 | |  ALGA President Genia McCaffery and Vice President Felicity-ann Lewis met with Local Government Minister, Simon Crean this week to discuss the Government’s plans for holding a referendum to recognise local government in the Australian Constitution. Advocating the need for constitutional recognition of local government has been a priority of ALGA’s for many years, with local government maintaining that the only way to ensure that direct federal funding for community services and infrastructure is protected is to have local government recognised in the Constitution. Through consistent engagement, ALGA has ensured that the Government, the Opposition and all political parties at the federal level are informed of ALGA’s position and our commitment to a referendum on this issue at a time which maximises the chance for success. The agreement to hold a referendum by 2013 on the financial recognition of local government in the Constitution was announced by Prime Minister Julia Gillard when forming Government in 2010. In June this year, Minister Crean indicated that the Government would need to make a decision about the referendum by October. During this week’s meeting, Mayor Genia McCaffery asked Minister Crean to consider a proposal based on a resolution passed by the ALGA Board at its last meeting in late July. The proposal calls on the Government to establish a Parliamentary Committee as soon as possible to consider the timing of the referendum and the best process on which to proceed. The proposal also highlights the need for a federally funded community awareness program to educate the public about the Constitution and the need for constitutional change to recognise local government. In response, Minister Crean said that he would consider the establishment of a Parliamentary Committee and the case for a federally funded awareness program but reiterated the importance of broad community support and support among all political parties if a referendum was to succeed. | | | | |  ALGA President, Genia McCaffery and ALGA Vice President, Felicity-ann Lewis raised concerns about entitlements under Financial Assistance Grants (FAGs) for 2011-12 during a meeting this week with Local Government Minister Simon Crean. ALGA is concerned that the finalised entitlements for councils for the previous financial year were based on lower than expected population estimates as a result of the adoption of new methodology for estimating the population by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). The ABS revised its estimates downward and under the FAGs indexation methodology, this downward revision was treated as if state and territory populations had declined, equating to lower FAGs payments to councils than expected. ALGA will ask that the issue be considered as part of the upcoming FAGs Review, which was announced by the Government in the 2011-12 Budget to look at the equity and efficiency of the funding provided by the Australian Government for local government through the FAGs program. FAGs are intended to improve the local government’s capacity to provide communities with an equitable level of services and to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of local government and the Local Government (Financial Assistance) Act 1995 embodies the principle that the Commonwealth should distribute a proportion of revenue to local government to support the building of resilient and prosperous communities. According to the Productivity Commission, local government is utilising almost 90 per cent of its total hypothetical maximum own-source revenue capacity, which indicates that there is limited scope for local government to introduce new or additional revenue imposts. Minister Crean advised Mayor McCaffery and Mayor Lewis that the draft terms of reference for the FAGs Review had been developed and that state and local governments would be consulted on the review. | | | | |  In the coming months, ALGA will be preparing its submission for a Commonwealth review of the Financial Assistance Grants (FAGs) system. The terms of reference have not yet been released, which makes anticipating the scope of the review difficult. However, ALGA has been working across a wide range of forums to ensure that the issue of local government finance is given the time and attention it deserves. The key arguments for the need to reform local government finances include: - the quantum of FAGs funding is too low;
- the escalation applied to FAGs is out of date;
- vital services, such as Roads to Recovery are subject to political whim; and
- the risks to services across all jurisdictions from cost-shifting.
While the above points are not new to those familiar with the issue of local government finance, it is important that these messages are delivered to new audiences where possible. ALGA was invited to attend a seminar of Government Finance Reform options, which was organised by and held at the Crawford School of Economics and Government at the Australian National University on Tuesday. Initially, the role of local government in the discussion was going to be limited, however, after discussions with the academic staff running the seminar, it was seen as important to address local government funding as an equal partner to the state and Commonwealth elements. The purpose of the seminar was to allow academics and policy practitioners to discuss how the mechanisms of government finance could be changed, to make government and its processes work more smoothly and efficiently. This was an academic exercise in order to get policy and decision-makers thinking about this complex issue. The discussions were frank and the options raised were thought-provoking and worthy of future examination. In order to further the argument to support an increased quantum as well as new and more effective funding methodologies, it is vital to expose the strong arguments of local government to academia and other policy professionals. | | |
| |  As most of you would be aware, I will be stepping down from my role as ALGA President in early September. In reflecting on the work that I have done with ALGA during the last two years, it is clear that we have enjoyed significant success in achieving the objectives of our local government transport agenda. Councils are responsible for local transport infrastructure including local roads, bridges, cycle paths, airports and wharves, as well as transport services such as community transport and it is important for them to have a well developed and strongly articulated transport vision. Launched in Bunbury, Western Australia in 2010, the National Local Roads and Transport Policy Agenda 2010-20 built on the outcomes of previous Roads Congresses and has guided ALGA’s transport advocacy work for the past couple of years. A key success since last year’s Roads Congress in Mount Gambier has been the continuation of the Roads to Recovery (R2R) program through to 2019. ALGA continues to play a key role across a range of government initiatives where there is likely to be an impact on local government. These include a new National Heavy Vehicle Regulator regime that is expected to take effect from 1 January 2013 and the work associated with the Heavy Vehicle Charging and Investment project that is proceeding under the auspices of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) road reform agenda. But more remains to be done and the program for this year’s Congress - to be held in Hobart from 14-16 November - will be built around the National Local Roads and Transport Policy Agenda 2010-20. In this context, the Congress will explore issues around the importance of the road network for connecting communities and the role of transport on local roads to economic and social health and wellbeing. The highlight of the Congress will be the launch of the first State of the Local Road Assets Report. The Report will play an important role in terms of our understanding of the state of our local road assets and shaping our future advocacy on your behalf. There will be ample opportunity at the Congress to discuss the report along with how it fits with other Government initiatives including the new National Heavy Vehicle Regulator regime and the work associated with the Heavy Vehicle Charging and Investment project. This year’s Congress will carry added significance, helping to shape our position on the range of transport issues important to local government ahead of a federal election year. Your participation is critical to this work and I would urge you to attend. A program and registration brochure has been mailed to all councils this week. You can also register online at www.alga.asn.au, with an early bird registration discount available until 28 September 2012. Mayor Genia McCaffery
ALGA President | | |
| | The Government announced on 6 June 2012 a $45 million commitment to boost energy efficiency in local government and low-income households. Under this, the Local Government Energy Efficiency Program (LGEEP) will provide $24 million in co-funding to help local governing authorities install solar or heat pump hot water systems in community facilities. A discussion paper outlining the proposed design of LGEEP was released this week by the Parliamentary Secretary for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, Mark Dreyfus. The purpose of the discussion paper is to seek feedback from interested stakeholders on the design and administrative arrangements of LGEEP. Councils are encouraged to read the discussion paper and submit any comments on the proposed arrangements. Submissions will be accepted until 7 September 2012. Both the discussion paper and feedback form are available on the Department’s website, where you will also find further information on LGEEP. To lodge a feedback form or ask a question, please email LGEEP@climatechange.gov.au. | | | | | The Australian Community Sector Survey 2012 National Report, released by the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) has identified housing as the highest need for people experiencing poverty and disadvantage in Australia, with provision of treatment of mental illness also rating highly. The survey of 665 agencies looked at issues relating to service provision, income and expenditure, and operational, policy and workforce issues for the community services sector. The most pressing future issue facing the sector is a lack of funding and related uncertainty about ongoing support. To access the report, click here. | | | | | The Planning Institute of Australia’s 2013 National Congress will be held 24-27 March at the National Convention Centre, Canberra. Papers from planning and allied professionals are now being sought for the 2013 National Congress in order to present a lively and informative exposé under the theme ‘Celebrate the Value of Planning’. Councils are invited to submit an abstract for a contribution to the 2013 Congress Program. The deadline for abstract proposals is Friday, 28 September 2012. The Congress also has three key sub-themes which seek to expound the wide range of valued outcomes achieved by diverse contributions of our profession, under the following headings: - Making a difference
- Achieving effective planning
- Collaborative action
For more information, or to submit your abstract, click here. | | | | | The Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) says councils should have more say over mining in their communities. Representatives have met in Brisbane to discuss compensation being paid for projects in their regions. The State Government has promised 14 councils a total of around $500 million over four years under the 'Royalties for the Regions' program. LGAQ president Paul Bell says local governments also want greater input into the approvals process. "When government is going to issue a permit either to an exploration or for a permit for development local governments need to be there then," he said. "We need to make sure those applications have the genuine concerns of the local communities in [them] as part of the discussion process that is undertaken by mining companies." "The north Queensland areas, the around Mount Isa and the Surat and the Galilee Basins are the areas that are under the pump at this moment," he said. | | | | | The number of registered diesel vehicles has increased by 60.6 per cent from 2007 to 2012, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Queensland had the largest percentage of diesel powered vehicles with 26.3 per cent, followed by New South Wales (25.50 per cent) and Victoria (21.4 per cent). The Australian Capital Territory had the smallest percentage of diesel powered vehicles with one per cent. At 31 January 2012, diesel powered vehicles made up 15.9 per cent of registered cars in Australia, compared to 14.7 per cent at the same time last year. Over the same period, petrol powered vehicles decreased from 82.1 per cent to 81.1 per cent. The number of vehicles registered in Australia at 31 January 2012 was 16.7 million (up 2.5 per cent from 2011). Motorcycles continued to grow in popularity at a faster rate than any other vehicle type in the twelve months to January 2012. From 2007 to 2012, motorcycle (including scooter) registrations had an average annual growth rate of 7.7 per cent. For more information, click here. | | | | | The South Australian Government has launched a new framework to shape the state’s climate change action by Government and the community in the State. The Prospering in a Changing Climate: A climate Change Adaptation Framework for South Australia, launched by State Minister for Sustainability Paul Caica, sets the foundation for local action to address the impacts of climate change. “Despite efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, we are already experiencing changes in weather patterns,” Mr Caica said “This framework will help the community to not only respond to climate change, but also to take advantage of opportunities that a changing climate will bring.” While Mr Caica lauded the work done by a number of communities across the state in preparing for climate changes, he urged further collaboration in mitigating and preparing for the effects of future climate change. “Adaptation to climate change will require collaboration across sectors and industries that may not have worked together in the past and this framework gives us the ability to incorporate adaptation principles into planning at the local and State Government levels and in the private sector,” Mr Caica said. Mr Caica said the adaptation principles were already being built into State Government policy. Copies of the framework can be downloaded from www.sa.gov.au/climatechange | | | | | A new University of Sydney lab will be used for research into how indoor environment quality impacts occupants’ comfort and productivity, with a focus on sustainability solutions. The University of Sydney Faculty of Architecture, Design and Planning is launching the Indoor Environment Quality (IEQ) lab on August 31, 2012. The IEQ lab will be used to examine how factors such as temperature, humidity, air quality and movement, ventilation, daylight, artificial lighting, sound and acoustics attribute to occupants’ comfort, productivity and health outcomes. These parameters can all be controlled in the lab’s two purpose built rooms. The rooms’ fit out will initially resemble A Grade commercial office space, to maximise ‘experiential realism’. The rooms are designed for flexibility and can be re-modeled to replicate industrial, residential, retail, leisure and vehicle interiors. Professor Richard De Dear will head the IEQ lab. De Dear’s adaptive comfort model has been adopted by several international standards organisations and is referenced in America’s LEED and the Green Building Council of Australia’s Green Star rating protocols. | | | | | A new standard for emergency messaging is now available for use in state crisis centres around the country with the release of the Australian Government standard for the Common Alerting Protocol - Australia Profile (CAP-AU-STD). The new CAP standard improves interaction between the existing network of Australian alerting and warning systems that send emergency messages to the public through radio, television, mobile phones, social media, internet, email and roadside signage. It will also enhance the existing capabilities to transmit emergency messages and public safety information through all compatible technology-based devices. For more information, click here. | | | | | Of the six million plus migrants living in Australia, more than a million people were born in the United Kingdom found the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) today. The next largest group was those who were born in New Zealand, followed by China, India and Vietnam.
However, over the last decade, the proportion of Australian residents born in the UK has declined from 5.8 per cent of the population in 2001 to 5.3 per cent in 2011. In contrast, the proportions increased for people born in New Zealand (from 2.0 per cent to 2.5 per cent), China (from 0.8 per cent to 1.8 per cent) and India (from 0.5 per cent to 1.5 per cent).
In 2010-11, the most populated states received the greatest number of overseas migrants: New South Wales with a net of 50,200 persons, followed by Victoria (45,700 persons) and Queensland (31,300 persons). The Northern Territory had the lowest contribution with a net of 630 persons.
In 2010-11, net interstate migration contributed to a population gain for Queensland (7,200 persons), Western Australia (6,200 persons), Victoria (3,800 persons) and the Australian Capital Territory (1,400 persons). Those states that lost from interstate migration were New South Wales (13,200 persons), South Australia (2,600 persons), the Northern Territory (2,500 persons) and Tasmania (50 persons).
More information on migrants living in Australia and data on overseas, interstate and regional migration can be found here. | | | | | The ARRB will be running its 25th annual Conference in Perth this year from 23 to 26 September. The ARRB Conference will showcase three plenary sessions: - Improve productivity or perish! This session will explore the need for change to further improve productivity, from the perspective of the transport industry and the community, and what actions are need to meet these challenges.
- Balancing sustainability, road safety, network performance and community expectations - This session will build on the themes covered at the previous ARRB Conferences
- Shaping cities: The role of transport planning in the future - This session will highlight the changing role of transport planning in facilitating the needs of a growing city in the 21st century by focussing on recent major projects in Perth.
In recognition of its relationship with local government, ARRB is offering a special discount to all local government organisations, with a 10 per cent discount off the early bird price of $1540 (including GST). This offer is available to local government representatives only and must be booked on-line by Friday, 31 August 2012. A promotional code of LG2012 must be entered into the VIP discount area at the online registration payment detail stage for this offer to be valid. Delegates will be will be able to register online using the promotional code at www.arrb.com.au/conferences. | | |
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