From the President
 In case you missed it, this week marks the 10th anniversary of the first election of the Howard Government. This provides us with an opportunity to consider how local government has fared at the hands of Messrs Howard and Costello. Ten years ago, local government was languishing on financial assistance grants, local government was not recognised in the Australian Constitution and cost shifting was rampant. The cynic might suggest little has changed. But it would be a harsh critic that left it at that. In truth, we have come a long way since March 2, 1996. Sure, the first few years were lean. But in 2001 came the Roads to Recovery program - a program now worth more than $2.6bn to local government. The Networking the Nation program provided $45m to assist local government with information and communication technology in regional areas. And while that program has come to an end, we've now got access to the $2bn Australian Water Fund and a growing number of small, but important partnerships in areas such as emergency management, aged care and natural resource management. There's also a growing amount of federal grant funding for councils for purposes as diverse as crime prevention and rural health infrastructure. On top of that, we're about to secure a landmark intergovernmental agreement to counter cost shifting, we're at the table determining just how the new national reform agenda will unfold and we will shortly secure parliamentary recognition of local government. And, as the Howard government increasingly sees the states as shameless squanderers of GST largess, it is looking at how it can better work with local government to achieve national policy objectives. Howard told the 2004 National General Assembly of Local Government in Canberra that he would work more closely with local government where it was the practical thing to do. Opportunities exist in many areas for us to work more closely together - transport, the environment, information and communication technology, health and ageing, early childhood development to name but a few. The opportunities are there. It is now up to us to drive them home.
Cr Paul Bell AM
ALGA President
R2R "successful and respected" says Lloyd
The Roads to Recovery program remains one of the most successful and respected programs the Australian Government has introduced, Federal Local Government Minister Jim Lloyd said this week. The comments came in response to the release of the Australian National Audit Office report on the first phase of the Roads to Recovery (R2R) program. The program funded 15,000 local road projects worth $1.2bn across all states and territories from 2001 to 2005. Mr Lloyd said the R2R program had received plaudits across Australia and the ANAO audit "largely confirms its integrity". He said the audit identified several areas where program administration could be strengthened while acknowledging that many of these matters had been addressed in the funding conditions and administrative instructions developed for the new, second phase of the R2R program. "The adjustments to funding conditions and procedures flowed from both a continuous improvements process within the initial program and issues raised by the ANAO in the course of the audit," Mr Lloyd said.
ALGA urges changes to key ICT programs
ALGA has lodged submissions with the Australian Government responding to two discussion papers released under the auspices of the Broadband Connect program. The discussion papers outline the proposed policy and design principles of the Broadband Connect, Clever Networks and Mobile Connect programs. ALGA's submissions express support for an open and competitive telecommunications market and note that many Australian Government programs support regional and rural Australia and remote areas where market forces do not guarantee services. However, ALGA considers that the way the Australian Government funds ICT programs for rural and remote Australia could be more effective. ALGA makes several recommendations to ensure the programs provide better assistance to local government. ALGA expects the program guidelines to be released before June. The Broadband Connect and Clever Networks ICT programs commit $991m to improving telecommunications in regional Australia while the Mobile Connect provides $29.5m to extend terrestrial mobile coverage and continue satellite handsets subsidies for more remote areas.
Sustainability charter for Australia?
The development of a sustainability charter for Australia has taken a step forward. The House of Representatives environment and heritage committee has this week commenced an inquiry into the potential development of a charter. Committee chairman, Dr Mal Washer, said the charter should be aspirational and provide targets for the Australian community to meet. "The committee is looking to provide the Australian Government with information on how to proceed with the sustainability charter," Dr Washer said. The inquiry will look at areas including the built environment, water, energy, transport and ecological 'footprints'. Submissions are invited by May 12.
'Wayfinding' training DVD for councils
The built environment (streetscapes, parklands and the great outdoors) can be very challenging places for people who are blind or vision impaired. In a sighted world, the challenges faced by blind or vision impaired people do not exist for people who can see. Why? Usually because the people who design, build or certify these environments have little or no knowledge of what being blind is like. Last year a series of educational symposiums were held around Australia which aimed to demystify blindness and encourage enabling design for people who are blind or vision impaired. This valuable information is now available to you as a DVD training resource.
Topics covered include
- Blindness and vision impairment
- Orientation and mobility training
- Tactile wayfinding
- Luminance contrast
- Raised tactile and braille mapping and relief maps
- Wayfinding design
Further information from Wayfinding Australia.
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Road and Pavement Engineering and Management Conference
March 7 - 8 2006
Flemington, Melbourne
New sources of road funding presented at Road and Pavement Engineering and Management Conference. Many of the Council Engineers speaking at the Road and Pavement Engineering and Management Conference, March 7 - 8, Melbourne will be discussing new strategies that their councils have implemented to secure a broader mix of road funds.
Steve Piasente, Manager Engineering Services, Bass Coast Shire Council will be presenting on Special Charge Schemes, whereas Stewart McLeod, Director Technical Services, Dubbo City Council will speak on Special rate Variations which if maintained will overcome the road funding shortfall in Dubbo.
In addition to funding, a wide range of technical and road management issues will be presented by a diverse mix of highly regarded speakers from both the public and private sectors. Case studies from council engineers are a feature of the conference, including presentations from Dubbo, Benalla, Moira Shire, George Town and Cardinia Councils.
Ian Matthews, General Manager Infrastructure Contracts, RTA NSW will deliver a keynote presentation on the RTA's experience with Alliance Contracting on the recently completed world class Lawrence Hargrave Drive Project.
There are two streams each day including roads, bridges, a landscape stream and a pavements workshop so that delegates can tailor the conference to their needs. Delegates may freely swap between any streams.
The full speaking program and registration details can be viewed at:
or contact Denise McQueen at:
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Funding for feral animal control
The Australian Government has called for grant applications under the National Feral Animal Control Program. While projects under $50,000 will be given preference, funding of up to $100,000 per project is available and councils are eligible to apply. Projects should take less than two years to complete and funding will become available in May. In-kind and cash contributions are required by the applicant and third parties. To apply, you must call Quentin Hart on 02 6272 3801 or quentin.hart@brs.gov.au prior to submitting an expression of interest, which is due on March 10.
Environment grants for community groups
Community groups are being invited to apply for Envirofund and Threatened Species Network grants. While local governments are not eligible for either program, many councils provide administrative assistance to community groups applying for funding. Groups can apply for up to $50,000 from Envirofund to undertake on-ground NRM activities or capacity building projects, or up to $50,000 under the Threatened Species Network Grants to undertake projects to protect threatened species populations. Envirofund applications are due by 28 April and applications for funding under the Threatened Species Network Grants must be received by June 3.
New Austroads templates
Austroads has released a revised guide - Austroads Design Vehicles and Turning Path Templates - containing a series of turning path templates for a range of design and checking vehicles from passenger cars, single unit trucks and buses, to articulated and multiple-combination vehicles. It aims to assist intersection designers with selecting the appropriate design and checking vehicle and turning radii for various intersecting road types. The design vehicles included in this publication provide guidance to cover most normal intersection designs and have been produced to provide consistency when choosing an appropriate design vehicle for intersection design throughout Australia. This is the second edition of the design vehicles and turning templates. This guide is presented on a CD to allow access to electronic files containing the vehicle dimensions in PDF and TIF form and vehicle turning paths in PDF and DXF form. To order online, please visit our website and select 'Publications' from the left-hand menu of the home page. For phone orders, please call 1300 65 4646.
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Third annual local government instrastructure conference
April 6-7 2006
Double Bay, Sydney
The third annual Building and Financing Local Government Infrastructure Conference will be held in Sydney between April 6-7 at the Stamford Plaza in Double Bay.
This popular event which attracts more than 150 senior managers and councillors annually will focus on assisting local government decision makers to bridge the infrastructure financing gap and will showcase leading examples of innovation and success in building and financing much needed infrastructure.
Experts from a wide range of disciplines will address the conference including Ross Greenwood, the Deputy Director General of the NSW Dept of Local Government; the Hon Anna Bligh, Deputy Premier of Queensland; Maha Sinnathamby, the Chairman of the Greater Springfield Land Corporation; John Davis from IDSM; and Doug Owens from Banyule City Council.
Case studies will include the City of Townsville's Cleveland Bay Treatment Plant PPP:
the City of Charles Sturt's clever use of debt financing to overcome what would have been a high cost replacement of major parts of its road system; Wollongong Council's City Beach Redevelopment and Parramatta City's CBD Renewal Project.
For more information about the conference see www.halledit.com.au or telephone Denise McQueen on 03 8534 5000.
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Austroads Design Vehicles and Turning Path Templates
(AP-G34/06)
All vehicles using the road network must be able to safely negotiate intersections without damaging other vehicles, buildings, infrastructure and roadside furniture. It is also important that vehicles negotiating intersections do not unduly obstruct traffic.
Since the road network consists of a hierarchy of roads with different functions, it is necessary to have a range of design vehicles in order to provide appropriate and safe access.
Austroads has recently released a guide containing a series of turning path templates for a range of design and checking vehicles from passenger cars, single unit trucks and buses, to articulated and multiple-combination vehicles, such as B-doubles and road trains. For each vehicle type a representative range of turning radii and angles of turn are given. The templates are provided in electronic form that can be printed and copied onto a transparent medium or imported into computer drawing packages to check vehicle paths on intersection layout drawings.
The design vehicles included in this publication provide guidance to cover most normal intersection designs and have been produced to provide consistency when choosing an appropriate design vehicle for intersection design throughout Australia.
This is the second edition of the design vehicles and turning templates. The first edition was published in 1995 and reflected changes in vehicle dimensions and introduced a number of 'restricted access vehicles'. This latest edition reflects changes in vehicle dimensions since 1995 and aims to assist intersection designers with selecting the appropriate design and checking vehicle and turning radii for various intersecting road types.
This guide is presented on a CD to allow access to electronic files containing the vehicle dimensions in PDF and TIF form and vehicle turning paths in PDF and DXF form.
To order online, please visit our website www.austroads.com.au and select 'Publications' from the left-hand menu of the home page. For phone orders, please call 1300 65 4646.
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Australian Water Summit Sydney 2006
Progress and investment; identifying the priorities
NEW AGENDA - 30+ global water utility and policy chiefs… Event sold out in 2005.
Expert speakers include:
- Paul Frewer, Acting Director General, Department of Water (WA)
- Tony Kelly, Managing Director, Yarra Valley Water (Victoria)
- Ken Matthews, CEO, National Water Commission
- Dennis Brockenshire, CEO, Barwon Region Water Authority (Victoria)
- Jim Hallion, SA Commissioner, Murray Darling Basin Commission
- Abel Immaraj, CEO, State Water Corporation (NSW)
- Dr Michael Coughlan, Head, National Climate Centre, Bureau of Meteorology
- Jock Laurie, President, NSW Farmers' Association
10 NEW case studies: Wide Bay Water Corporation - Western Water - Gippsland Water - Yarra Valley Water - State Water Corporation (NSW) - Barwon Region Water Authority - SA Water - Department of Sustainability and Environment (Victoria) - Department of Water (WA) - Gwydir Valley Irrigators.
Call Shahida Sweeney to discuss your special council group booking offer.
Phone: + 61 2 9922 5086
Email: shahida@acevents.com.au
Or book on-line at www.acevents.com.au/water2006
Venue and Accommodation
The summit will be held at: the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre, Darling Drive, Darling Harbour, Sydney NSW 2000,
Tel: + 61 2 9282 5000
Fax: + 61 2 9288 6451
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