 | |  The Government has announced that it will take a whole of government approach to addressing vehicle emissions with a Ministerial Forum chaired by the Minister for Territories, Local Government and Major Projects, the Hon Paul Fletcher, that will examine vehicle emissions standards in Australia and vehicle testing arrangements. The Ministerial Forum will be supported by a working group. The terms of reference issued for the forum outline the range of issues that will be examined, including: - Australian Government measures under the National Clean Air Agreement
- Emissions Reduction Fund and Safeguard Mechanism - transport measures
- future infrastructure to support new vehicles, including funding available through the Clean Energy Finance Corporation and Australian Renewable Energy Agency
- National Energy Productivity Plan.
The working group supporting the forum will report on measures including options for managing fuel quality standards and options for new measurement reporting standards for air pollutants under the National Clean Air Agreement by 30 June 2016. Further information is available in this media release. | | | | |  A new Statement of Expectations has been issued to Infrastructure Australia by the Government for the period 1 November 2015 to 30 June 2017. The statement, issued by the Minister for Territories, Local Government and Major Projects, the Hon Paul Fletcher, confirms Infrastructure Australia's ongoing work program. One of the expectations listed in the statement calls for Infrastructure Australia to contribute to the efforts of all levels of government to build a strong and prosperous economy by providing robust, independent and evidence-based advice on Australia's future infrastructure needs. This includes identifying gaps in Australia's infrastructure as well as creating a priority list, based on robust analysis and strategic long-term planning, of nationally-significant infrastructure proposals. The statement also outlines the expectation for Infrastructure Australia to finalise and deliver on the Australian Infrastructure Plan in time for public release in early 2016. The full Statement of Expectations is available on Infrastructure Australia's website. | | | | |  In just over a week's time, delegates from across Australia will gather in Ballarat, Victoria for the 2015 National Local Roads and Transport Congress. With a Federal election expected in less than a year, this is a crucial time to not only develop policy and strategy to influence the thinking of the Federal parties, but to think long-term about the priorities of local government in their own backyards. A key event of the Congress will be the launch of the case for a Community Infrastructure Program. This is a proposal to enable councils to undertake much-needed work on vital assets in the community, such as community halls, libraries, recreational facilities and parks. Not only will this improve the quality of life in communities, but it will also have tangible financial benefits through job creation. The Congress continues to receive strong support from Federal politicians from both Government and Opposition. ALGA is especially pleased to have the new Minister for Territories, Local Government and Major Projects, the Hon Paul Fletcher MP, choose the Congress as his first opportunity to present to a national local government audience. It is not too late to register, please visit the ALGA website for information. | | |
| |  Today I will be attending a meeting of the Ministerial Council on Transport and Infrastructure, and participating in discussions on how to achieve a coordinated and integrated national transport and infrastructure system that is efficient, safe, sustainable, accessible and competitive. The meeting is expected to provide updates on progress to date on the initial heavy vehicle road reform measures agreed by the Council in May 2014. The aim of the reforms is to more towards the provision of roads as an economic service where feasible. These reforms are being progressed by an inter-jurisdictional officials group, the Heavy Vehicle Road Reform (HVRR) Working Group, on which ALGA is represented. ALGA appreciates and supports the importance of the initial reform measures, but our view is that providing roads on an economic basis may not be practical for local roads, or may be practical only in limited situations. ALGA's involvement on the HVVR Working Group throughout 2016 will assist with clarifying the initial likelihood and potential extent of local roads being supplied on an economic service basis. Another important issue that the Ministers have been working on is the National Remote and Regional Transport Strategy (NRRTS), which aims to provide practical solutions to the issues and challenges faced by transport system providers in remote and regional areas. With two thirds of Local Government councils located in remote and regional areas, the strategy is an important area of consideration for ALGA. Local Government will continue to be engaged in the NRRTS and any subsequent implementation plan through a cross-government working group that will drive and monitor implementation. Our involvement in this meeting ensures that Local Government is not only part of any reform process to improve the national transport and infrastructure system, but also that we are properly engaged so that we can play our part in the solution. Councils will have the opportunity to consider the outcomes of the Ministerial Council Meeting and local roads and transport issues more generally at ALGA's Local Roads and Transport Congress in Ballarat on 17-19 November. Mayor Troy Pickard
ALGA President | | |
| | Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development, the Hon Warren Truss, this week announced that Western Australia has joined the other states and territories as participants in the National Rail Safety Regulation and Investigation scheme, which he said is a significant step forward in national transport reform. The move will see Western Australian rail operators benefit from reduced regulatory complexity, more efficient accreditation services under the national law, and enhanced safety through independent accident and incident investigations. Mr Truss said: "Rail safety in Australia was once a patchwork of state and territory arrangements, but is now an increasingly seamless and efficient national system. The WA Parliament’s passage of the Rail Safety National Law enables the state to join the scheme, with regulatory oversight by the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator. I congratulate Western Australia for taking this major step towards national transport and economic reform." Read the media release from Warren Truss at this link. | | | | | $500,000 in Commonwealth funding is now available for drought-affected Victorian councils for projects to control rabbit and weed infestations on country roadsides. The Australian Government will be topping up the Victorian Government's $2.6 million Roadside Weeds and Pest Management Program, which tackles a range of invasive weeds and rabbits on municipal roadsides. The announcement was made earlier this week by Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, the Hon Barnaby Joyce, who said: "Managing pests and weeds has a significant impact on the productivity and profitability of our $57 billion agricultural industries. For example, it's estimated that weed management costs Australian farmers more than $3 billion every single year. "This funding will help the Victorian Government invest additional funds into drought affected councils to provide additional on-ground control of rabbits and weeds such as blackberry and gorse." Minister Joyce said that the Australian Government would work with the Victorian Government to ensure the funds flow to targeted councils as quickly possible. Find out more in the media release issued by Barnaby Joyce at this link. | | | | | As part of the Local Government Association of South Australia's Local Excellence Program, it has developed a My Local Services app, which provides a range of location-based information. The app includes features such as a map that can be filtered to discover nearby Council facilities such as parks, playgrounds, libraries and waste transfer stations, and a list of upcoming council events that can be added to the device calendar and shared on social media. Councils can register their interest in rolling out the My Local Services app in their areas. More information is available at this link, including a list of other participating councils. | | | | | The NSW Government has announced that the second round of Fixing Country Roads is open with a further $50 million available to councils to help repair council-owned roads and bridges. These repairs and upgrades help to better connect local and regional roads to state highways and key freight hubs such as silos, saleyards, rail heads, supermarket distribution centres, industrial parks and depots. NSW Minister for Roads and Freight Duncan Gay said: "Fixing Country Roads helps councils fix freight pinch points that are costing local industries, businesses and ratepayers. Improved freight means a reduction in transport costs and less 'wear and tear' on council-owned roads." Mr Gay also encouraged councils to get their funding applications in and make the most of the assistance available, including grant writing workshops as well leveraging other funding initiatives. Expressions of Interest close on 11 December 2015 and shortlisted proposals will be invited to submit a full application in early 2016. This NSW Government website has more information about the program, including some grant-writing tips. | | | | | The Victorian Government has established a new $1.15 million grants program to support local councils' response to the challenges of climate change. This was in recognition of the importance of collaboration between state and local governments in addressing climate change and making sure action reflects local needs and priorities. The Victorian Climate Change Grants 2015 will support Victoria's councils as they help their local communities and businesses prepare for climate change and build resilience to the challenges it will create. The grants will assist councils to drive local climate change action including reducing greenhouse gas emissions and making effective and innovative decisions on how to increase resilience of services and assets. The Victorian Climate Change Grants 2015 will consist of a competitive round of grants of between $20,000 and $80,000 open to all Victorian councils and a non-competitive round of grants of up to $10,000 specifically for resource-constrained councils. Applications for the grants close on 29 December 2015. If you would like more information, please contact the VIC Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning. | | | | | Risk management in the City of Greater Geraldton has progressed over the past 12 months since the council's Senior Risk Advisor, Brodie Pearce, completed the Paladin Risk Management Training Academy's Diploma of Risk Management and Business Continuity in 2014. Brodie is now a finalist in the prestigious award of Risk Management Institution of Australasia's (RMIA) Risk Student of the Year. Paladin's Director, Rod Farrar, said: "The fact that Brodie implemented the assessment documents and had them signed off by council demonstrated the quality of his work." Brodie has just completed Paladin's Advanced Diploma of Governance, Risk and Compliance and in this podcast interview he emphasised the importance of training risk managers for councils. "The Diploma gave me credibility within Council and additional traction in developing the council's risk culture and I recommend risk managers undertake these courses," Brodie said. The winners of the RMIA Risk Student of the Year award will be announced at RMIA's gala dinner in Adelaide on 8 November. For more information on the risk management courses visit www.paladinrisk.com.au | | | | | Licensed assessors are using cloud-based solutions to collate information, keep up with legislation and track and maintain data accurately. Beyond Condition offers an online tool to create and update asbestos registers. Beyond Condition's senior manager, Ben Ihle, said: "Online tools can enable reports to be created easily in a pre-tabulated format reflecting the minimum data capture requirements required by legislation. "We provide a way for local authorities to capture and report on data efficiently and in a way that is flexible enough to ensure compatibility with their existing database." Beyond Condition is offering councils a free trial of their tool by using the code ALGA201511 on this website or contact them for more information. | | | | | Organisations and individuals interested in marking this year's International Day of People with Disability (IDPWD), globally celebrated on 3 December, can now register their planned events. The Minister for Social Services, the Hon Christian Porter MP, said it was a great day for the community to come together and recognise people with a disability, their families and carers. Events can be registered on the IDPWD website. Finalists for the 2015 National Disability Awards were also announced this week, with 27 finalists selected in recognition of their valuable contribution to improving the lives of people with disability in Australia. The achievements of some of the Award finalists include: - raising awareness of the discrimination experienced by people who are blind or have low vision when using Australian banknotes
- the work-first patient-initiated project to create a mobile holiday dialysis machine so people receiving the treatment can have holidays
- the invention of communication technology for people living with paralysis, loss of speech, or loss of motor control allowing them to communicate using signals inside a muscle, even when that muscle doesn't work.
The National Disability Award Winners will be announced at a ceremony on 25 November at Parliament House in Canberra. More information on the finalists is available at this link. | | | | | Melbourne-based company, SolarOne Enterprises, has recently completed trials of a new form of renewable-energy-powered pathway lighting and is now seeking to assist councils maintain suitable after-dusk pathway lighting. PathFinders provides path lighting, a little like an aircraft runway, that delineates the paths providing line-of-sight guidance. It is a directional low-level light source visible only to pathway users, thus no light pollution. The schema is based upon the Australian Main Roads layout, for instance using different colours and light patterns to indicate hazards. The company has reported that councils using the after-dusk pathway lighting include Moreland, Surf Coast, Banyule, Darebin and Wyndham, to name a few. SolarOne principle, Hugh Mitchell, said: "Studies conducted with Bicycle User Groups have concluded that delineation, rather than flood lighting, is a very effective lighting schema. The low level output, unlike street lighting, is also virtually free from incidental light pollution and does not invade private residences nor upset the sensitive circadian rhythm and ecological balance of the local microcosm." For more information visit www.solarone.enterprises. | | | | | New solar-powered benches that can recharge mobiles, tablets and portable music players have been unveiled in several locations in London's financial hub, Canary Wharf. Known as the Strawberry Smart Benches, Miloš Milisavljević, CEO and Founder of Strawberry energy - the company that designed the benches - believes that the concept represents reliable and smart city infrastructure made to meet the daily needs of the mobile generation. The four benches can also track air quality and noise levels and include an emergency call button. More sensors are expected to be added with each bench able to be custom built according to each buyer's demands. Each bench can charge up to six devices via two built in cables, two USB ports, and two wireless chargers. Although not cheap, the benches have been recognised including winning the 'Connecting people and creating communities' competition. Find out more about the smart benches in this article. | | |
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