 | |  Local councils across Australia have received the third payment of Financial Assistance Grants (FAGs) for this financial year, funds that are invested in essential community infrastructure and services ranging from local roads to swimming pools and libraries. ALGA President Mayor Troy Pickard issued a media release welcoming the FAGs payments as the funds assist councils to provide essential local services and infrastructure. "Councils use FAGs to maintain a wide range of infrastructure to ensure all local residents, no matter which community they live in, have access to a reasonable level of service and infrastructure. The untied funds are used for facilities as diverse as roads, bridges, parks, pools and halls as well as providing services to the young, the elderly and local community and sporting groups," Mayor Pickard said. Mayor Pickard said it is important that this direct funding link is maintained between the Commonwealth and local government, but it is also important that the level of funding provided to councils, the level of government closest to the community, is adequate to allow for infrastructure and services to be provided at a reasonable level in all communities. Mayor Pickard said it is disappointing that the Federal Government froze the indexation of FAGs in the 2014 Federal Budget, because the impact of that decision is that all councils are working with less untied funding from the Commonwealth this year, and for the next two years. "The decision to freeze indexation for three years will cost councils an estimated $925 million in FAGs by 2017-18. The media release is available on the ALGA website. Details of the allocations to councils under the Financial Assistance Grant Programme are available online here. | | | | |  The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Disability Reform Council (the Council) met in Melbourne on Monday 16 February. The meeting was chaired by Senator the Hon Mitch Fifield, the Commonwealth Minister responsible for disability and aged care. ALGA represented by vice president Cr Greg Belz (pictured at left). At the meeting, all governments reaffirmed their commitment to ensure the transition to the full scheme roll out of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is achieved, consistent with the timeframes and funding arrangements set out in the Heads of Agreements already signed between the Commonwealth and State and Territory governments. The Council noted the work undertaken by the Commonwealth and State and Territory governments, in consultation with the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), to develop approaches to transition taking into account local circumstances of each jurisdiction and promoting the best possible outcomes for people with disability. The meeting was followed by the inaugural Disability Ministers' National Forum. This provided an opportunity for Ministers to meet with representatives of people with disability from across Australia to exchange views on progress towards meeting the outcomes agreed in the NDS. The Communique issued following the meeting can be accessed here | | | | |  Twenty-nine bridges across New South Wales will be upgraded under the first tranche of the Australian Government's new $300 million Bridges Renewal Programme. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Warren Truss was in Dubbo on Friday 13 February to announce $28.5 million in federal funds - matched by funding proponents - to improve the state's road network. More than 100 proposals were received from NSW in Round 1 applications for the Bridges Renewal Programme. Twenty-eight of the 29 NSW successful projects funded are from councils across the state. The Australian Government is committing $105 million over Round One of the Bridges Renewal programme, and a total of $300 million over five years from 2014-15. The list of projects funded can be found here. | | |
| |  This week, councils across Australia received the third instalment of Financial Assistance Grants (FAGs) for the current financial year. FAGs are a vital part of the revenue base of all councils, with local governments this year receiving $2.3 billion from the Australian Government to provide funding for local infrastructure and services. FAGs payments are welcomed by all councils, as they are used to help fund essential local services and infrastructure - from local roads, bridges, swimming pools and parks to community halls and services to the young and elderly, local community and sporting groups. The untied grant funds are an important direct funding link between the Commonwealth and local community. A link that must be preserved, particularly in light of the current White Paper Processes on the Reform of the Federation and Taxation. It is also important that the level of funding provided to local government is adequate to meet local needs. The decision in the 2014 Federal Budget to freeze indexation of FAGs means that all councils are working with less funding from the Commonwealth this year, and for the next two years. The decision to freeze indexation will cost councils an estimated $925 million by 2017-18. FAGs funding is not keeping pace with the growing demand for local services and infrastructure, and the freeze will worsen this situation. The ALGA Board discussed at length at its strategic meeting this week the impact of the FAGs decision and the ongoing advocacy campaign to highlight the impact of this decision to the Federal Government. It is important FAGs funding is acknowledged. As councils we profile and highlight funds received from the Commonwealth for Roads to Recovery and BlackSpot funding, for example, but say much less about FAGs, despite their important role in council budgets, particularly those in rural, regional and remote councils. The funds are used for a variety of purposes that help our councils ensure a reasonable level of service and infrastructure in our communities, making it hard to pinpoint exact projects. It may be a whole swag of projects or facilities or services having funding directed to them, funding that is made possible because of the FAGs grants process. Likewise, we need to think about the impact on these services with less Commonwealth funds. The ALGA Board is keen to work with the Federal Government to ensure FAGs are maintained and indexation restored. This position is one of the key issues raised in ALGA’s 2015-16 Budget submission. Mayor Troy Pickard ALGA President | | |
| | Truck drivers and other heavy vehicle operators in New South Wales will benefit from $119.6 million in new road upgrades as part of the Australian Government's Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Programme. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Warren Truss, in Dubbo on Friday 13 February, announced that the Australian Government will contribute up to 50 percent of the total project costs for 27 projects across the state. Six projects are on state roads and the remaining 21 are council controlled. Nationally, the Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Programme will provide $200 million for projects through to 2019. A list of the projects funded can be found here. | | | | | Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development Jamie Briggs and Member for Herbert and Chair of the Queensland Black Spot Consultative Panel Ewen Jones announced $33 million in funding for 83 Black Spot projects across Queensland on Tuesday 17 February. This funding is part of the Australian Government's investment of $500 million to the BlackSpot Programme in the 2014 Budget which includes an additional $200 million. The Queensland panel which reviews priorities for the programme includes representatives from the Queensland Police, Royal Automobile Club of Queensland, Bicycle Queensland, Queensland Trucking Association and state and local government agencies. The Australian Government broadened the eligibility criteria for project applications in 2015-16 and 2016-17 to ensure local communities have greater access to the $200 million in additional funding for road safety upgrades. Individuals and community groups are encouraged to nominate black spots for consideration. Nomination forms for Black Spot Projects are available here. | | | | | The first Emissions Reduction Fund auction will open on 15 April 2015. This is the first in a series of opportunities for businesses across the economy to undertake emissions reduction activities and bid their reductions into an auction. The Government, through the Clean Energy Regulator, will buy the lowest-cost emissions reductions at auction. A total of 29 methods are available now for the agriculture, commercial building energy efficiency, forestry, landfill, gas and waste sectors. In the pipeline are further methods covering emissions intensity in transport, coal mine waste gas and aggregated small energy users. Future methods for the land sector will include soil carbon sequestration (storage), herd management, savanna fire management and fertiliser use efficiency. Information about the auctions and about making an application for an emissions reduction project is available online here. | | | | | Gardeners are being urged to help protect Australia's $1 billion softwood plantation industry from a new insect pest called giant pine scale. Giant pine scale is a sap-feeding insect which can attack pine, fir and spruce trees. More than 500 infested trees have been detected so far in Melbourne's eastern suburbs. There has also been confirmed infestations in Adelaide. Victoria's Chief Plant Health Officer Gabrielle Vivian-Smith said most infested trees can be safely treated with a chemical injection but in some circumstances may need to be removed. "The operation aims to control the giant pine scale in infested areas to protect Australia's $1 billion softwood industry from this pest. "Giant pine scale does not pose a health risk to people or animals and the protective suits are to ensure the pest is not spread between sites. "To minimise further spread, we're asking people not to touch, move or collect suspected samples or parts of infected trees. "We are working closely with local councils, the nursery and garden industry, arborists, beekeepers and related businesses as part of the program to ensure all avenues of identification and transfer of this pest are managed closely." Gardeners can report any white, waxy secretions they see on their pine, fir and spruce trees via the toll-free Exotic Plant Pest Hotline 1800 084 881. More information about giant pine scale in Victoria and South Australia is available through links on the Outbreak website. Residents in Victoria can also email photos of the suspected pest, together with a contact phone number and the location, to plant.protection@ecodev.vic.gov.au | | | | | Last week, Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced the outcomes of the 2015 Closing the Gap progress report. Many of the results, especially in the areas of employment outcomes, incarceration and improving childhood literacy and numeracy have shown either little progress or a reverse trajectory since the last report. There has been positive movement on Year 12 graduation levels, infant mortality rates and early childhood education. The report can be found here. ALGA addressed the need for the Australian Government to continue to review the provision of vital services in remote Indigenous communities in its submission to the 2015-16 Federal Budget. Many of the Closing the Gap targets are directly related to the effective provision of municipal services in these communities and you can read the ALGA Budget submission here. | | | | | Commencing 3 March 2015, the Department of Social Services will be holding a series of briefings around the country regarding the 1 July 2015 changes to aged care. The Department will present participants with up to date information on the 2015 changes to aged care, with a focus on key change areas such as Home Care Packages (including Consumer Directed Care), the Commonwealth Home Support Programme, and My Aged Care. The briefing is an all-day event (8 hours), but is broken into four separate sessions: - Session 1: Home Care Packages and Consumer Directed Care
- Session 2: DHS aged care update
- Session 3: My Aged Care changes in 2015
- Session 4: Commonwealth Home Support Programme
More information is available on the DSS website including dates and locations, an indicative agenda for the briefing sessions and contacts for further information. A series of webinars covering the same topic areas will be available on the DSS website for those who cannot attend a face-to-face session. To register your interest in attending a webinar or for more information, please email AgedCareReformEnquiries@dss.gov.au. | | | | | Mid Murray Mayor Dave Burgess will take the helm of the Local Government Association of South Australia for the next two years from 1 May 2015. Mayor Burgess, a current LGA Vice President, has been elected unopposed to take office presiding over the LGA Board which represents South Australia's 68 Councils. Under the LGA Constitution, the President is alternately elected from metropolitan and regional Councils. Mayor Burgess will be sworn in as LGA President on 1 May at the LGA Ordinary General Meeting. | | | | | The results of an annual survey of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in local councils have been released. In comparison with the last year, the average ICT spend has increased. For the next 12 months, containment of the growing operational expenditure associated with ICT systems is expected to be the key challenge. Some of the areas where councils have improved include ICT security (in particular, adoption of strategies targeting security policy awareness and policy enforcement), mobile working and further improvements in ICT infrastructure management. However, the capability gap between large councils and small & medium-sized agencies has broadened. Efforts of the ICT team of the Sunshine Coast Regional Council stood out in 2014. In addition to managing ICT changes to support the recent de-amalgamation, the team has been looking at new technologies to add value to their internal (council staff) and external customers. This includes initiatives in the areas of 'big data' and 'open data', cloud & SaaS technologies, drones for aerial surveillance of natural environments, sensors, further advances in online service delivery and improved carbon reporting. The council reported internal user satisfaction with ICT performance of over 90% - well above the average score of 77% reported by other councils. | | | | | The Commonwealth government has commissioned South Australia to lead several national projects focussed on improving compliance with the energy efficiency requirements of the National Construction Code. This follows on from the work conducted between October 2013 and June 2014 consulting with over 1000 stakeholders across Local Government, Building Regulation and the design and construction industry nationally as part of the National Energy Efficient Buildings Project (NEEBP). That Report recommended a suite of policy, regulatory, industry-led and capacity-building measures with the potential to bring about improvements to both compliance with the NCC and also the standard of building energy efficiency in Australia. The Phase 1 NEEBP report can be viewed here. Phase 2 of the NEEBP offers an opportunity for building regulators to collaborate on “leading edge”, practical on-ground pilots in the residential building sector. Councils are invited to contribute to the design and demonstration of pilot projects, Australia-wide, focussed on streamlining documentation management (an Electronic Building Passport) and on-site “As Built” Audits to support compliance with energy efficiency in residential buildings. A third research-based project seek ways to improve compliance and consistency in the application of energy efficiency protocols during the assessment of alterations and additions. These projects have been contracted and will commence in the next couple of weeks. Any Councils keen to participate in the NEEBP Pilots (and receive associated mentoring and other incentives) should contact the project manager Sabina Douglas-Hill on sabina.douglas-hill@sa.gov.au at the SA Department of State Development as soon as possible to be put in touch with the project teams. | | | | | Attorney-General George Brandis has invited outstanding regional artists and arts workers to apply for up to $30,000 to develop their professional skills and gain experience in the national and international arts landscape. In October last year Senator Brandis announced funding for five Regional Artist Development Fellowships. The five fellowships are: The International creative development fellowship ($30,000) which is open to regional artists to support a placement or experience outside Australia to develop creative practice. The Indigenous creative development fellowship ($20,000) which is open to Indigenous regional artists to support a placement or experience outside their region (including international, metropolitan or other regions) to develop creative practice. The Young artist creative development fellowship ($15,000) which is available for regional artists aged between 18 and 26 to support a placement or experience outside their region (including international, metropolitan or other regions) to develop creative practice or support their career path. The Institutional fellowship and Indigenous institutional fellowship ($30,000 each) will each support a placement for a regional artist or arts worker at an Australian arts institution. The placement could include formal training, mentoring with institutional leaders or a work placement. Regional Artist Development Fellowships are administered by Regional Arts Australia. For more information click here. Applications close at midnight on Friday 17 April 2015. | | |
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