President's column
Councils have just one week left to access new funding from the Government to help deliver local National Reconciliation Week 2017 celebrations commemorating the upcoming 50th anniversary of the 1967 Referendum and the 25th anniversary of the 1992 Mabo High Court decision.
The funding round closes on Friday 21 April 2017.
Councils will have the opportunity to use the funding to partner with a local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community organisation to mark these two historic events
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Opposition Leader, Hon Bill Shorten MP, to address NGA
Leader of the Australian Labor Party, the Hon Bill Shorten MP, has agreed to address this year's National General Assembly of Local Government on Tuesday 20 June in Canberra.
This week, the Opposition came out in support of ALGA's call to end the freeze on Financial Assistance Grants (FAGs) indexation agreeing that local government funding has been under pressure following the 2014-15 freeze.
The party called on the Government to rule out any extension of the FAGs indexation freeze beyond 30 June 2017.
Get your council future-ready
Registrations for the Government's Future Ready series of webinars and masterclasses close on 21 April 2017, with just one week left for interested councils to sign up.
Future Ready is a smart cities incubator series that sits alongside the Smart Cities and Suburbs Program and aims to help councils prepare for smart city transformations through learning, collaboration and ideas generation.
The series brings together national and international experts, researchers, service and technology providers, governments
Around the nation: Financial Assistance Grants indexation freeze impact on Wakefield Regional Council, South Australia
The Opposition's call this week to end the freeze to the indexation of Financial Assistance Grants (FAGs) has put the focus on the challenges being faced by local councils as a result of the Government-imposed freeze, and demonstrates that council funding must be addressed in the Federal budget in May.
The three-year freeze to FAGs indexation introduced in the 2014-15 Federal budget continues to have a significant impact on councils.
Wakefield Regional Council has joined the campaign urging the Government
Latest News
One week to go...
The Government is supporting celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the 1967 Referendum and the 25th anniversary of the 1992 Mabo High Court decision with $2.5 million in grants
Privacy Awareness Week launched for 2017
With privacy attracting a record level of attention from Australian consumers and communities, Australian Information and Privacy Commissioner, Timothy Pilgrim, has announced the release of national privacy survey results
Feedback sought on 'hands off the wheel' automated vehicle proposal
Interested parties have been asked to make submissions about how the concepts of control and proper control in the Australian Road Rules should apply to automated vehicles
New Cities Reference Group announced
The Government has announced the establishment of a Cities Reference Group to help advise Government on cities policy. Assistant Minister for Cities and Digital Transformation Angus Taylor said the Cities Reference Group comprised
Halving Australia's food waste by 2030
The Government discussed its commitment to develop a National Food Waste Strategy to reduce Australia's food waste by 50 per cent by 2030 at a roundtable in Melbourne this week.
Australia Post Regional Pitchfest applications close 28 April
The Australia Post Regional Pitchfest is a national pitching competition for rural and regional entrepreneurs. The Pitchfest aims to help realise the potential, and celebrate the success, of Australia's rural and regional entrepreneurs
One week to go...
The Government is supporting celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the 1967 Referendum and the 25th anniversary of the 1992 Mabo High Court decision with $2.5 million in grants
Privacy Awareness Week launched for 2017
With privacy attracting a record level of attention from Australian consumers and communities, Australian Information and Privacy Commissioner, Timothy Pilgrim, has announced the release of national privacy survey results
Feedback sought on 'hands off the wheel' automated vehicle proposal
Interested parties have been asked to make submissions about how the concepts of control and proper control in the Australian Road Rules should apply to automated vehicles
New Cities Reference Group announced
The Government has announced the establishment of a Cities Reference Group to help advise Government on cities policy. Assistant Minister for Cities and Digital Transformation Angus Taylor said the Cities Reference Group comprised
Halving Australia's food waste by 2030
The Government discussed its commitment to develop a National Food Waste Strategy to reduce Australia's food waste by 50 per cent by 2030 at a roundtable in Melbourne this week.
Australia Post Regional Pitchfest applications close 28 April
The Australia Post Regional Pitchfest is a national pitching competition for rural and regional entrepreneurs. The Pitchfest aims to help realise the potential, and celebrate the success, of Australia's rural and regional entrepreneurs
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Register for local government’s peak national event
Australia’s councils will play a critical role in shaping tomorrow’s communities, both in our cities and towns and in regional Australia. Making our cities smarter, more efficient, more resilient and stronger is just one part of the role that local government will play.
The theme of this year’s National General Assembly (NGA) ‘Building Tomorrow’s Communities’ goes to the heart of the role of local government in modern Australia.
Key presentations will address how councils, often working in partnership with other levels of government or the private and not-for-profit sectors, are shaping the future and responding appropriately to the challenges that lie ahead.
Join other councils at the NGA to:
- Influence the national agenda
- Engage with federal politicians
- Shape policy and priorities
- Represent your council and community
- Have your say
Register today for early bird prices.