Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Minister for Environment Greg Hunt this week announced new priority activities for the Emissions Reduction Fund, with the Government planning to develop new methodologies that will create additional opportunities to participate in future auctions.

Activities that will be considered for potential method development may provide further opportunities for participation in the Fund across the agriculture, energy efficiency, industrial processes, transport, vegetation and waste sectors.

Examples of activities include those that improve the energy efficiency performance of existing public buildings, schools, hospitals and retirement villages, and energy efficiency improvements to pumping systems used in operations such as food manufacturing, minerals processing and agriculture.

The list of priority activities has been developed in consultation with technical working groups, the public and the independent Emissions Reduction Assurance Committee.

Read the joint media release at this link. Further information on the ERF is available on the Department of the Environment website.

The UTS Centre for Local Government, in partnership with the International Centre for Muslim and non-Muslim Understanding at the University of South Australia, has released a new report that investigates the activities and programs seven councils have put in place to provide support for newly-arrived refugees.

The report, titled Local Government Services for Refugees Focusing on African Muslim Refugees, examines initiatives that seven Australian local governments are taking to support refugee and CALD communities in settling, employment, education and housing.

The report examined local government programs in Bankstown, Canterbury and Auburn in Sydney; Townsville and Toowoomba in Queensland; Hume in Victoria and City of Charles Sturt in South Australia. It involved scoping and reviewing council websites and interviewing key council personnel.

An initiative highlighted in the report is the Refugee Welcome Zone, an initiative of the Refugee Council of Australia currently involving 87 local government councils around the country that have made a commitment to welcoming refugees into the community, upholding their human rights, demonstrating compassion and enhancing cultural and religious diversity in the community.

The report is available in full on the Australian Centre of Excellence for Local Government website

Seven councils will today present their views on rate capping at a public hearing in Melbourne.

The hearing by the Victorian Parliament's Environment and Planning Committee will be from 9:15 am to 11:30 am in the Legislative Council Committee Room at Parliament House in Victoria.

Hume, Whittlesea, Wyndham, Whitehorse, Banyule, Manningham and Stonnington councils will be presenting at the hearing.

For more information on the inquiry, please visit the Committee’s website.

A new water safety campaign launched this week aims to reduce the number of drowning deaths occurring in Australian rivers as part of ongoing efforts to promote water safety.

Rivers now account for more than one quarter of all drowning deaths (26%), making rivers the leading location for drowning in Australia. Royal Life Saving Society - Australia, with the support of the Federal Government, is implementing the Respect the River campaign across the nation's top 10 river drowning black spots which are: the Murray River, the Brisbane River, the Yarra River, the Swan River, the Hawkesbury River, the Murrumbidgee River, Sandy Creek, the Derwent River, the Katherine River and the Macquarie River.

Minister for Health and Sport, Sussan Ley, said the new campaign would remind swimmers, boaters, fishers and kayakers to be aware of their surroundings and understand the risks posed by rivers, dams and other inland waterways.

"A few simple steps can help save a life - wearing a life jacket, not consuming alcohol before swimming, boating or fishing, learning CPR and never swimming alone can make all the difference," she said.

More information about the Respect the River - Saving Lives in Australian Rivers campaign is available at royallifesaving.com.au.

Up to $2 million is available for new and improved recreational boating facilities in Western Australia, with Round 21 of the Recreational Boating Facilities Scheme (RBFS) opening this week.

WA Transport Minister Dean Nalder encouraged eligible facility managers, which includes councils, to engage with users to identify projects of most benefit to them.

Applications can be made for the planning, construction or upgrade of boat launching ramps, jetties, moorings, breakwaters and new channels directly related to a public recreational boating facility. Land-based infrastructure at public boating facilities, such as trailer parking areas, toilets and boating signage are also eligible.

Applications close on 9 February 2016. More information is available on the WA Department of Transport website.

Councils across the country may be in a position to participate in the Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF), with a broad variety of methods now available.

Opportunities that lie outside the square include options such as installing LED lights and upgrading the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems in office buildings under methods focused on energy efficiency. There are also opportunities to improve the NABERS energy star rating at office buildings through activities like upgrading lighting, appliances and white goods and changing building elements including windows and insulation.

Consideration could also be given to modifying or improving public lighting in pedestrian and traffic areas, which could address local residents' needs while saving electricity and creating emissions reductions.

Participants can earn Australian carbon credit units (ACCUs) through participation in the scheme. One ACCU is earned for each tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent stored or avoided by a project. ACCUs can be sold to generate income, either to the Government through a carbon abatement contract, or in the secondary market.

The Clean Energy Regulator (CER) has more ideas on the broad opportunities available to councils under the ERF. Projects must meet qualification tests and register with the CER to be eligible to participate in the auction.

Find out more about on the CER website.

The National Local Government Drug and Alcohol Committee (NLGDAAC) is conducting a one-day conference which will provide an insight into the development and growth of night time economies.

The event will incorporate the release of findings from the 2014 Night Time Economy Report, which builds on research undertaken Australia-wide over a five-year period. There will also be a demonstration of a proposed toolkit for local government areas that are interested in learning how their night time economy is functioning going forward.

Participants at the conference will receive information on the development of strategies to create, grow and manage activities taking place in entertainment districts. Speakers include professionals involved in the delivery of practical solutions that provide vibrant and safe evening and night time environments which facilitates growth in this sector.

Early bird registrations end on 6 November. More information on registration is available at this link.

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has reminded all businesses, including importers, about the need to meet mandatory allergen labelling requirements.

FSANZ Chief Executive Officer Steve McCutcheon said there has been a number of coconut product recalls due to a lack of mandatory allergen (milk and milk products) labelling.

"Allergens can be deadly and this is why the Code contains mandatory labelling requirements for nine allergens to ensure consumers have access to this vital information," Mr McCutcheon said.

"I remind any consumers who are allergic to milk or milk products to be mindful of recent recalls involving imported coconut products. Products have ranged from powders to coconut drinks and have been sold at smaller retailers as well as larger outlets, chemists and online.

"FSANZ will update its recalls web page with any further associated recalls and will alert consumers through its social media sites. Anyone who has an affected product can return it to the place of purchase for a refund."

The Food Safety Information Council (FSIC), the national driver of Food Safety Week, is seeking local councils' perspectives on Food Safety Week in a survey that closes in two weeks.

The survey covers whether local government authorities have taken part in Food Safety Week in the past and if they'd like to in the future, whether they have used the FSIC's current resources and what new resources they would like to see if any.

The survey will help the FSIC find new and improved ways to assist councils to spread the food safety message not only during Food Safety Week but throughout the year.

Please click here to complete the survey.

The winners of the Heart Foundation Local Government Awards were announced today in recognition of their best practice efforts in creating healthier communities.

The Heart Foundation Local Government Awards recognise and showcase councils who are working to improve heart health through building a sense of community, encouraging people to be physically active, be smoke free and make healthy food choices.

This year's National Winners included the Cobar Shire Council (in the category of councils with populations less than 5,000), the Mid Murray Council (in the category of councils with populations between 5,000 and 25,000), and the City of Charles Sturt (in the category of councils with populations greater than 25,000).

Now in their 23rd year, the Heart Foundation Local Government Awards provide an opportunity for local government to celebrate their achievements and receive recognition for their commitment to creating healthier communities.

More information on the Heart Foundation Local Government Awards winners is available on the Heart Foundation website.