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Pushing the Agenda

National General Assembly of Local Government: 27-30 November, 2006

Register now: Early Bird Registration closes on 6 October

Local government road and transport strategy

Smart truck

A highlight of the National General Assembly will be the launch of the Local Government Roads and Transport Strategy by ALGA President, Cr Paul Bell.

The strategy developed at the National Local Roads and Transport Congress held in Alice Springs in July will provide the framework for policy proposals in the lead-up to the 2007-8 Budget and the federal election campaign next year.

Cr Bell said that local government was highly appreciative of the Howard Government's Roads to Recovery program which had gone a long way towards addressing the backlog of traffic on the local roads system.

"However, there are a number of outstanding challenges facing road and transport infrastructure and ALGA will be seeking support from the federal government to address these deficiencies," he said.

"For example, there is increasing concern at the growth in freight. The Bureau of Transport and Regional Economics forecasts more than a doubling in freight task by 2020.

"ALGA supports infrastructure upgrades and the introduction of more efficient vehicles such as Smart trucks in the transportation of freight. However, local government will need the support of governments to assist with the identification and possible upgrading of routes these vehicles can use."

Local government has developed a five point plan which covers local road funding and management, urban transport solutions, mobility and access for regional Australians, freight management and long term financial sustainability of local government.

The strategy will be launched on Thursday, 30 November at 9am.

Funding study to spearhead fair funding campaign

Stacks of one dollar coins

Mr Grahame Morris, the chairman of Federal Government Services for PricewaterhouseCoopers, will provide the Keynote Address at this year's National General Assembly. Mr Morris was formerly Chief of Staff to Prime Minister John Howard and has held key positions in federal and state politics for two decades.

Financial sustainability is at the top of the Australian Local Government Association's agenda.

In the lead-up to the federal election expected in the latter half of next year, local government has an important role to play in influencing policy formulation and in building on our achievements. ALGA, with the support of the state associations, has commissioned a major study of local government financing to be undertaken by PricewaterhouseCoopers. The PricewaterhouseCoopers study will give extra momentum to our case for fair federal funding for local government.

ALGA's campaign for fair federal funding, fair treatment and formal recognition of local government has achieved several milestones, however, we have a fight ahead of us on the issue of financial sustainability.

The Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) on cost-shifting is a good start. The agreement puts an end to cost-shifting but it is not restrospective. Nor will it replace the need for fair funding arrangements to be secured from the federal government.

ALGA's forward agenda is to look to for a fairer funding deal.

In real terms, the amount of untied financial assistance grants to local government has declined from 1.2% of total taxation revenue 12 years ago to 0.6% last year. An annual funding injection of a billion dollars is needed to bring local government back to the 1994 levels.

The National General Assembly (27-30 November) is the principal opportunity for you and your council to inform your association leaders on the issues you think need to be addressed. In particular, it is important that this year we meet in Canberra to express a united voice on this major issue in the lead-up to the next federal election.

Local Government Minister to open National General Assembly

Minister Jim Lloyd and Cr Paul Bell

The Minister for Local Government, Territories and Roads - Jim Lloyd - will open the General Assembly on behalf of the Prime Minister John Howard.

Earlier this month Minister Lloyd introduced a resolution recognising local government in the Australian Parliament. Debate on the motion in the House of Representatives will resume in the October sitting. The motion has passed the Senate.

Minister Lloyd described the motion as a "significant milestone for Local Government."

"The proposing of this Resolution delivers on a commitment made by the Government in its response to the Hawker Report in 2005," Mr Lloyd said.

"Through the Resolution, the Parliament acknowledges the importance of local government in the governance of Australia."

"Local government is an integral part of the governance task in Australia. They are at the coalface of the community as many of the rules and regulations that have most impact on our everyday lives are made by local government."

The Resolution, which was introduced to both Houses of Federal Parliament, recognises the vital role that local government plays in the great democracy enjoyed by all Australians.

Mr Lloyd emphasised the Australian Government's commitment to supporting local government.

"The Australian Government has demonstrated its willingness to work in partnership with local government in the past and will continue to do so in the future" Mr Lloyd said.

Labor's new deal for local government

Kim Carr

ALGA is pleased to have the support of both sides of national politics with the Opposition Leader Kim Beazley delivering the closing address of the General Assembly.

Also speaking at the Assembly will be his colleague Senator Kim Carr, Shadow Minister for Housing, Urban Development, Local Government and Territories, who will outline Labor's New Deal for Local Government.

Senator Carr's address will focus on the twin themes of empowering local government and building partnerships between the Commonwealth and local government.

Labor has called for a new vision for local government, including a referendum to gain constitutional recognition for the longest-established governments in this nation.

"Councillors have a unique, close relationship with the hard-working people of Australia and they deserve a more prominent role in the way the nation is run," Senator Carr said.

"Constitutional recognition is long overdue and is critical if local government is to do its job properly. Recognition would allow local government to take a bigger part in discussions on critical infrastructure needs of communities. As things stand local government cannot take part in many national programs that are critical to their constituents: local families, businesses and tourists."

Senator Carr said the major issues facing local government were:

  • Appropriate funding for local government from the Commonwealth
  • The need to address such issues as vertical fiscal imbalance
  • The need to revisit the model used for the allocation of Financial Assistance Grants (FAGs)
  • Constitutional recognition of local government.

"It is time for a bipartisan approach on local government, time to include local government in decisions on development, infrastructure and environment," he said. "Labor will work with local government and with its representative bodies such as the Australian Local Government Association to introduce a new cooperation and a better deal for local communities."

Minister, Parliamentary Secretary for Transport and Regional Services

The Prime Minister John Howard has announced that the Hon De-Anne Kelly MP will continue to serve as Parliamentary Secretary to the Hon Mark Vaile MP when he becomes Minister for Transport and Regional Services. Ms Kelly was previously Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Trade. Mr Howard said that her role as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Transport and Regional Services will be to generally assist Mr Vaile in that portfolio. Mr Howard also announced that the Minister for Local Government, Territories and Roads, the Hon Jim Lloyd MP would retain his current responsibilities, including for roads and regional partnerships.

From the President

The announcement by the Prime Minister this week that Ministers Vaile and Truss would swap portfolios had been speculated about in the media for some time and did not take many people by surprise.

As the new Minister for Transport and Regional Service, Mr Vaile is known to be a strong supporter of infrastructure in regional Australia and we welcome the appointment, while at the same time acknowledging the hard yards that have been put in by former Minister Warren Truss.

Infrastructure is shaping up to be a central election issue.

In one of his first interviews in the new portfolio, on the ABC's AM Program, Minister Vaile said: "We need to continue to improve the capacity of our infrastructure, certainly while the nation can afford it."

He mentioned the $15b package boosting investment in transport infrastructure and the study into the north-south rail corridor. As for the Budget surplus, he strongly hinted that a chunk of it would be put into infrastructure, just as happened in the 2005-6 Budget with the extra $3b for AusLink and an extra $307m for local government roads and bridges. He identified Melbourne-Sydney-Brisbane corridor, including the Pacific Highway, as a priority for future rail and road investment.

This is very encouraging flag-waving. The Prime Minister Mr Howard also spoke that morning about the pressures facing rural and regional Australia, in particular farmers who are in dire need of drought assistance.

However, the senior Ministers who hold the nation's purse-strings have a different perspective. Federal Finance Minister Nick Minchin has warned that a large boost to government infrastructure spending would be economically irresponsible and risk pushing up inflation. He said the government already spent significantly on transport infrastructure.

The Treasurer also warned against "new spending which will threaten the budget bottom line."

In the lead-up to the Budget and the federal election campaign, local government has to mount a strong case for increased infrastructure spending which improves the productive capacity of our nation.

The PricewaterhouseCoopers study ALGA has commissioned on local government financing is a key part of presenting the facts and figures that back up our case for fair funding and for increased funding for infrastructure that supports local communities.

The Australian Local Government Association has achieved success in consolidating and expanding our partnerships with the Australian Government. The Federal Budget in May provided a $300m boost to the Roads to Recovery program, on top of an additional $100m for the AusLink strategic regional program. We are grateful for the work of the Minister for Local Government, Territories and Roads, Jim Lloyd, in this regard.

Local government is committed to building on this partnership with Minister Vaile and the re-appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Transport and Regional Development De-Anne Kelly. The release of our Roads and Transport Strategy 2006-16 at the National General Assembly and the PricewaterhouseCoopers study will provide the building blocks for our election policy document which we will present to the major parties in the lead-up to the 2007 federal election.

The challenges ahead mean that we must all work together to further our objectives of the three f's - fair funding, fair treatment and formal recognition.

Our goal is to continue to work hard to ensure that all Australian communities, metropolitan, rural and regional, maintain their viability and vitality. This means investing in adequate services and infrastructure to meet the growing needs of our nation and to plan for the future.

Cr Paul Bell AM
ALGA President

POSTbillpay logo

A partner of local government and local communities

At Australia Post we are proud of our longstanding association with the Australian Local Government Association and are pleased to be sponsoring the 2006 National General Assembly of Local Government.

Australia Post's network of Licensed Post Offices (LPOs) plays a central role in the social and commercial fabric of their local community. Many are family concerns that are often operated by licensees who are ratepayers in the community. Just over half of all LPOs are located with other businesses providing local employment opportunities. In more isolated areas the LPO may also be the sole provider of banking services.

Through the Postbillpay service Australia Post provides councils with close to 4,000 retail outlets as payment collection points, including nearly 2,000 in rural areas. Payments can also be made by phone on 13 18 16 or on the Internet at www.postbillpay.com.au. More than 80% of rate notices can be paid at Australia Post, and other types of bills - such as animal registrations, infringements and debtors - are increasingly collected via Postbillpay.

Billmanager is another example of how Post serves your community. Billmanager allows ratepayers to break large bills into smaller monthly or fortnightly payments. This means ratepayers can budget more easily and are less reliant on credit cards - avoiding debt. For councils it means receiving payments in advance and offering a cost-effective payment card service.

At this year's National General Assembly of Local Government, Australia Post will present innovative solutions that enable councils to collect payments for invoices produced in house using eLetter Solutions easy to use desktop software.

We hope you enjoy the National General Assembly and invite you to visit our exhibition stand to learn about Postbillpay and eLetter Solutions and share with us your views on how we can continue serving local government.

State of the Regions report 2005-06
Quote of the week

"An invasion of armies can be resisted, but not an idea whose time has come. "
    - Victor Hugo, Histoire d'un crime, 1852

Support from Aged-Care Minister

The Minister for Ageing, Senator Santo Santoro, who will speak at the General Assembly, has recently announced a review of all Commonwealth-funded community aged care programs.

He said the Howard Government had given priority to expanding and improving services delivered in the community, with funding for community aged care programs rising from $554 million in 1995-96 to $1.8 billion in 2006-07.

Senator Santoro said that community aged care services provided to older Australians in their own homes would be improved and choices expanded. The review would commence next month.

It will examine equity, access, funding, fees, quality and accountability of community care services. It will deliver recommendations to build on advances already made following the release in 2004 of the Government's A New Strategy for Community Care - The Way Forward.

Senator Santoro said the Government's objective was to provide easier access to community care, a fairer system of care distribution and improved quality of care for older Australians who choose to stay at home.

"All the available research shows that, where possible, people prefer to continue living close to their families and friends, and the shops, clubs and services that they know.

"But with the growth in demand for this type of care, it is time to look at how these packages can best respond to future needs for community care in an equitable and sustainable way."

The review will include a number of research, data analysis and modelling projects, including:

  • mapping the needs of frail older Australians against service use to identify gaps and overlaps
  • examining subsidy and fee structures, with particular regard to equity and choice
  • assessing private service provision, including barriers to it
  • developing options to achieve the best outcomes for people at different levels of dependency.

Senator Santoro recently signed an historic agreement in Hobart to better coordinate care and services across three spheres of government.

The Tripartite Partnership Agreement for Population Ageing in Tasmania was signed by the Premier, Paul Lennon, Senator Santoro, and the President of the Local Government Association of Tasmania, Councillor Mike Gaffney.

Councillor Gaffney said councils around Australia faced significant challenges in providing age-friendly environments.

"This is particularly the case when we're working within existing community infrastructure and available services," Councillor Gaffney said.

"This agreement recognises that, to meet these challenges successfully, there must be authentic cooperation between the three spheres of government, positive working relationships with business and industry and, importantly, effective consultation with our communities."

Senator Santoro praised the efforts of the Local Government Association of Tasmania and the state government for their role in achieving what is a milestone in cooperation between the three spheres of government. He said the agreement would ensure that planning met the needs of Tasmania's ageing population and provide better services for older Tasmanians.

Local Government Ageing Toolbox

ALGA is to launch its population ageing online toolbox at a General Assembly symposium which will give local government authorities and the communities they represent a framework to develop a strategy for population ageing.

The development of this toolbox has been made possible through the support of the Department of Health and Ageing, through the Planning for an Ageing Community Partnership with ALGA.

Has your council started to plan for an ageing community? The workshop will include a collection of case studies which showcase the strategic efforts of individual councils in responding to populations ageing and encourage participants to raise issues of importance to their local communities in the context of a growing older population.

Ageing is everybody's business and the online toolbox developed by ALGA will be a great resource for individuals and groups at all stages of the local government planning continuum, such as:

  • those who want to know how to persuade decision makers to recognise and respond to population ageing
  • those that are aware of population ageing and need guidance on how to begin planning
  • those that have started to develop a strategy or who are actively working towards a response to population ageing but who need further direction perhaps on a particular aspect of their work
  • those that are progressing well and want some further ideas.

Tools such as organisational checklists, action lists, demographic profile templates, service audit checklists and links to case studies are only a few of the many resources that will be available online following the launch.

Awareness has increased about population ageing and age-friendly built environments over the past two years through ALGA as well as other activities such as the Australian Government's National Speakers Series A Community for all Ages - Building the Future.

This workshop will be a good chance to look beyond awareness raising to see how informed action by some Councils in planning and shaping age-friendly built environments can be successful for residents, community agencies and the private sector.

This has led to greater understanding of the characteristics of age-friendly built environments, by individuals and groups within local government such as town planning, engineering, parks and gardens, sport and recreation and aged and disability services.

National Awards for Local Government

The National Awards for Local Government is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Since 1986 the Australian Government has been recognising, celebrating and promoting innovation, excellence and leading practice in local government. The national winners of the 2006 Awards will be announced at an invitation-only dinner on Monday 27 November. The Awards will also be the focus of a concurrent symposium on Wednesday 29th November at 11am where two recent national winners will share their stories and experiences of winning these prestigious awards. The Awards are proudly administered by the Department of Transport and Regional Services. Congratulations to the Category Award and Commendation Winners.

Councils on show!

As a brand new initiative to highlight the great innovation in local government all over Australia, the ALGA Board invites councils to submit multi-media presentations which showcase innovative solutions to the challenges faced by all councils.

We know councils across Australia constantly utilise skills and ingenuity to solve vital issues. Now via the National General Assembly, we want you to tell the rest of local government about your problem and your unique solution. A council may have installed a desalination plant to combat the drought, or be introducing new forms of housing to cope with population change. Alternatively, a simple solution to an occupational safety issue could be highlighted. We want to facilitate the opportunity for all councils to learn from each other.

We want entries from all councils, large and small, rural and urban. Successful entries will be shown throughout the National General Assembly. To ensure all councils have the opportunity to showcase, presentations must be of no more than 15 minutes duration and they must stand alone both in audio and visuals. Please note: this is not an opportunity for individuals to give a presentation.

Please post your presentations on CD or DVD together with council contact details to:

  • Katie Whitehead
  • Director National Events & International Liaison
  • 8 Geils Court
  • Deakin   ACT   2600

Inquiries:

To be eligible for consideration and inclusion in this year's National General Assembly, we must receive your multi-media submission by no later than 15 October 2006.