 | |  The ALGA Board has formally resolved to support and campaign for a 2013 referendum to allow direct funding of local government and to take steps relating to the establishment of a national campaign structure in the expectation that a referendum will soon be proposed by the Federal Government. The decision was made following discussions at last week's strategic meeting and while the referendum is yet to be formally announced by the Australian Government, the Joint Select Committee established to investigate the likelihood of Australians voting 'yes' in a 2013 referendum is expected to release its final recommendations this month. In a preliminary report released on 24 January, the Committee recommended that a financial recognition referendum be held at the same time as the federal election, on 14 September. The ALGA Board is committed to a referendum on 14 September and ALGA has begun exploring options to employ a national campaign director, market research company, media and advertising agencies. A major precondition for a successful referendum discussed by both the 2011 Expert Panel on Constitutional Recognition of Local Government and the current Joint Select Committee on Constitutional Recognition of Local Government is the need for public funding for a public information campaign and for a 'yes' and 'no' campaign. The ALGA Board noted that public funding was provided for the Republic referendum in 1999, which saw $7.5 million allocated to a 'yes' campaign, $7.5 million allocated to a 'no' campaign, and an additional $4.5 million allocated to a public information campaign. Other preconditions for a successful referendum include the need for strong bipartisan support; the Commonwealth negotiating with state and territory governments to achieve their support for financial recognition; and changes to the referendum process to allow public funding of referendum campaigns. The ALGA Board has thrown its support behind ALGA playing the lead role in the 'yes' campaign to ensure an integrated, national campaign in the lead up to a possible September referendum. For more on developments in the campaign for constitutional recognition of local government, read ahead to the President's Column. | | | | |  New loading ramps, loading pens and lights will be installed in livestock saleyards right across Australia protecting truck drivers who are involved in transporting livestock. The Federal Government is partnering with the states and territories, local governments and private companies to provide $82 million through the Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program to upgrade the safety of Australia’s road network for trucking industry workers. For the first time, funding has been set aside to improve safety at livestock saleyards and to upgrade other facilities used by the livestock transport industry. Trucks carrying loads of livestock are a common sight on our roads with millions of animals transported all over the country every year. Many of these truck drivers are based in regional and rural communities and work in out-dated facilities that can put them at risk of serious risk of death or injury. Around $15 million will be used to build or improve the safety and condition of 119 ramps, 42 loading pens, the lighting in 16 saleyards as well as to install or upgrade truck wash points, internal roadways and install saleyard security gates. These much needed improvements will help protect rural truck drivers and their families. The remaining $67 million will be used to upgrade rest areas, improve signage along the nation’s highways and install new trucking technology, making it safer for truck drivers to take a break or reconfigure their trailers. The Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program is the first ever significant Federal response to the lack of safe, modern rest stops along the nation’s highways. For more information and a list of projects receiving funding, click here. | | | | |  The local government sector has welcomed the Australian Government's announcement to invest millions of dollars in flood mitigation efforts. This week, Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced that a $100 million fund would be established for flood mitigation projects around the country, with $50 million of that to be spent raising the level of Sydney's Warragamba Dam. A further $10 million will be spent around Ipswich, west of Brisbane, and $7 million will go towards raising the level of the flood levy around Roma in southern Queensland. The remainder of the $100 million package will be available for other flood mitigation projects put forward by local communities. Ms Gillard has indicated that she would be willing to consider proposals to help the Queensland city of Gympie, which is currently dealing with its fourth major flood in 12 months. The Federal Government has also announced an extra $85 million to assist flood-affected regions of Queensland and to help protect against future damage. The additional $85 million includes a support package to provide approximately $45 million to help Queenslanders recover and rebuild after the Australia Day floods and $40 million for a Betterment Fund that will rebuild council-owned roads and assets so they are more flood proof. In its submission to the 2013-14 Federal Budget, ALGA outlined the need for reform in Commonwealth-local government financial relations to ensure the long-term financial sustainability of councils and reiterated the need for greater disaster mitigation funding. To assist councils confronting natural disasters, ALGA has said that the 2013-14 Budget should include $50 million over five years for a dedicated program for local government disaster mitigation and $20 million over four years to boost local government capacity. Local government has been a strong supporter of the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA) under which the costs of restoring government infrastructure are shared across the levels of government with the Commonwealth committing to meet up to 75 per cent of those costs, subject to adequate insurance arrangements being in place at the jurisdictional level. However, given the scale and continued impacts of recent natural disasters, particularly the floods in Queensland, it is likely that even under the NDRRA arrangements, a number of councils will not be in a position to adequately fund the restoration of local infrastructure. Local government therefore endorses initiatives that build capacity in local and regional communities to identify, mitigate and adapt, as well as respond to natural disasters. ALGA's Submission to the 2013-14 Federal Budget is now online and can be accessed here. | | |
| |  Upon receiving the Board's strong support to establish a national campaign committee ahead of a possible referendum on financial recognition of local government in September 2013, we now eagerly await the final recommendations of the Joint Select Committee on Constitutional Recognition of Local Government, due to be handed down this month. While the Government did not respond to the Committee's preliminary report released in January, Local Government Minister Simon Crean has strongly stated his commitment to a referendum at the time of this year's federal election and has assured ALGA that there is enough time to deliver on the preconditions for a successful referendum. Among the preconditions identified by both the Committee and the Expert Panel on Constitutional Recognition of Local Government for a successful referendum are the need for the Commonwealth to negotiate with state and territory governments with the aim of achieving their support and changes to the referendum process to allow public funding of referendum campaigns. Much has been done to prepare for a referendum announcement but ALGA has now ramped up its actions to ensure it is able to respond to any announcement to proceed with the referendum. We are working with state local government associations to develop the coordination mechanisms which would be required for a referendum and ALGA is working on the structures necessary to support the campaign. Several elements of our campaign plan require the commitment of considerable financial expenditure and the allocation of resources from our state associations and of course must therefore await a final government decision. ALGA and its state associations have committed to provide millions of dollars to campaign for the referendum and it is vital that public funding is also made available. We look forward to a Government announcement on the referendum in the coming weeks. Mayor Felicity-ann Lewis
ALGA President | | |
| | ALGA is today making a submission to the Commonwealth review of the Financial Assistance Grants (FAGs) to reinforce the local government sector's view that the amount of grants has not kept pace with the needs of councils and the expectations of their communities. ALGA argues that the key reforms necessary for the FAGs are an increase in the FAGs pool to more effectively address the issue of improving the financial capacity of local government bodies, and a change to the methodology for the indexation of the grants so that indexation more accurately reflects the actual increases in costs faced by local governments. ALGA has been calling for a review of FAGs for many years and while it welcomes the initiative, the sector believes that there are significant restrictions on the remit of the review. While it is focused on the "efficiency and effectiveness" of FAGs, submissions were instructed to consider options "within the current funding envelope". ALGA respects that the Commonwealth Grants Commission has to undertake a review with the terms given to them. But ALGA will be strongly arguing that the inadequacy of funding for local government FAGs remains to be addressed. ALGA's submission focuses on a number of key areas: - highlighting that previous reviews have noted reforms that are necessary to ensure continued local government sustainability, but none have been acted on;
- discussing the continued reductions in the share of FAGs from tax revenue over the past 15 years;
- arguing that the inadequate funding pool and an indexation methodology which does not reflect the costs facing councils are in fact weakening FAGs efficiency and effectiveness; and
- against any suggestion that FAGs become a tied grants program.
The Grants Commission will be holding additional stakeholder consultations in April and during the National General Assembly in June. This will lead to a final report being given to the Treasurer by 31 December, 2013. | | | | | Full details of the program, speakers, social functions and logistics for this year's National General Assembly (NGA) are contained in a registration brochure which has been mailed to all councils this week. The NGA is the premier national event for local government, with more than 800 Mayors, Councillors and senior council staff set to unite in Canberra for the event. With this year's NGA to be held several months out from the federal election, ALGA has invited key political players to address the NGA. These include: - Prime Minster, the Hon Julia Gillard
- Minister for Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government, the Hon Simon Crean
- Leader of the Opposition, the Hon Tony Abbott
- Shadow Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Water, Senator Barnaby Joyce (confirmed)
- Leader of the Nationals, the Hon Warren Truss (confirmed)
- Leader of the Greens, Senator Christine Milne (confirmed)
The keynote speakers will engage, challenge and entertain delegates as they reflect on the theme of Foundations for the Future - Twenty 13. Speakers will provide their own observations and interpretations on contemporary Australian communities, including how they see the local government sector positioning itself to best serve communities and ensure strong foundations for the future. This year's keynote speakers include columnist Peter FitzSimons AM, ABC presenter Geraldine Doogue AO and Chair of Dessert Knowledge Australia, Fred Chancy AO. This year's NGA will be held at the National Convention Centre Canberra from 16-19 June. Register your attendance online at www.alga.asn.au and access the early bird discount to save $100. | | | | | The Government has released a second round of exposure draft legislation and associated explanatory memorandum (EM) with respect to refund claims of overpaid goods and services tax (GST). You can find copies of the exposure draft legislation and explanatory memorandum on the Treasury website. The closing date for public comment is 26 March 2013. These changes are intended to apply to tax periods commencing on or after the date of the announcement, which occurred on 17 August 2012. The administrative treatment available at Payment of refunds of overpaid GST outlines the ATO’s approach in dealing with the retrospective law change. If you have any queries about the draft legislation or EM, please contact Treasury by: | | | | | The South Australian Government has announced it will overhaul the state’s planning system in a bid to establish Adelaide as ‘one of the world’s great small cities’. State Minister for Planning, John Rau, announced an ‘exhaustive and community driven review’ of the State’s planning system under the Planning Improvement Project, and will focus on updating the 20-year old planning legislation to drive the state’s growth. “Put simply, what we have now requires an update because it focuses the planning system on urban sprawl rather than the urban renewal we know is integral to the future of South Australia,” Mr Rau said. “Over the next 12 months, the panel will listen to all interested parties, especially the community, and then discuss what a new system can deliver.” The Planning Improvement Project will be driven by an independent expert panel to be chaired by Brian Hayes and composed of other South Australians with expertise in law, transport, environmental policy and urban design. Members of the Planning Improvement Panel are: - Brian Hayes QC (chair)
- Stephen Hains
- Natalya Boujenko
- Simone Fogarty
- Theo Maras AM
The expert panel will be required to report to the State Government by December 2014. The panel will also provide early advice on targeted legislative reforms that can be progressed this year. | | | | | This week, the Local Government and Shires Associations of NSW (LGSA) becomes one single association called Local Government NSW (LGNSW). President of the Local Government Association of NSW, Cr Rhoades said 2013 is proving to be a year of review for the Local Government sector in NSW, so it's of great benefit to councils throughout the state that they have one united organisation lobbying on their behalf. "The decision to create a single peak body representing NSW councils will considerably strengthen Local Government in NSW, particularly when it comes to influencing other spheres of government on legislation and important policy issues," Cr Rhoades said. "Historically, the Local Government Association and the Shires Association of NSW have represented metropolitan/regional councils and rural councils respectively, coming together on common policy issues, industrial relations matters and other member services provided by the LGSA." "Becoming Local Government NSW will remove any confusion for external stakeholders, bolster our ability to service and lobby on behalf of the 152 NSW councils, and consolidate the standing of the NSW local government sector within the Australian political system." | | | | | Pre-poll voting has opened for the four Queensland communities short-listed for potential de-amalgamation. Electoral Commission Queensland (ECQ) says almost 80,000 residents in the former Mareeba, Douglas, Noosa and Livingstone shires will take part in the compulsory ballot. Local Government Minister David Crisafulli says it is compulsory for residents to vote. "I want people to do two things - the first is to know that voting is compulsory - that they have to - otherwise there'll be a $110 fine," he said. "The second is to make themselves available of that information to make an informed decision. "The reason why I'm so adamant that it's important people vote is we want to get a big turnout, because we want to know what the community thinks." ECQ assistant commissioner Walter van de Merwe says up to 40 per cent of residents are expected to vote ahead of the poll on March 9. "Electors will receive within the next few days a voter information letter personally addressed to them," he said. "On that letter it'll have information of polling booths, postal voting, pre-poll venues and the like. | | | | | The 4th Road Safety International Conference will provide a unique opportunity for a broad range of presentations; symposia, discussions and workshops including “Enforcing the Chain of Responsibility in the Australian Transport Industry” New South Wales Joint Enforcement Operations – 2011-2012 presented by Peter Wells, Roads and Maritime Services and Assistant Commissioner John Hartley, NSW Police. This International conference is designed to encourage a strong program of both industry and academic presentations, keynote speakers have been drawn from both Australia and overseas, and bring new and innovative research and practice to the conference. The International Safe System Institute will present a special plenary session for Road Safety (ISSI) on “The Evolution of the Safe Systems Approach to Road Safety” and a further presentation on “ISO 39001 - Road Traffic Safety Management Systems SIS” will be lead by a representative of the Swedish Standards Institute. In addition to these sessions the Conference will include a broad range of presentations to inform and add to your already strong skill sets. Registration online payments are accepted by credit cards only. For Direct Deposit registration please mailto:info@roadsafety-4conference.com Click here to register for the conference and workshop. | | | | | Only one week to go! Nominations for the Excellence in eGovernment Awards, the Government 2.0 Innovator Award and the ICT Professional of the Year Award for 2013 close on Tuesday 5 March. Don't miss this opportunity to share your agency's and colleagues’ achievements. Nomination forms are available at Awards - Department of Finance and Deregulation. If you need any information about the Awards program please contact the Awards Coordinator at e-governmentaward@finance.gov.au or phone 02 6215 3060. | | | | | If you have missed the abstract submission deadline for the 16th International Riversymposium, there is good news, abstract submissions have been extended until March 22! This year's Riversymposium will investigate the linkages rivers provide to water, energy and food. Key themes for the event and abstracts are: - River systems: providing for people and biodiversity
- Rivers and energy: new paradigms in a changing world
- River cities: water, energy and food systems
- River health: healthy rivers, healthy economies
- Rivers globally: pathways to sustainability
There can be no further extensions to the abstract submission deadline on March 22. Successful applicants will be notified by April 17, with earlybird registration open from July 22. Take the time to Submit an abstract. | | | | | To celebrate Harmony Day and this year’s theme: Many stories-One Australia, SBS are giving all Australians the opportunity to share their story.
Create a video, take a photo or share your written personal journey. Everyone has a story to tell, so share yours today!
There are two fantastic prize packs up for grabs:
First prize: A Canon EOS 110D SLR Camera Twin Lens Kit complete with memory card, tripod and case plus SBS’ A Day in the Life photographic book.
Second prize: An Apple iPad 4 with Retina Display 32GB WiFi + Cellular plus SBS’ A Day in the Life photographic book.
Harmony Day falls on 21 March. For more information, visit www.sbs.com.au/harmonystories | | |
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| | | | | |  Did you know that work related accidents account for almost half of all occupational fatalities in Australia and 13% of the national road toll?* In an attempt to reduce this statistic, Adrenalin has developed Defensive Driving courses that are flexible, accessible and guarantee a consistent and uniform approach for all participants for organisations to consider for their employees. Using a network of accredited providers Australia-wide, Adrenalin facilitates in excess of 4,000 driver training sessions per annum and offers a range of driver training courses, from Level 1 Defensive Driving through to Advanced Driver Training and 4WD Training courses. For information on our driver training courses please contact our Corporate Team on 1300 791 793 or corporate@adrenalin.com.au *Source: http://www.carrsq.qut.edu.au/publications/corporate/work_related_fs.pdf |
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