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Local government funding to be considered by COAG

Funding

The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) - which brings together the Australian, state and territory governments and local government - agreed at its meeting on 14 July 2006 to ALGA President Paul Bell's request to put local government funding on the agenda for its next meeting in early 2007.

The historic decision puts the issue - and adequacy - of local government funding firmly on the national agenda and represents the latest step forward in ALGA's Triple F campaign for fair funding, fair treatment and formal recognition.

COAG consideration will follow the discussion of local government funding by the next meeting of the Local Government and Planning Ministers Council on 4 August in Adelaide. It will also come after the finalisation of the report on local government financing,commissioned by ALGA, from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and due around September/October 2006.

ALGA will take the opportunity in COAG to highlight the funding pressures facing local government and the need for other spheres of government to meet their responsibilities in ensuring that local government is adequately resourced to meet the needs of local communities and its asset maintenance obligations.

Other COAG decisions of interest to local government include moves to strengthen the health workforce, particularly in rural and remote areas and indigenous communities, and the signing of a statement of cooperation on human influenza pandemic and the endorsement of the National Action Plan for Human Influenza Pandemic which provides for clear national leadership and sets out how the three spheres of government will work together. COAG also received a progress report on its new wide-ranging reform - National Reform Agenda - which will specific reform proposals considered at the next COAG meeting.

Parliamentary Resolution set for August sitting

Australian flag

After full consultation with local government on the text, the Australian Government looks set to introduce a Parliamentary Resolution into both houses of Parliament recognising the role and contribution of local government. The Resolution is part of the government's response to the Fair Share Report and while it falls short of formal recognition for local government it represents a step on the path to constitutional change. ALGA will be distributing details of the resolution and a support kit to each council in the near future aimed at encouraging councils to contact their local federal members and request support for the Resolution.

National information seminars and workshops

Aged

The Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing in conjunction with the Australian Building Codes Board will be conducting a series of information seminars and workshops on BCA Class 9c and Aged Care Certification requirements.

Class 9c was introduced by the Australian Building Codes Board in July 2002 as a new building classification for residential aged care buildings.

Class 9c Aged Care Buildings allows for the mix 'high care and low care' areas within the same building. It provides flexibility in the layout and use of the building by allowing resident's care needs to change over time, without the need to obtain any further consent or approval from the building regulatory authority.

The seminars are aimed at those involved in the designing, building or approving of aged care buildings, including architects, building surveyors, services engineers, aged care service providers and allied professionals.

These full day seminars will provide vital information on the Department's certification process and the design and construction of 9c aged care buildings. There will also be an opportunity to provide feedback to the Australian Building Codes Board on the BCA 9c provisions. The seminars are to be conducted as follows:

  • Canberra 12 September 2006
  • Melbourne 14 September 2006
  • Brisbane 21 September 2006
  • Sydney 26 September 2006
  • Hobart 28 September 2006
  • Adelaide 3 October 2006
  • Perth 5 October 2006

You may be eligible for Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points. Please contact the administrator of your CPD scheme for further information.

To register your interest and obtain details of registration fee and venues, visit: www.chgroup.com.au or call 03 9775 0871.
From the President

Local government funding will be the focus of discussion by the leaders of federal, state and territory governments when the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) next meets in early 2007. This is an historic opportunity for us to put local government's case for further funding to all first ministers and to get their acknowledgement of the problems we face. Our move to have the funding issue considered by COAG is part of ALGA's determination to push forward with its Triple F campaign and to build pressure on other spheres of government to meet their responsibilities to adequately resource local government. Our local communities are crying out for a fair deal and we need to take every opportunity to put this issue on the agenda. Local government has responsibility for more than $150b worth of infrastructure, much of it developed in the 20 years after World War II and now coming to the end of its economic life. If we as a nation want to maintain our economic growth and our way for life, we need to accept that local communities in regional areas simply won't continue to exist unless there is investment in the public infrastructure and assets essential to those communities. I have worked to get this issue on the agenda of the COAG and I will be pushing the same message at the next meeting of Local Government and Planning Ministers in Adelaide on 4 August 2006. This is a fight we have to win.

Cr Paul Bell AM
ALGA President

Fighting racism through democracy

The Coalition of Cities Against Racism and Discrimination in Asia and the Pacific will be meeting in Bangkok on 3-4 August 2006. Titled Cities for an Inclusive Urban Society, the Forum will ratify the draft Ten-Point Commitment for Asia and the Pacific. The objective of the Coalition is to involve cities in a common struggle against racism and discrimination. The Asia Pacific Coalition had its first meeting in October 2005 at which it developed its draft ten point plan to be ratified. The draft ten points for Asia Pacific are currently:

  1. Assessing racism and discrimination and monitoring municipal policies
  2. Increased political will at the city and community levels to address issues of discrimination and exclusion
  3. Promoting an inclusive society
  4. Strengthening support for the victims of racism and discrimination
  5. More participation and better informed city dwellers
  6. The city as an equal opportunity employer and service provider
  7. The city as an active supporter of equal opportunity practices
  8. Challenging racism and discrimination through education
  9. Strengthening cultural diversity
  10. Support or establish mechanisms for dealing with hate crimes and conflict management leading to reconciliation.

Australian councils interested in attending the Forum should contact Lindy Drew at Local Government Association Queensland.
Email: lindy_drew@lgaq.asn.au
Telephone: 07 3000 2235.

Quote of the week

"Budget: a mathematical confirmation of your suspicions."
    - Unknown

State of the Regions report 2005-06
State of the Regions survey 2006
McArthur's Remuneration Report

The McArthur Management Services Local Government Management Remuneration Report is the most comprehensive survey of its kind in Australia. This year, McArthurs are excited to announce that they are partnering with Dr Wendy Attwater, an expert in Australian remuneration to ensure that their survey continues to grow and improve and remains number one for councils around the country. The merging of Wendy's expertise in the area of remuneration with McArthur's place as the pre-eminent local government management consulting organisation in Australia means that this survey will be the key source of remuneration advice available! The survey is now being conducted for 2006 and all councils are invited to participate. To participate, email remsurvey@mcarthur.com.au and return by Friday 4 August 2006. Participants in the survey will receive a free copy of the valuable remuneration report, priced at $1,200.

Funding for buying conservation land

Applications are now open for organisations, including local government, to apply for funding to buy land for protection under the National Reserve System. The Australian Government is providing $6 million to extend the amount of high conservation value land protected under the scheme which already protects 80 million hectares of land. A recent local government recipient of funding was the Hobart City Council who received funding to establish a reserve and preserve the city's bushland sky line and threatened species. More information is available from nrs@deh.gov.au, or 02 6274 1759. Applications close on 23 August 2006.

Toolkit to assess reforestation

A new toolkit designed to increase the cost effectiveness of revegetation projects has been developed by Ensis. The toolkit assists land managers, including local government and the regional NRM bodies, to target spending to maximise environmental outcomes and to identify the different impacts of revegetation projects on salinity, water availability, sedimentation, carbon sequestration and biodiversity. Ensis is a 50:50 unincorporated joint venture between CSIRO and a New Zealand forest research group called Scion.

Roundtable of transport stakeholders

A wide range of stakeholders were represented at the recent roundtable - convened by the Productivity Commission in Canberra - to discuss emerging issues in the current Road and Rail Freight Infrastructure Pricing Inquiry. There are some big ticket issues at stake in this Inquiry, evidenced by the strong interest that all transport interests have taken in its progress. Matters discussed include the current methodology used to allocate costs to trucks, the definition and possible treatment of externalities, the case for regarding rail as a community service obligation, the prospects for road and rail pricing reform and the institutional changes that would need to accompany them. The treatment of rural and remote areas also was a major focus of the discussions. The Commission is due to report in December of this year.

International news  
Show us the money

The 2006 Local Government New Zealand Annual Conference, held in Wellington between 16 and 18 July highlighted the shared concerns of local government on both sides of the Tasman. The Conference, with the theme of Leading communities, heard from a number of councils during breakout sessions about the difficulties besetting local government as a result of unfunded mandates and the growing gap in infrastructure funding, particularly for roads. Wellington Mayor and LGNZ Vice President Kerry Prendergast used her first day address to fire a broadside at the New Zealand Government by identifying additional costs of several million dollars for significant activities now demanded of the council by Central Government. A key concern of councils also was skill shortages, particularly in te areas of planning and engineering. NZ local government's infrastructure is valued at NZ$50 billion with many councils struggling to fund roads and water and sewerage services. Councils also face increasing demands from local communities and the obligation to meet these demands following the decision to grant local government powers of general competence in 2002.