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ROADS CONGRESS SPECIAL EDITION

Roads congress adopts historic transport strategy

Northern Territory road

More than 400 representatives from councils across Australia this week endorsed an historic roads and transport strategy to guide local government's policy development and lobbying work over the coming decade. It will also assist ALGA lobby the major parties on road funding and transport issues in advance of the 2007 federal election. The strategy was the major focus of ALGA's National Local Roads and Transport Congress held in Alice Springs this week. At the heart of the strategy is a five-point plan addressing issues of major concern for Australia's 700 councils:

  • Local road funding and management
  • Urban transport solutions
  • Mobility for regional Australians
  • Freight management
  • Long term financial sustainability for local government

ALGA President, Cr Paul Bell, said the strategy was an historic document that set clear priorities for local government over the coming decade. "Action is needed by all three spheres of government to address the transport problems confronting our communities. We need a strategic plan behind which local government can rally - a plan that will take us forward, addressing the problems and difficulties confronting all communities, from our inner cities to remote communities. These problems include the need for long-term funding certainty for local roads, lack of access to transport services in regional areas, the impact of congestion, noise and pollution on urban amenity and the need to better manage the rapidly increasing freight loads carried through our cities and towns," Cr Bell said. The strategy will be presented to the ALGA Board in August and would be showcased at the National General Assembly of Local Government in November. It will form a new element in ALGA's 'Triple-F' campaign for fair funding, fair treatment and formal recognition.

Road funding gap now exceeds $400m a year

Mind the gap

Local government faces an annual road funding gap of $404m a year, Cr Bell told delegates to this year's Roads Congress. The gap has grown from last year's estimate of $344m and has been published in the latest edition of the Local Government National Report. The annual road renewal gap is calculated by the Federal Department of Transport and Regional Services using data held by state governments and state local government associations on the gap between the rate at which local roads are depreciating and the funding used to preserve the local road network. Cr Bell said that the gap was, in effect, the difference between the amount needed to maintain the road asset in a fit-for-purpose state and the amount councils could afford to invest in maintenance and renewal. "While the figure is an estimate, it does give us some idea of the funding shortfall. We need to secure sustained, long-term funding to close this gap." The report also reveals that the local road asset is now valued at an estimated $80bn (up from $75bn last year) and spending on local roads has reached $4.3bn a year.

Speedy councils driving closer relations

Speeding racing car

The relationship between the Australian Government and councils is "getting stronger all the time", Local Government Minster Jim Lloyd, told the Roads Congress. Significantly, the Minister said that the Commonwealth sees local government as "an effective way to deliver services on the ground quickly". He said the relationship with local government was based on four elements, each of which demonstrated the Australian Government's "commitment to enhancing the bond between our two spheres of government". The elements were financial assistance to councils, information sharing, recognition of the achievements of councils and open and frank communication. "Our relationship is not a one way street," he told delegates. "The Australian Government sees local government as a vital partner in reaching the community."

From the President

Local government has - for the first time - a national roads and transport strategy which will shape our policy and lobbying work over the next decade. At the heart of the strategy is a five-point plan. This calls for Roads to Recovery to be established as a permanent feature of Commonwealth-local government relations. This must be in addition to the financial assistance grants paid to councils by the Commonwealth. For its part, local government must place more emphasis on asset management, building on the good work achieved to date. This is important as it underpins our credentials as sound program managers determined to get the best out of every road dollar. The strategy also calls for solutions to our urban transport system. Our cities are choking. Urban congestion is costing the nation $15bn each and every year. By 2020, the freight and passenger load carried on our roads will double. We need solutions and we need them now. We also seek better access to regional transport for Australians in regional areas based on a simple but significant principle: Australians living in regional and remote Australia are entitled to fair and reasonable access to services. People in regional Australia should expect government support for regional rail, coach and air services. Better freight management is another key demand. We recognise the fact that the efficient flow of freight is critical to the nation's economic prosperity. But it must be managed in a way that protects the amenity of our communities. The strategy calls for further revitalisation of rail transport so that we can get more freight onto rail. The roads and transport agenda covers a core part - albeit only one part - of local government's agenda. For it be successfully implemented, the broader financial sustainability issues confronting local government must be addressed. This includes improved funding arrangements with state and federal government across the board. We're calling for financial assistance grants to be replaced with a system that provides councils with a fair share - at least one per cent - of Commonwealth taxation revenue. This is essential if we are to meet the increasing needs of the community, and the demands and expectations they place on councils - councils struggling to survive on stingy grants and a narrow and restrictive revenue base. We now have a strong and robust roads and transport policy base from which to lobby the major parties. Thank you to all delegates for their support and input into this important document. A job well done.

Cr Paul Bell AM
ALGA President

Read the ANAO report, Bell tells councils

All councils should familiarize themselves with the recommendations of the Australian National Audit Office report on the Roads to Recovery program, ALGA President, Cr Paul Bell told delegates to the Roads Congress. The report - released in March - was a major topic of discussion at the Congress. The report on the first phase of the program found that some councils did not maintain own-source spending on local roads as required. Roads Minister Jim Lloyd said that while the program came through the audit "reasonably well", the biggest issue was the "clear implication" that some councils had been cost shifting. "If so, they are working against themselves," he said. The Congress featured a session dedicated to the management of Roads to Recovery program. The Australian Government made changes to the administration of the program to implement the audit report's recommendations. The second phase of the program will also be audited.

Stick it to the states, Lloyd urges

With Commonwealth funding for local roads at record levels, Federal Local Government Minister Jim Lloyd urged Congress delegates to put pressure on state governments to improve their contribution to local road funding. "You often hear them saying 'We don't have any money'. In fact, all the GST collected in this country goes to the states … And it is growing faster than predicted, so there is scope for some of that money to be passed to local government," Mr Lloyd said.

Quote of the week

"Transport is the glue that binds our communities together"
    - Local Government Minister Jim Lloyd, addressing the Roads Congress on Monday.
ALGA to manage regions project

The Australian Government will provide $122,000 to the Australian Institute of Export to undertake an accessible export training project for regional business. The project, to be managed by ALGA in association with the Federal Department of Transport and Regional Services, will develop and trial a mechanism for delivering on-line export training services to regional business. A series of workshops will be held in several major regional centres to promote the new training service and provide accompanying training resource materials. The Australian Institute of Export is a non-for-profit organisation assisting Australian exporters and export service providers. The Institute is acknowledged throughout the business community and government as the centre for excellence in practical export education. The project is expected to be completed later this year.

Councils urged to complete EM survey

Councils are urged to complete Australia's first national emergency management survey before July 21. The closing date has been extended to ensure the best possible response to this landmark survey. While many councils have already completed the survey, more participants are to provide an accurate, regionally-specific picture of local government emergency management. The survey is part of ALGA's Working Together to Manage Emergencies project funded by the Australian Government. The results will help ALGA articulate local government needs at the national level and identify gaps in support for all-hazards emergency management. The survey is best completed by senior local government emergency managers. All respondents will be entered into a draw for a $150 hamper. Further information from Project Manager Sharyn Csanki sharyn.csanki@alga.asn.au.

Flower garden awards

Registration for the prestigious Australian Local Government Flower Garden Awards has been extended until the end of the year. Awards coordinator Neville Sloss said that registration had been extended as most entries will be spring/summer gardens. First held in 2004, the awards are organised every two years by Bedding Plants Australia and sponsored by Toro Australia. The awards are endorsed by ALGA and will be judged by an independent panel including well-known gardening personality Graham Ross, and leading Victorian garden designer, Carolyn Blackman. Full details on the BPA website.

Bells Beach may become smoke-free

Victoria's famous Bells Beach may become smoke-free in a bid to eliminate the thousands of cigarette butts discarded during its Easter surfing carnival. The move is being promoted by former Surf Coast Shire councillor John Foss. Smoking had already been banned at three Sydney beaches - Manly, Bondi and Bronte - and five others in the United States. The Surfrider Foundation would make a formal submission to the Bells Beach advisory committee next month. The Surf Coast Shire Council is waiting for a report from the committee and is expected to adopt a new strategy before next year's Easter carnival.

International news  
UK lifts red tape on councils

Around 80% of information provided by British councils to the central government for performance reporting requirements has no local benefit, a new report has found. The report, by PricewaterhouseCoopers, was released by the UK's local government minister, Ruth Kelly, at the annual conference of the British Local Government Association in Bournemouth last week. "This has got to change," she told delegates. The report - Mapping the Local Government Performance Reporting Landscape - looks at the burdens imposed by London on local government. The Minister has set up a Lifting Burdens Task Force to achieve a dramatic reduction in the burden imposed on councils. Ms Kelly will later this year release a major government white paper on local government reform to devolve more services and powers to councils.

State of the Regions report 2005-06
State of the Regions survey 2006