Furthermore, the Commonwealth will be seeking a review by Standards Australia of Australian Standard (AS) 2021-2000 – Acoustics Noise Intrusion – Building Siting and Construction. ALGA will consider its position once Standards Australia releases terms of reference for this review. SCOTI’s position acknowledges that New South Wales continues to have reservations about Guideline A. When the draft guidelines were released in February 2012, some 93 submissions were received including 30 from local government. The concerns raised by councils through this process have been reflected in the final form of the guidelines. Each state and territory is now responsible for developing implementation strategies for the Framework and its supporting guidelines. These implementation strategies are likely to be refined over time reflecting both the processes associated with the proposed review of AS 2021 and Guideline A as well as any future guidance material that may be incorporated in the Framework. A report from each jurisdiction is expected to be tabled at the next SCOTI meeting in November 2012. | | | | |  A Senate parliamentary committee investigating a bill by former Leader of the Greens, Senator Bob Brown, which seeks to make a range of changes to mobile phone towers, in particular, removal of the exemption for low-impact facilities, has recommended that the bill not be passed. Exemptions from state of territory planning approval have been an issue of concern for councils and communities since the low-impact facilities determination was introduced in 1997, and local government has sought to have this concern addressed. Nevertheless, councils are aware of the need for balance between the growing demand for phone coverage and data capacity and the community's need to be properly consulted on the siting of the infrastructure. ALGA sought the views of state associations in making its submission to the inquiry and was subsequently called to give evidence before the inquiry. The Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee heard that many community groups and individuals supported the bill, but that telecommunications carriers and industry opposed the bill stating that it would only serve to duplicate consultation requirements which were already imposed under codes and legislation. The committee also heard that the bill may have a range of unintended consequences relating to the deployment and maintenance of telecommunications infrastructure, such as emergency communications facilities, simple maintenance and state and territory planning legislation. ALGA argued that the rollout of telecommunications infrastructure should be subject to planning and development regulations and in a way that is sensitive to the needs of the local community. However, despite being fully supportive of enhanced consultation processes in relation to mobile base stations, this did not extend to minor activities, maintenance and upgrades. In particular, restoration of services after a disaster requires a quick response, and ALGA's submission warned of the potential unintended consequences of capturing natural disaster restoration in the amendment. The submission recommended that an exemption remain in cases of natural disasters. ALGA also supported a greater emphasis on heath and safety concerns relating to electromagnetic radiation, welcoming Senator Brown's intention to mandate the precautionary principle and on placing a greater emphasis on addressing health and safety concerns. Although the committee was sympathetic to the concerns voiced by communities, it acknowledged the potential costs and unintended consequences associated with the bill, concluding that "the bill is impractical and would not effectively resolve the concerns it is seeking to address", leading it to recommend the that bill not be passed. The initiator of the bill, Senator Bob Brown, issued a dissenting report saying that the low level of audits on compliance with electromagnetic radiation standards "demonstrates the relevant authorities are not listening to the concerns of the community". Acknowledging some technical issues with the bill, Senator Brown said his party would consider amendments to ensure the bill met state objectives which should enable favourable consideration by the Senate. The full committee report is available here. | | |
| |  One of the most difficult tasks facing local councils is how to manage the regulatory responsibilities which local governments is required to undertake while balancing the interests of all of the affected parties. Regulations, and their enforcement, impact on individuals and groups in the community and also on businesses. Councils are well aware of the need to minimize the regulatory burden and avoid unnecessary costs where possible. The need to avoid unnecessary cost is one of the reasons the Productivity Commission was asked to undertake a benchmarking study on the role of local government as a regulator of business, and the Commission released its draft report in March 2012, with submissions on the draft due by 25 May 2012. ALGA made an initial submission to the review and is making a further submission on the draft report and one of the issues we have highlighted is the Commission’s finding that most of councils’ time in carrying out their regulatory function is spent implementing and enforcing state and territory regulation. The Commission also found that there were gaps in the support provided to councils by states including limited guidance on how to administer the regulations, insufficient consideration given to the capacity of local government, no clear indication of state priorities and the lack of a central register of state laws placing a role on councils. ALGA has long argued that local government has been the subject of cost shifting by the states and that includes placing regulatory roles on councils without the necessary support to undertake those roles effectively. The Productivity Commission’s report provides an opportunity for states to reflect on the need to address the burden they place on councils and the resourcing which should go with it and I look forward to the Commission’s final report, due to be released in July. ALGA’s submission will be available early next week.
Mayor Genia McCaffery
ALGA President | | |
| | Seven Regional Development Australia (RDA) committees have received Federal Government funding to help rollout the National Broadband Network (NBN) in their communities. Minister for Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government, Simon Crean, announced the funding at an RDA National Forum in Adelaide on 18 May. The seven RDAs to benefit from the funding will assist communities in the first release rollout sites to conduct development and implementation strategy studies, with the results to be shared across the entire RDA network. The RDA committees to be awarded funding are: - RDA Mid West Gascoyne (WA) - $30,000 to develop a regional digital plan and connected implementation strategies and projects.
- RDA Sydney (NSW) - $17,500 to conduct a Community e-Care Workshop.
- RDA Northern Inland (NSW) - $33,000 to conduct regional information sessions, and develop stakeholder implementation strategies and an integrated digital regional plan.
- RDA Northern Melbourne (VIC) - $33,500 to conduct a project on the present use of ICT by small-to-medium sized businesses.
- RDA Darling Downs and South West (Qld) - $31,000 to establish a local NBN demonstration booth and develop a local government NBN awareness and preparedness project.
- RDA Ipswich and West Moreton (Qld) - $30,000 to support a regional digital economy forum and the development of a 10-year digital economy strategy.
- RDA Brisbane City (Qld) - $25,000 to conduct a survey of not-for-profit organisations, plan a digital expo and publish findings.
Mr Crean also announced a new round of funding worth $400,000 to support on-the-ground community and business awareness activities, with grants of up to $25,000 per RDA committee. The Minister encourages RDAs to work collaboratively on joint applications and build strong partnerships to support NBN awareness and readiness. Applications for the new round of funding close on 13 July 2012. | | | | | New research by the Australian Centre of Excellence for Local Government (ACELG) suggests active collaboration between state and local governments is needed for successful metropolitan planning in Australia. The findings are presented in the report, Collaborative Governance and Metropolitan Planning in South East Queensland 1990 to 2010: From a Voluntary to a Statutory Model, prepared by Dr John Abbott. The initiative has been a collaboration of the ACELG, the Council Mayors SEQ and the Queensland Department of Local Government and Planning (Growth Management Queensland). The research is based on a review of 20 years of innovative governance and metropolitan planning arrangements in South East Queensland. The research complements the recommendations of the COAG capital city review report released recently for improved integration and collaboration (Review of capital city strategic planning systems, April 2012) and puts forward practical proposals for improving the ways state and local governments work together. The ACELG report recommends that high-level metropolitan forums for collaboration should be investigated and established by state governments, where senior politicians from different spheres of government can meet, discuss issues and agree on joint approaches and projects. For the full report, visit www.acelg.org.au | | | | | Campbelltown City Council in New South Wales has taken out the prestigious e-Government Information and Communications Technology “Professional of the Year” award at the 2012 e-Government Awards announced at the CeBIT 2012 Conference in Sydney on Wednesday night. The award was presented by the Minister assisting for Industry and Innovation, Senator Kate Lundy, at a packed dinner attended by New South Wales Finance and Services Minister, Greg Pearce and India’s Minister for State for Communications and Information Technology, Sachin Pilot. The award recognises the outstanding performance of the Infrastructure and Service Desk Team in the Campbelltown Council’s information management area in delivering a voice-over internet protocol solution across the council. The council won out over stiff competition from the Commonwealth departments of Defence and Immigration. | | | | | Commonwealth Attorney-General and Minister for Emergency Management Nicola Roxon and South Australian Minister for Emergency Services, Jennifer Rankine have called for applications for the next round of South Australia’s Natural Disaster Resilience Program. Attorney-General Nicola Roxon said $3 million is available for grants that focus on building resilience to the threat of natural disasters and supporting emergency management volunteers in preparedness, response and recovery. “In order to build resilience, we must continue to work together - State, and Federal Governments - along with local government, volunteer agencies, critical infrastructure providers, the private sector and communities,” Ms Roxon said. “Together we will build a better understanding of our emergency risks, and also build a shared understanding of how we can prepare for, and best protect our homes, our businesses and our communities if a major emergency or disaster happens.” State and local government agencies, not-for-profit organisations, volunteer groups and associations, research institutions and the private sector are encouraged to apply for this year’s funding. The 2012/13 NDRP application closing date is Friday 22 June 2012. For further details on eligibility and application form visit www.safecom.sa.gov.au | | | | | The Greater Geraldton Council has decided to dissolve a joint partnership agreement with the Shire of Northampton over ownership of the Kalbarri airport. The City of Greater Geraldton views the airport as a liability, as it currently operates at a loss due to a low number of public flights. CEO of the Shire of Northampton, Gary Keefe says there are some ramifications the shire will bear as a result of the decision. “There’s some ramifications there as whether the Northampton Shire will be solely responsible for all expenditure and income generated from that airport,” he said. “At the moment, the airport runs at a loss, that loss is shared equally between the two partners. “They have a bigger shire to manage now but whatever decision they decide to make, we’ll respect it.” | | | | | The Fraser Coast Regional Council has joined forces with the Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA) to strengthen the region’s economy. Each has signed a memorandum to work together to address the region’s housing problems. There has been a small rise in median housing prices on the Fraser Coast but it is still well below the state average. Mayor Gerard O’Connell says teaming up with the UDIA is a step forward for the region. “The Urban Development Institute of Australia is the peak body that represents the development sector,” he said. “What we’re hearing from people both to the south of the Fraser Coast and to the north is that there’s an interest in investing in the Fraser Coast,” he said. “We want to be a progressive and positive council and we want to make decisions and do things in partnership with the development industry.” | | | | | Each May, libraries and information services throughout Australia showcase their many and varied resources and services through different programs and events as part of Library and Information Week, currently being held from 20-26 May. The week provides the opportunity to introduce new services and professional skills to the community and to publicly canvass issues of importance to the provision of library and information services in Australia. To learn more about Library and Information Week and what is on offer in your community, visit the Australian Library and Information Association’s website or click here. | | | | | Al Ain City in the United Arab Emirates is preparing to host “LivCom Awards 2012”, the International Awards for Liveable Communities from 22-26 November, 2012. The international competition measures the level of interaction and cooperation between governmental institutions and the local communities in the areas of sustainability, development and environment. The LivCom Awards is a unique initiative that also promotes the development and sharing of International Best Practice and includes a range of categories to recognise the size and population of cities and the different projects and initiatives being undertaken to enhance community participation, healthy living and strategic planning. Registration is open for all governmental entities and institutions in the UAE, the GCC, the Arab World, Asia, Europe, Australasia, Africa and the Americas to participate in the LivCom Awards. The final date for Registration is 31 May. Further information about the Awards criteria and categories is available on the official website of the LivCom Awards: www.livcomawards.com or Al Ain City LivCom Awards website: www.livcomalain.ae. | | | | | The Australian Emergency Management Institute is holding a three-day course in June in Mount Macedon, Victoria, to promote a risk management approach to dealing with hazards through land use planning. The course will focus on the appropriate use of land as an effective way of reducing the impact of hazards on communities and will cover a range of issues, including incorporating the risk of natural hazards into land use planning decision making and understanding key factors in the emergency management of various impacts. For course details, costs, speaker profiles and application forms, click here. | | | | | The Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) is convening the Rural and Regional Planning Conference, Plan and Deliver – creating growth ready regions. The conference is designed to build capacity, increase knowledge and deliver better planning practice to rural and regional Victoria. It is open to planners, senior management, councillors and associated professionals from government and private sectors. WHEN: 5-6 July WHERE: Wyndham Resort, Torquay (discount accommodation is available onsite) COST: $380 - Full Registration (includes dinner) The conference program can be downloaded from the MAV website Confirmed speakers include: - Gary White, State Planner, Queensland Government
- Mick Keogh, Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Farm Institute
- Scott Lennon, Economic & Policy Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers
- Heather Burns, Program Manager Statistic Services Branch, ABS
- David Cairns, Managing Director, Elmwood Consultants
- Sophie Segafredo, Director, Planning & Environment, Macedon Ranges Shire Council
- Prof Michael Buxton, RMIT University
- Jenny Moles, Senior Panels Member, Planning Panels Victoria, John Rantino, Partner Maddocks and Tony Liston, Senior Sessional Member will lead workshop sessions
- Brydon King, Manager Planning and Development & Neil Noelker, Economic Development Officer from the Surfcoast Shire Council will guide the fieldtrip
Register online now or email registrations forms to MAV Events. | | |
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